What do you think?
Rate this book
Designer Jesus: The Lifestory of a Disciple
Live a Designed Unleash Your Faith with Designer Jesus
In Designer Jesus, Leonard Sweet illuminates the path of discipleship with a bold and vibrant brush, revealing a faith that is as fresh as it is ancient. From the opening declaration, “Jesus is your design for living,” Sweet jolts readers into a new understanding of what it means to follow Christ, rekindling the heart’s rhythm with a message that is both timeless and timely.
This inspiring book builds on Sweet’s earlier work, Jesus Human, (2023) by moving beyond belief (fides quae) to explore the active experience of faith (fides qua). Where Jesus Human forged the guardrails of faith, Designer Jesus traces the handrails of life. Sweet delves into the life of faith, guiding readers to paint their lifestories with the rich colors of faith, hope, and love. He draws from the deep wells of the past to make the ancient faith accessible and relevant to today’s readers. With wisdom, wit, and whimsy, Sweet shows how a discipleship designed by Jesus is both classic classy and contemporary chic, providing meaning and mooring to a world adrift and unhinged.
Sweet asserts that our identity is found not in doctrines, creeds, or labels, but in the risen, rising Christ and his Spirit. He emphasizes that following Jesus, even being “little Christs” (the literal meaning of “Christian”), is not about imitation or cloning, but about allowing Jesus to live his life through us, ultimately leading us to become our truest, most authentic selves.
Designer Jesus is more than a book. It is a starting point for a life-changing journey. For those seeking a Christianity that transcends mere belief and becomes a transfigurative lifestory, Designer Jesus readies you to live a designed life brimming with joy and passion. It not only inspires personal flourishing, but it also equips you to brighten the paths of others with their own lifestories.
In Designer Jesus, Leonard Sweet illuminates the path of discipleship with a bold and vibrant brush, revealing a faith that is as fresh as it is ancient. From the opening declaration, “Jesus is your design for living,” Sweet jolts readers into a new understanding of what it means to follow Christ, rekindling the heart’s rhythm with a message that is both timeless and timely.
This inspiring book builds on Sweet’s earlier work, Jesus Human, (2023) by moving beyond belief (fides quae) to explore the active experience of faith (fides qua). Where Jesus Human forged the guardrails of faith, Designer Jesus traces the handrails of life. Sweet delves into the life of faith, guiding readers to paint their lifestories with the rich colors of faith, hope, and love. He draws from the deep wells of the past to make the ancient faith accessible and relevant to today’s readers. With wisdom, wit, and whimsy, Sweet shows how a discipleship designed by Jesus is both classic classy and contemporary chic, providing meaning and mooring to a world adrift and unhinged.
Sweet asserts that our identity is found not in doctrines, creeds, or labels, but in the risen, rising Christ and his Spirit. He emphasizes that following Jesus, even being “little Christs” (the literal meaning of “Christian”), is not about imitation or cloning, but about allowing Jesus to live his life through us, ultimately leading us to become our truest, most authentic selves.
Designer Jesus is more than a book. It is a starting point for a life-changing journey. For those seeking a Christianity that transcends mere belief and becomes a transfigurative lifestory, Designer Jesus readies you to live a designed life brimming with joy and passion. It not only inspires personal flourishing, but it also equips you to brighten the paths of others with their own lifestories.
486 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 26, 2024
10 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Leonard Sweet
158 books138 followersLeonard I. Sweet is an author, preacher, scholar, and ordained United Methodist clergyman currently serving as the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism at Drew Theological School, in Madison, New Jersey; and a Visiting Distinguished Professor at George Fox University in Portland, Oregon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 20, 2024
Leonard Sweet's Designer Jesus offers a fresh perspective on the life and teachings of Jesus. By focusing on specific aspects of his physicality, Sweet invites readers to explore the human side of Jesus and to consider the practical implications of his example for their own lives. This innovative approach is both thought-provoking and inspiring. As a former student of Dr. Sweet, I have had the privilege of witnessing first hand his ability to inspire and challenge his readers. His latest work continues this tradition of thought-provoking and transformative theology.
Sweet offers a fresh perspective on Jesus by focusing on specific aspects of his physicality. By examining Jesus's walk, touch, face, mouth, and nose, Sweet invites readers to explore an untapped side of Jesus and to consider the practical implications of his example. This innovative approach creatively refocuses our thoughts and challenges us to evaluate our own lives in a new and meaningful way.
I especially appreciated the first chapter on Jesus “walk.” As someone who has walked for exercise all of my adult life, I found the image and challenge especially moving for my own life of discipleship. In this chapter, Sweet says the best definition for a Christian is “walker-with-God” (page 58). He goes on to say that Paraclete, a Greek word John uses for the Holy Spirit in John 14, translates literally as “one who walks alongside.”
This image of walking as a metaphor for a life of faith has been picked up by other authors like John Bunyon, Kosuke Koyama, and Charles Foster. Sweet takes it one step further by weaving Jesus walk/gait/stride into a challenge for those of us who wish to follow the author of our faith. I found this chapter applicable in numerous ways.
A valuable feature of Designer Jesus is the "Studio Live" section at the end of each chapter. This section offers thought-provoking questions and reflections that encourage deeper engagement with the material. As a former pastor, I can envision Designer Jesus being used effectively in a book club or small group setting, thanks to its built-in discussion guide.
The book is easily accessible to all, the reader doesn’t need a theological degree to understand the concepts. Sweet also provides an extensive set of footnotes for further study or to satisfy the curious.
I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to deeping their life of discipleship and to grow in new ways.
Sweet offers a fresh perspective on Jesus by focusing on specific aspects of his physicality. By examining Jesus's walk, touch, face, mouth, and nose, Sweet invites readers to explore an untapped side of Jesus and to consider the practical implications of his example. This innovative approach creatively refocuses our thoughts and challenges us to evaluate our own lives in a new and meaningful way.
I especially appreciated the first chapter on Jesus “walk.” As someone who has walked for exercise all of my adult life, I found the image and challenge especially moving for my own life of discipleship. In this chapter, Sweet says the best definition for a Christian is “walker-with-God” (page 58). He goes on to say that Paraclete, a Greek word John uses for the Holy Spirit in John 14, translates literally as “one who walks alongside.”
This image of walking as a metaphor for a life of faith has been picked up by other authors like John Bunyon, Kosuke Koyama, and Charles Foster. Sweet takes it one step further by weaving Jesus walk/gait/stride into a challenge for those of us who wish to follow the author of our faith. I found this chapter applicable in numerous ways.
A valuable feature of Designer Jesus is the "Studio Live" section at the end of each chapter. This section offers thought-provoking questions and reflections that encourage deeper engagement with the material. As a former pastor, I can envision Designer Jesus being used effectively in a book club or small group setting, thanks to its built-in discussion guide.
The book is easily accessible to all, the reader doesn’t need a theological degree to understand the concepts. Sweet also provides an extensive set of footnotes for further study or to satisfy the curious.
I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to deeping their life of discipleship and to grow in new ways.
Displaying 1 of 1 review