What do you think?
Rate this book
194 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2025
“You can know Jesus by acquaintance–directly, personally, interactively. You can experience a transforming friendship with Jesus that begins now and lasts forever as you apprentice your life to his. Jesus’ invitation to everyone is to taste and see and experience life in the kingdom. Scripture is a gateway to eternal living.” – Page 26
As someone who reads mostly from electronic sources, I confess I miss the process of wearing out a physical copy of the Bible. I’ve known families who have treasured dog-eared, highlighted, and note-filled Bibles from ancestors. All I can offer my descendants is my Bible App password (don’t look at the weird stuff).
But in the end, it’s not about what’s marked on the page—it’s about what’s hidden in the heart. I hope the way I’ve doggedly read and dog-eared life itself offers a better inheritance than a busted-up book.
Experiencing Scripture as a Disciple of Jesus (Reading the Bible like Dallas Willard) by Dave Ripper has rekindled the desire to wear out a Bible even as I read it on my Kindle! Dave delightfully channels Dallas as he offers instructions, challenges, and even (ugh) homework, guiding the reader to “Willard’s experiential approach to reading scripture theologically, biblically, practically, and even accessibly, in hope that local churches may become centers for spiritual formation.” – Page 10
I’m only about halfway through, but I already see great potential in this book. It’s one worth sharing as we desire to see the image of Christ grow within us. This would be an excellent guide for small-group leaders, pastors, and others seeking to come to the Bible with a purpose greater than simply checking the “I have read the terms and conditions” box.
A little over a year ago, I posted this on Facebook:
An Observation from a Spiritual Formation Pastor:
This may be a gross exaggeration, but it seems to me the majority of books I read on “Spiritual Formation” are simply attempts to dumb down stuff Dallas Willard said.
And, as a self-professed dumb guy, I’m ok with that.
I’m still ok with that! I love seeing Dallas’ life and legacy made accessible to a new generation. As Hebrews might put it: he being dead yet speaketh.
“It is better in one year to have ten good verses transferred into the substance of our lives than to have every word of the Bible flash before our eyes.”
— Quoted from Dallas on page 63