The Allure of Gentleness: Defending the Faith in the Manner of Jesus

by Dallas Willard

When called upon to explain their faith, Christians do not always feel equipped to do so—particularly when some of the most difficult questions arise. In The Allure of Gentleness, esteemed teacher and author Dallas Willard not only assures us of the truth and reasonableness of the Christian faith, but also explores why reason and logic are not enough: to explain Jesus's message, we must also be like Jesus, characterized by love, humility, and gentleness.

Based on a series of talks and lectures on apologetics given by the late author and edited by his daughter, Becky Heatley, this book constitutes Dallas Willard's most thorough presentation on how to defend the Christian faith for the twenty-first century. This beautiful model of life, this allure of gentleness, Willard tells us, is the foundation for making the most compelling argument for Christ, one that will assure others that the Christian faith is not only true but the answer to our deepest desires and hopes.

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Theology, Faith, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Religion

208 pages, Hardcover

First published August 15, 2014

About the author

Dallas Willard was a widely respected American philosopher and Christian thinker, best known for his work on spiritual formation and his expertise in phenomenology, particularly the philosophy of Edmund Husserl. He taught philosophy at the University of Southern California from 1965 until his death in 2013, where he also served as department chair in the early 1980s. Willard held degrees in psychology, philosophy, and religion, earning his PhD in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a focus on the history of science. He was recognized as a leading translator and interpreter of Husserl's thought, making foundational texts available in English and contributing significantly to the fields of epistemology, philosophy of mind, and logic.
Though a serious academic, Willard became even more widely known for his books on Christian living, including The Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart, both of which earned major awards and helped shape the modern spiritual formation movement. He believed that discipleship to Jesus was an intentional process involving not only belief but transformation through spiritual disciplines like prayer, study, solitude, and service. For Willard, spiritual growth was not about earning God’s favor but about participating in the divine life through active cooperation with grace.
His teachings emphasized the concept of apprenticeship to Jesus—being with him, learning to be like him—and his influence extended to ministries such as Renovaré, the Apprentice Institute, and the Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation. He served on the boards of organizations like the C.S. Lewis Foundation and Biola University, and his intellectual and spiritual legacy continues through Dallas Willard Ministries and academic institutions inspired by his work.
Willard was also a deeply personal writer who shared candidly about the challenges of balancing academic life with family. Despite his own admitted shortcomings, those closest to him regarded him as a man of deep love, humility, and grace. His enduring impact can be seen in the lives and works of many contemporary Christian thinkers and writers, including Richard J. Foster, James Bryan Smith, and John Mark Comer. As both philosopher and pastor to the mind, Dallas Willard remains a towering figure in the dialogue between rigorous thought and transformative Christian practice.

Reviews

[Cara Putman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid model for apologetics. Looking forward to digging in again when I can do it with a group.

[Austenn Akers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been going over a chapter a week with a group of young adults, drinking up the goodness of a Dallas Willard banger. I am always so encouraged and challenged as I read his works, desiring to pick up another to slowly trek through.

As this was my second run through in this work, I picked up on a grip of nuggets i had skimmed over the previous read and feel all the more empowered to share the love of Jesus with gentleness and respect.

I truly believe this is a book that is SO needed for the church in 2020, that we may be slow to speak and quick to love. That the church would address people with love (should i repeat myself for the people in the back?) and instead of hurling biblical quotes, we would first share testimonies of the Lord’s goodness and then welcome them into the radness that is the the Word of God. Jesus was relational, so we should be too. No cap.

I love this book & really do love the church as a whole (know there is no resentment here, as I work at a church). I just truly believe that all Christians, including myself, can do a better job with sharing the Gospel with gentleness and respect.

[Will Norrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an evidences course at a Christian college, an exasperated professor said, “I don’t know why everyone discounts arguments from young earth creationists.”
And my unfiltered response was, “Because most young earth creationists are jerks.”

Now, I intellectually understand that a person’s attitude does not inherently invalidate his argument, but I think I (and perhaps many others) have felt less inclined to follow an idea because of the spirit in which it was presented.

This book, assembled after Willard’s death, has an unfinished/choppy feel, but the idea that Christian apologetics ought to be more Christ-like is a worthy one.

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

The goal of apologetics is to use my reason in service to the Holy Spirit to remove barriers to belief in Christ. Willard suggests that we best capture the nuance of “disciple” if we see it to mean “apprentice.” This is not an apologetics textbook. It’s more along the lines of “how you should behave so that people don’t think your an oaf or a jerk.” And while Willard doesn’t make this explicit inference: I have seen that the most brash and oafish people in apologetics are often the most inept.

Willard covers some of the same ground as Knowing Christ Today, with a pointed critique of “Strong Scientism.” If all that counts as knowledge is what the hard sciences can give us, particularly via the scientific method, then we have to ask whether the Greek alphabet, for example, counts as knowledge. It seems it does; therefore, hard scientism (and many of the recent court rulings in the US) is wrong.

Willard invites the apologete to think like Jesus by living like Jesus, having Jesus’s disposition. It’s more than a cliche, though. How would someone who is gentle help someone who is impressed by the problem of evil? It’s not enough simply to show that it is logically flawed. Willard invites the reader to work through not just the problem of pain, but the nature of pain. For example, is pain the worst thing in the world? The objection implies that it is. But if pain isn’t the worst thing in the world, if they are goods that people can pursue in the midst of pain, then it isn’t clear why God is obligated to remove pain from the world.

His section on the “hard parts of the Old Testament” is interesting. God always meets his people in history, in their history. Would it have made sense for God to drop the UN Resolution on Human Rights to Joshua as he was about to execute Achan? No. That probably would have gotten in the way. It would have been unintelligible.

Willard ends on the spiritual life of the apologist. Not just praying to God, but talking to him. And listening. And how to listen. We continuationists who say that God still speaks to us almost never mean he speaks in an audible voice. Rather, God has a special "feel" to him when he speaks.

[Steve Penner · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so looking forward to this last book, published posthumously, by Dallas Willard. Every one of his books sits on my shelf. I have learned much from his writings. Alas, I encountered primarily disappointment. This is the book that Willard had intended to write, perhaps even had begun, but it was not to be due to the cancer that took him. So it is pieced together from lectures, notes and outlines by his daughter. It promises a new view of apologetics, but fails to deliver.

What is most missing is Willard's voice. The words communicate some very basic truths about apologetics but the voice is totally absent. There is nothing winsome or evocative which I had come to expect from him. As far as I am concerned it is a total failure to have published this book under his name. It should have been a reflection by his daughter on the themes of apologetics and an apologetic lifestyle with her as the author. I suppose it would not have likely sold much. Sorry, but that's the way it all feels.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is based on a series of lectures and was edited and published posthumously by Willard's daughter. Target readers are Christian laity who want to share their faith with skeptics. As the title implies, there are ways to do it and ways not to do it. Willard offers arguments for the existence of God and sensible guidelines for discussing one's faith with interested and receptive friends, based on his own gentle style, which he learned from scripture and a lifelong personal relationship with Jesus. He does not advocate arguing with people who are hostile to the Christian faith.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second only to Mere Christianity as a clear discussion of key components of Christianity. Highly recommended to any Christian interested in understanding their faith a little better. Also perfect for any Willard fan, but even if you've never read him, you could start with this one.

Willard's goal is to reorient the aim of "apologetics," first to discussions within the church to help one another to deeper faith, then to those outside the faith. As he points out, the approaches to the different audiences should begin in different places, seek different ends, and ask different questions. As Willard alone can do, he walks through some very practical "how-tos," while also crystalizing ideas that can be helpful to understand in the discussion.

Willard's chapter on the Problem of Evil was excellently done. Logical, clear, sidestepping the many spirals of thought that can bog down this question, while still acknowledging the very real need to hear and enter into people's real pain which usually sparks this question.

I felt vindicated in some of my own thinking, as Willard articulated many of my own thoughts in dealing with apologetics--primarily that most of it should be done within the church body. If we are seeking understanding and deepening of faith in our own faith communities, then a lot of the "defenses" we have to make take care of themselves. Second, that in learning to hear from God, "trying something" is key. I have always said that it is easier for God to redirect a moving target--and He is completely used to dealing with people who are wrong and make wrong decisions. Learning to hear Him requires motion on our part to tune our ears to His voice.

[Savannah Knepp · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The means of our communication needs to be gentle because gentleness also characterizes the subject of our communication. What we are seeking to defend or explain is Jesus himself, who is a gentle, loving shepherd. If we are not gentle in how we present the good news, how will people encounter the gentle and loving Messiah we want to point to?"

I've grown to dislike the word apologetics, but this book helped me realize that it's the attitudes that I associate with the word that I actually dislike. As an audiobook, I did struggle to stay engaged but I want to read a physical copy and plumb the depths of the gem at some point, especially the beautiful section on doubt.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. Recommended, very worthwhile reading

[Joanna Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting thoughts on apologetics.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish Dallas Willard would have been one of my university professors. I'm so thankful he wrote books to pass on his wisdom and love.

[Kelly Gwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never been disappointed by Willard book. Always exceptional and impactful.

[Ricky Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the only book on apologetics that actually matters.

Willard has a way of explaining and defending the faith that is unique, refreshing, and unyielding in its commitment to practicality.

[Rick Dugan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and refreshing are not words that normally come to mind when reviewing books on Christian apologetics. But these are words that capture my feelings as I finished this modified transcript of talks given by Dallas Willard before he died. The book addresses, though not as deeply as other books on apologetics, the expected topics of theodicy, reliability of spiritual knowledge, first causes, evolution, etc. However, it also makes three assertions that I've not encountered in other such books.

First, Willard makes the case that the spirit of the apologist - a spirit of love, humility and gentleness - is as essential (if not more) than the content of her arguments. Jesus launched a revolution because he was gentle, not in spite of his gentleness. "When we do the work of apologetics, we do it as disciples of Jesus—and therefore we are to do it in the manner in which he would do it," says Willard.

Second, though apologetics is usually addressed to the skeptic and unbeliever, Willard's book is addressed to believers. Apologetics is coming alongside people (including Christians) with their doubts and fears, and providing them with reasons to believe God. This is a pastoral and compassionate apologetics. Such an approach makes the local church a safe place for those who struggle to trust God and see His goodness in the midst of real life suffering, doubt, and anxiety. Apologetics, when done with the mission of Jesus in mind, brings liberty, joy, comfort, and faith. It's about entering new life in Christ.

Third, apologetics done in the Jesus way can't be separated from discipleship. This begins with the commands to seek God, which imply that God is not easily or obviously seen. God is hidden, and though we can find him, God maintains a certain distance from his children so that our free will is not overrun by his blazing glory. We have the freedom to choose.

Yet at the same time, we believe that "Jesus has the knowledge required to solve your problems." We pursue God's truth to deepen our confidence in and relationship with him. An apologetic of the possibility of a relationship with God includes the following (which Willard explains in detail):

1. God exists.
2. God is infinitely powerful to accomplish his purposes.
2. God is good and has a good purpose for history and humanity.
3. Through history, he is creating a community that freely responds to his good purposes.
4. This community discovers God and the life that he offers described reliably in the pages of the Bible.
5. Pain and suffering are also real.
6. But pain and suffering are not necessarily incompatible with the goodness of God (though this is not immediately obvious).
7. "A world that contains the possibility of evil is the one that also contains the greatest possibility of good." To become good people, we must have the real possibility of choosing evil. Evil in the natural world (earthquakes, sickness, etc.) "occurs because there is an enemy that wishes to make you doubt God."
8. "Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal."
9. In this life, we "overcome evil with good." Each of us can make "a significant impact on the moral evil in our world."
10. In all of this, Jesus becomes our model and the Holy Spirit our guide: discipleship.
11. This requires learning to have a conversational relationship with God: prayer.
12. It reflects the possibility of a personal relationship with God, who is imminent and active in and around us. We just have to learn to see and hear him.
13. This leads to a confidence (faith) to speak "in Jesus' name" and to pray with confidence; to acknowledge that God is active and good things aren't merely coincidence. This requires a humble vulnerability and trust.
14. Discipleship is teaching such spiritual knowledge of God, relationship, prayer and faith.

I'd love to see an expanded version of this book. I give it only 4 from 5 stars because it raised many unanswered questions. However, perhaps this will encourage me to continue to seek the God who is hidden.

[Alyssa Zimmerman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this. Maybe the problem is me? Maybe I'm just not really into apologetics?

Willard's basic arguments here are valid, but the way they are expressed feels invalidating and dismissive for those who truly, honestly struggle with the age-old problem of pain.

Here's an example from the book:
"We do not have any evidence to show us that the good world we are blaming God for not creating would suit us any better than this one. It may well be only another case of the greener grass on the other side of the fence. And the fact that many people believe that this life is good, suggests that instead of their being something wrong with this world, the real trouble lies within the people who are in such a hurry to get away from it."

...I mean, I guess? But Jesus himself suffered DEEPLY and cried out in his pain. People struggling with the suffering in this life need more than to be told that they are the ones with the problem because, after all, OTHER people don't seem to mind. Trust me, people who overwhelmed by their suffering are already aware that other people are happier than they are. Willard almost seems to mock that struggle by the simplistic way he characterizes it.

If you want some basic apologetic concepts then this book is okay, but certainly don't hand it to anyone who is struggling emotionally, and don't use it as a guide for engaging with them.

All of this is ironic, too, given the title. Some gentleness toward those who suffer would have gone a long way. This book was published post-humously. I wonder if they were so eager to use snippets of his words that his heart for gentleness was accidentally lost.

[Susan Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The allure of gentleness was collated from talks, notes and conversations by Dallas Willard. It was edited by his daughter, Rebecca, and mostly she has done a great job. Only occasionally was it apparent that the material wasn’t originally intended to be a book.

Willard is most concerned about our attitude when we present arguments for faith and writes that we should be like Jesus, and speak with gentleness and respect for others. Often, in the past, apologetic material has been presented in an aggressive or defensive tone which may win an argument, but doesn’t impact the enquirer’s beliefs. After writing about our attitude, Willard moves onto some of the more traditional issues, faith and reason, the problem of pain and suffering etc. He presents his thoughts from a philosophy point of view which I found interesting, but sometimes an intellectually challenging way of looking at these issues.

Willard concludes that the best apologetic, is the witness of a life lived in relationship with God. People should look at our lives and know there is something that makes us joyful and keeps us peaceful regardless of our circumstances. This was an excellent point. It doesn’t matter if we have well-reasoned arguments, if our lives don’t display God’s love and grace.

Overall an insightful read.

[Cassie Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In today’s culture, when a lot of people think about sharing the gospel, their minds go to debates as the primary way to bring people into the fold. But the same Jesus who drove the money-hungry merchants out of the temple is also the one who will not break a bruised reed or snuff out a flickering candle. Gentleness is a sorely missed virtue in today’s world, and part of the reason is that people think it will be ineffective if they’re not arguing for God. But God doesn’t need anybody to argue for Him.

In ‘The Allure of Gentleness’, author and philosopher Dallas Willard explores how gentleness can allure people in a way that debating cannot. After exploring the reasons why faith in God is backed up by evidence, which he gives in an easy-to-digest way. If you’re wanting to share the gospel with your friends, family, or anybody, this book is a great place to start. Gentleness is one of the characteristics that Paul encourages Christians to strengthen and grow, and this book explains how in a very thoughtful way.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read. Apologetics is not about engaging in intellectual debates and arguments to win people to Christ. It calls for the gentleness of Christ in walking alongside seekers in their attempts to know the truth. It is the work of aiding, enlightening, and helping the seekers experience Christ. Our conduct must embodies the message and Person we want to communicate.

[Bryan Neuschwander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully thought provoking.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not your typical apologetics book. It's got good Willard material, but left me wanting a bit for more. I didn't agree with everything, and had some questions that needed more explanation, but overall, it's a thought provoking book. It was compiled posthumously by his daughter, so maybe that's the reason. Good stuff, and I've written my highlights below:

When Jesus says, You’re a city on a hill. Can you imagine hiding San Fransisco? There’s something so different. What have you got? That is the context of apologetics.

In my opinion, the real issues in apologetics are in the big issues, the premises and conclusions, what the real questions are, what doesn’t make sense and how to make sense of it.

Some may ask if it’s possible for God to make a world with less evil, an image of God with a fly swatter, when he sees something evil about to happen, he hits it! What you have there is an image of a world without order and no law. You can’t count on what’s going to happen, because you don’t know when God is going to step in. The nature of human action and interaction requires a reign of law or orderliness. This predictable order makes it possible to set goals, learn from one’s mistakes and interact with other person to form a community. You have to have a framework of rules/expectations. Free conscious engagement of individual personality with its surroundings is required. If you can’t count on consistent responses to your actions, it becomes impossible to learn what actions are appropriate.

God doesn’t have to test us. He already knows. Testing comes, but it’s not God’s work to test by causing suffering. He knows who we are, and what we can bear. When trouble does come, God is against it.

Evil: How to get rid of it. If I am truly concerned about moral evil in the world, I should at least worry as much about my responsibility for it as about God’s. By personally ceasing to do evil, I can make a significant impact on the moral evil in my world. By trusting the goodness and greatness of God I can turn loose o the chain that drags me into moral evil. The chain of self-deification, which puts me in the position of being the only one I trust to take care of me. Nearly all evil doing under the guise of necessity. I wouldn’t lie cheat or steal if it weren’t necessary to secure my aims, which of course, I must bring about. Evil harms other people. It’s root cause is anger, which is rooted in disappointment of one’s desires. People want things they don’t get, so they become angry and hurt other people. Harm comes from anger and contempt (sermon on mount, etc).

The ultimate apologetic is the life of the individual who is living out of the resources of the kingdom of God. We must have arguments and reasons, but we must be people who are actually accomplishing things through our prayers and words.

Why didn’t Jesus come right away? God is a person and approaches people redemptively as a person. If you don't’ understand that then you can’t get into other points. God works through an orderly process and lays appropriate ground work, and so must we as we proceed in apologetics. After we talk about redemptive history with a covenant people and a book, we talk about an incarnation, and then a resurrection. After people ask, why are you hopeful in the midst of this world? They don’t want to hear merely about a great God, they want to hear about you. When did God last deliver you? How does this really work? Sharing the good news is often about sharing the personal good news of Christ in your life, and not the abstract generalized good news. They want to hear about your personal relationship to this personal God who is the foundation of all reality.

If you have your mind set that it’s impossible for God to speak to you individually, that is your faith. As it is your faith, as long as your experience is concerned, that is probably the way it is going to be for you. Sometimes God does strange things to get people’s attention. The primary way that God speaks to people is by causing thoughts in our mind that we come to learn that have a characteristic quality, content, and spirit about them. This is how we speak to each other. We make noises, sound waves go into your ears, and bounce around, and your brain converts into language. I speak to you by causing thoughts in your mind.

[Tim Littleford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tasting Notes 🤌

Why should someone read this?:

When we come to share or explain our faith, we often don't know what to say and how to say it. We can tend to think that apologetics is a battle to be won. Willard frames apologetics as pastoral care. The loving work of lifting doubt in others, and helping them to see that faith in Jesus is realistic, reasonable, logical and utterly true. Apologetics is therefore immensely important work to do within ourself, with other Christians and with those who aren't christians yet.

Top 3 Baller Quotes:

"People are fully at the mercy of their ideas... Discipleship is how we get our ideas corrected"

"It is only in the heat of pain and suffering, both mental and physical, that real human character is forged. One does not develop courage without facing danger, patience without trials, wisdom without heart - and brain - racking puzzles, endurance without suffering, or temperance and honesty without temptations. These are the very things we treasure most about people. Ask yourself if you would be willing to be devoid of all these virtues. If your answer is no. then don't scorn the means of obtaining them."

"The ultimate apologetic is the life of the individual who is living out of the resources of the kingdom of God. To have a nice set of abstract ideas and arguments can be very important for us, but we need to be people who are actually accomplishing things in the kingdom of the heavens through our prayers and our words."


What are 3 questions someone should ask themselves about this book?:

1. What is my area of most doubt about Jesus?

2. What work do I need to do to allow the Spirit to turn that doubt into belief?

3. In what ways can you prepare to be a Doubt-Lifter to those you know, love and serve?

[Matt C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep down, we all are seekers of truth because it is only through truth that we can “successfully deal with all the realities upon which our existence and wellbeing depend.” Recognition of truth requires reason, which is why it plays such a fundamental role in our ministry of the gospel! Faith and thought belong together; they are not each other’s opposite.

In apologetics, we are called to submit our ability to reason so that He might fill it with His spirit. Therefore, one must always talk of his personal faith with the gentleness of Jesus. We want to put our arms around those who think differently than us. If you can show us where we’re wrong, we’ll take your side. We are not here to defend the Christian faith; the Christian faith defends us. Casual confidence should our be disposition. Defense presupposes a foe, but our foe is not dogma, but anti-Christian thought in the believing man’s own heart. What is the best way to fight bad philosophy? With good philosophy! We must answer existential questions and quandaries that hurting people face because there is an enemy who wishes to make people doubt God. The greatest problem for the gospel of Christ today is not the doubt outside the church, but the doubt that is inside the church

Our lives should be characterized by deep joy; we have a faith that puts us in touch with the present reality of the Kingdom of God. He is present in human history and human life. He desires to make a society of the redeemed that will be the crown jewel of creation. Christ is the expressed image of god’s personality; as a result, should He not be our template for how we share our faith with others? The ultimate apologetic is your life!

[Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique book on apologetics, Willard invests some ink in one's manner in doing apologetics, that it is not a contest to win, but that it is a helping ministry, a ministry by which we are assisting individuals by using our God's-given reason (while trusting the Holy Spirit) to help people come to faith in God. He stresses that apologetics is not just a ministry to those who are not believers, but also to those who do believe but who struggle with doubts in one or more areas.

Willard highlights the importance of, even the biblical mandate/example to use our, reason, to use our minds. He also emphasizes that what really sells the Christian faith is a Christian life, a life that is surely lived in obvious communion with the living God and in the obvious power of something greater. He returns throughout the opening chapters to the NT charter on apologetics, 1 Peter 3:15-16, and its surrounding context.

In addition to the manner of apologetics, he also dives into the content of various apologetic issues. He responds to typical questions about the Christian faith with fresh answers and helpful illustrations. His illustrations remind me of Jesus' parables--using ordinary life to illustrate spiritual principles.

Is it necessary to say that I don't agree with all his theological points? Perhaps not, but I will say that his understanding of Scripture is down-to-earth, thought-provoking, and attention-getting all at the same time.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the posthumous works of the late Dallas Willard. Here he sort of offers a spirituality of apologetics. The essential premise (as the subtitle suggests) is 'defending the faith in the manner of Jesus,' taking a respectful, humble approach which is gracious toward unbelievers and religious outsiders and mindful of Christ's resurrection presence with us. Willard places a major emphasis on living the sort of life which unbelievers would find compelling (including having joy in all circumstances, and having a vibrant confident faith).

This is not your typical apologetics book in that Willard doesn't provide various logical proofs, though he does speak about reason and walk through relevant New Testament passages on the mode and style of Christian apologetics and address particular issues. The occasion for the book was a series of lectures Willard gave way back in 1990 that he and his daughter were preparing for publication before he passed on. His daughter augmented the original material with other occasional papers and lectures from Willard's notations on what areas he wanted to include in the final form of this book.

This isn't the greatest book Willard ever wrote but anything from him is worth reading.

[Robert Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Allure of Gentleness is a book about apologetics, but as the author makes clear it is about apologetics “in the manner of Jesus”. Therefore, the title includes the word “Gentleness” and the subtitle reveals the method of apologetics presented: “Defending the Faith in the Manner of Jesus”.

At the beginning of chapter 0ne, Willard defines apologetics as “a New Testament ministry that uses thinking and reasoning, in reliance on the Holy Spirit, to assist earnest inquirers in relinquishing disbelief and mistrust in God and God’s purposes for humankind. Apologetic work helps people believe and know the things that are especially related to Jesus Christ: his coming into the world, his life and death, and now his continuing to live in us.”

For me reading the book has made clear what apologetics means in the life of saints today and has given a wonderful approach to answering questions of life and my faith by both believers and non-believers. What is more Willard’s emphasis on gentleness has reduced arguments to persuasion.

Willard also addresses some critical issues of contention; one of the most interesting is the “Big Bang Theory”. His method of uncovering it as a myth is quite notable.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Allure of Gentleness" was compiled by Willard's daughter, Rebecca Willard Heatley, from talks her father had given. It's a mere 170 pages, and the chapters are divided into bite-size sections with large headings. It retains the conversational feel of the spoken word. The result is a reader-friendly book on a challenging subject.

The subject is Christian apologetics. At the risks of oversimplification, it boils down to:
1. Always tell the truth.
2. Do it gently.

We are out to win souls, Dallas Willard says, not debates. Win the argument but lose the person and you've missed the point. Those are my words, but I think they convey what Willard was getting at.

And by the way, Willard says, apologetics aren't just for people outside of the Church but for people on the inside as well, since many of us have barely a clue about what we say we believe.

If Christianity is attractive to you but you're not sure whether to believe it; if you're a Christian but starting to realize you don't really know why; if you're reasonably solid in your Christian faith but want to be better able to respectfully explain it to your nonbelieving neighbor, this would be a good book to read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willard's treatment of the subject comes at a different angle than most, establishing first and foremost that apologetics is a serving ministry in which we examine "What are the hard questions that smother faith?" It is not an in-depth, comprehensive approach to apologetic argumentation, but chock full of succinct insight and pertinent scripture to meditate on. Emphasis is placed on the believer seeking to work with the Holy Spirit "in gentleness and reverence. We surrender our powers and use of words, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, to relieve the burden of doubt from a troubled heart." Willard address a broad range of questions and difficulties, (of an intellectual, spiritual, and emotional nature) such as cosmology, the seeming illusiveness of God, God's redemptive work in human history, the problem of pain and evil, and others. The final section begins with this affirmation: "The ultimate apologetic–that is to say, the ultimate lifter of doubt–is the believer acting in faith in an interactive life with God." A worthwhile read.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dallas Willard talks apologetics. So much better than anything else I've encountered that has to do with apologetics.

Apologetics, as defined by Willard, is "a ministry that uses thinking and reasoning, in reliance on the Holy Spirit, to assist earnest inquirers in relinquishing disbelief and mistrust in God and God's good purposes for humankind." Apologetics has come to be defined by terms like defense and argument and debate but Willard points out that it is a "loving service" and to engage in Christian apologetics, one must examine and understand the way Jesus did it.

For much of the book, Willard examines the way Jesus interacted with earnest, and not so earnest, questioners including the specific time and attention he gave to each individual and the gentleness and graciousness he had in engaging with them.

In the last few chapters of the book, Willard spends some time tackling some of the major barriers people have to belief in suffering and whether God speaks to people today.

[Mark Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Willard's unusual approach to Christian apologetics: He declines to debate, but will engage in a mutual search for the truth. And he does believe in truth. Apologetics is “A New Testament ministry that uses thinking and reasoning, in reliance on the Holy Spirit, to assist earnest inquirers in relinquishing disbelief and mistrust in God and God’s good purposes for humankind.” (9) Knowledge is “Being able to deal with things as they are on an appropriate basis of thought and experience.” (13)

The book's strength is his reframing the questions and issues (evil, pain and suffering, heaven and hell, etc.) so we can begin to find our way past the usual conversational logjams. He also leans heavily on Christians to reason from a loving perspective. Willard also spends considerable time coaching the reader on how to live as well as how to think.

This should be a required primer for Christians who are enthusiastic about sharing their faith, and it may be helpful for those who do not identify as Christians as they explore their doubts.

[megan szymanski]

took a while to finish this one, but it is full of thoughts to make you pause and reflect —

“The highest aim of a student of Jesus Christ is to learn to live like him in his kingdom.”

“the greatest thing about heaven is going to be the presence of God”

“But, as with everything in life, we are called by God to put forth our efforts in expectation and faith that they will be anointed and that in the effect of those efforts we will see a greater difference than we could possibly make on our own … The mark of the Spirit in an activity is always the incommensurability of the result with the effort.”

“God has a continuing interest in his creation. And like all of those who create anything at all, the primary part of the image of God in human beings is creative action.”

“Every individual received into his presence enjoys the everlasting sufficiency of his goodness and greatness - there is no tragedy for those who rely on God.”

“Your work is to show forth the grace and glory of God in the place where you are.”