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Hearers and Doers: A Pastor’s Guide to Making Disciples Through Scripture and Doctrine
The foundation of discipleship is sound, scriptural doctrine.
The value of sound doctrine is often misunderstood by the modern church. While it can be dry and dull, when it flows from the story of Scripture, it can be full of life and love. This kind of doctrine, steeped in Scripture, is critical for disciple--making. And it's often overlooked by modern pastors.
In Hearers and Doers, Kevin Vanhoozer makes the case that pastors, as pastor--theologians, ought to interpret Scripture theologically to articulate doctrine and help cultivate disciples. scriptural doctrine is vital to the life of the church, and local pastor--theologians should be the ones delivering it to their communities.
With arresting prose and striking metaphors, Vanhoozer addresses the most pressing problems in the modern church with one answer: teach sound, scriptural doctrine to make disciples.
The value of sound doctrine is often misunderstood by the modern church. While it can be dry and dull, when it flows from the story of Scripture, it can be full of life and love. This kind of doctrine, steeped in Scripture, is critical for disciple--making. And it's often overlooked by modern pastors.
In Hearers and Doers, Kevin Vanhoozer makes the case that pastors, as pastor--theologians, ought to interpret Scripture theologically to articulate doctrine and help cultivate disciples. scriptural doctrine is vital to the life of the church, and local pastor--theologians should be the ones delivering it to their communities.
With arresting prose and striking metaphors, Vanhoozer addresses the most pressing problems in the modern church with one answer: teach sound, scriptural doctrine to make disciples.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 15, 2019
131 people are currently reading
632 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J. Vanhoozer
68 books188 followersKevin J. Vanhoozer is currently Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. From 1990-98 he was Senior Lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies at New College, University of Edinburgh. Vanhoozer received a BA from Westmont College, an M.Div from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Cambridge University, England having studied under Nicholas Lash.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
March 17, 2021
Catechize is a word most people don’t use on a regular basis, if ever. And yet, we are being catechized by the world each and every single day. Simply put, to be catechized is to be instructed (usually in question and answer format). Social media is instructing us with how to live. News media is instructing us with what to believe. The workplace is instructing us with what and who to value. Each of these cultural forms engrains in our minds an idea of what we deserve and what “the good life” looks like for us. To use Vanhoozer’s words: “Many churches are suffering from malnourished imaginations, captive to culturally conditioned pictures of the good life.” Christians, contra-the-world, are to have their social imaginary shaped by God’s word. They are to hear the Word and do the Word. They are to “Take every thought captive in order to obey Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). Thus, the role of pastor is to, by God’s grace, open the eyes of disciples to the social imaginaries that grip them and then to re-shape those imaginaries by the word of truth – God’s word. They are to use Scripture to expose the idols and ideologies of our time so that we can be emancipated from the shackles of secular imaginaries that steal our joy and only tickle our soul’s true appetite. And so that everyone may be presented mature in Christ (Col 1:28).
In sum, Vanhoozer’s book makes a compelling case for the ever growing need of the pastor to shepherd their flock by deconstructing the underlying ideologies of this world (what he calls “negative task of theology”) and building new ideologies that are captive to God and his word alone. This is a must read for pastors and a recommended read for church members! As pilgrims journeying in a foreign land, we glorify God by living as citizens of our heavenly kingdom, not by trying to make a heaven of this foreign land. May God grant us the grace to endure with all joy and perseverance!
In sum, Vanhoozer’s book makes a compelling case for the ever growing need of the pastor to shepherd their flock by deconstructing the underlying ideologies of this world (what he calls “negative task of theology”) and building new ideologies that are captive to God and his word alone. This is a must read for pastors and a recommended read for church members! As pilgrims journeying in a foreign land, we glorify God by living as citizens of our heavenly kingdom, not by trying to make a heaven of this foreign land. May God grant us the grace to endure with all joy and perseverance!
August 30, 2019
Books on discipleship abound, but we need more like this one. As one would expect, Vanhoozer helps pastors discern cultural idols and calls them to make disciples through the word, but he does so in a way that is more richly theological, more philosophically aware, and more historically informed than one might expect from the latest book on discipleship (though it is exactly what one might expect from the latest book by Vanhoozer).
Vanhoozer encourages pastors to read the Scriptures as a unified story (biblical theology) and interpret them theologically (systematic theology) in light of little 'c' catholic Christianity (historical theology) and to teach their church members to do the same. This is a robust vision of discipleship which when combined by Vanhoozer with Charles Taylor's insights about 'social imaginaries' (think stories that shape us unconsciously for good or ill) equips pastors and parishioners to discern the ways we are being shaped by the culture and to counter these with sound doctrine and scriptural stories.
Vanhoozer offers himself as a guide to this heady but practical path of discipleship since he functions here as both cultural critic (pointing out, among other things, the ways we have unconsciously absorbed our culture's definition of wellness) and more subtly as one profoundly shaped by Scripture (for me, the abundance of biblical allusions in his writing is one of the chief joys of reading his work).
I can't say enough good things about this book. I hope to encourage my ministry reading group to read it and discuss it. More than that, I hope it gains a wide reading and cultivates a taste for more works of this richness and depth.
My gratitude to the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Vanhoozer encourages pastors to read the Scriptures as a unified story (biblical theology) and interpret them theologically (systematic theology) in light of little 'c' catholic Christianity (historical theology) and to teach their church members to do the same. This is a robust vision of discipleship which when combined by Vanhoozer with Charles Taylor's insights about 'social imaginaries' (think stories that shape us unconsciously for good or ill) equips pastors and parishioners to discern the ways we are being shaped by the culture and to counter these with sound doctrine and scriptural stories.
Vanhoozer offers himself as a guide to this heady but practical path of discipleship since he functions here as both cultural critic (pointing out, among other things, the ways we have unconsciously absorbed our culture's definition of wellness) and more subtly as one profoundly shaped by Scripture (for me, the abundance of biblical allusions in his writing is one of the chief joys of reading his work).
I can't say enough good things about this book. I hope to encourage my ministry reading group to read it and discuss it. More than that, I hope it gains a wide reading and cultivates a taste for more works of this richness and depth.
My gratitude to the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
November 18, 2019
Theology by bon mot.
My favorite chapter was ch. 2, summarized in this quote:
“The wellness movement has its share of critics, though pastors and theologians are conspicuous by their absence from this particular choir. They shouldn’t be, for wellness has become part of the warp and woof of the American social imaginary. What’s the “good news” of the wellness movement? That you can make yourself well—save yourself—by following this or that program. To the extent that it has become an ideal picture that orients people’s hopes and lives and encourages self-help salvation, wellness has become an American idol, a false gospel.”
This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.
My favorite chapter was ch. 2, summarized in this quote:
“The wellness movement has its share of critics, though pastors and theologians are conspicuous by their absence from this particular choir. They shouldn’t be, for wellness has become part of the warp and woof of the American social imaginary. What’s the “good news” of the wellness movement? That you can make yourself well—save yourself—by following this or that program. To the extent that it has become an ideal picture that orients people’s hopes and lives and encourages self-help salvation, wellness has become an American idol, a false gospel.”
This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.
July 28, 2019
This was hard to give a rating. There is some deeply profound and challenging material, but also a lot of repetition and at times the clarity is muddled with mixed metaphors brought in from his other works. At times I wanted to put it down, but then the next paragraph would be incredibly thought provoking.
June 25, 2022
Believe it or not, I’m not just giving this 5 stars to please Jacob Moore and Scott Bielinski. This book started out…fine. But with each chapter after the second, it slowly turned into a wonderful meditation on the scripture-saturated Spirit-empowered work of disciple-making. Lord willing, this won’t be my last Vanhoozer book.
September 20, 2019
I'm giving it 4 stars, but it's a really good 4 stars.
You can read my fuller review at Spoiled Milks (7/26/19).
Scripture tells Christians they are children of the light. Having put their faith in Christ, they have been transferred from the power of darkness to the kingdom of his Son. Yet when we read that, but we don't live that way, we forget out true identity. The church must hear and do God's word. We are to evangelize, make disciples, and teach them who they are in Christ, for Christ, and with Christ.
Vanhoozer examines the "problems and possibilities for discipleship today" and argues that all people are "always following someone else's words" (xxv).
The church, the salt of the earth and a place to make disciples, must live by biblical metaphors. Its pastors are eye doctors who give their members the imagination to understand the Bible. If society's buildings and institutions are life's hardware, society's culture is the software, programming and educating people to think and live a certain way.
Using theatrical language, pastors explain the script (the Bible) to the actors (the congregation) who act out the doctrinal-script to the audience (the world around them). Everything we do trains us in some way, so we should work to train each other instead of being trained by the surrounding culture.
Disciples are to be fitting images of Christ. Scripture helps us to discern between what is good and evil by giving us some moral moral principles but also by giving us a storied framework that shows us what is "good" and "evil." We act out now what we will be in the age to come. Theological education is meant to make disciples to be living commentaries, "a letter from Christ" (2 Cor 3:3).
Buy this. While I enjoyed Part Two more than Part One, Vanhoozer is very clever at seeing God's word as supreme over culture. He does a fantastic job at showing how important theology is and how it propels us to right action by showing us how to live. It gives us examples of what to do (Daniel's life) and what not to do (Peter denying Jesus). Which script will you live out: that of God's word or of the world?
You can read my fuller review at Spoiled Milks (7/26/19).
Scripture tells Christians they are children of the light. Having put their faith in Christ, they have been transferred from the power of darkness to the kingdom of his Son. Yet when we read that, but we don't live that way, we forget out true identity. The church must hear and do God's word. We are to evangelize, make disciples, and teach them who they are in Christ, for Christ, and with Christ.
Vanhoozer examines the "problems and possibilities for discipleship today" and argues that all people are "always following someone else's words" (xxv).
The church, the salt of the earth and a place to make disciples, must live by biblical metaphors. Its pastors are eye doctors who give their members the imagination to understand the Bible. If society's buildings and institutions are life's hardware, society's culture is the software, programming and educating people to think and live a certain way.
Using theatrical language, pastors explain the script (the Bible) to the actors (the congregation) who act out the doctrinal-script to the audience (the world around them). Everything we do trains us in some way, so we should work to train each other instead of being trained by the surrounding culture.
Disciples are to be fitting images of Christ. Scripture helps us to discern between what is good and evil by giving us some moral moral principles but also by giving us a storied framework that shows us what is "good" and "evil." We act out now what we will be in the age to come. Theological education is meant to make disciples to be living commentaries, "a letter from Christ" (2 Cor 3:3).
Buy this. While I enjoyed Part Two more than Part One, Vanhoozer is very clever at seeing God's word as supreme over culture. He does a fantastic job at showing how important theology is and how it propels us to right action by showing us how to live. It gives us examples of what to do (Daniel's life) and what not to do (Peter denying Jesus). Which script will you live out: that of God's word or of the world?
December 1, 2020
Even though I’ve read one other book co-authored by Vanhoozer, this is the first book I’ve read exclusively written by Vanhoozer. I loved this book and I loved Vanhoozer’s writing!
Reviews:
https://www.9marks.org/review/book-re...
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/re...
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/euangel...
Interviews:
https://www.reformation21.org/mos/pod...
https://servantsofgrace.org/kevin-van...
https://blog.logos.com/2020/01/kevin-...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJz4X...
Reviews:
https://www.9marks.org/review/book-re...
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/re...
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/euangel...
Interviews:
https://www.reformation21.org/mos/pod...
https://servantsofgrace.org/kevin-van...
https://blog.logos.com/2020/01/kevin-...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJz4X...
February 5, 2023
Vanhoozer argues that the work of the pastor is to make disciples by shaping the imagination according to the metaphors and images in the Scriptures. Our culture makes disciples through stories of wellness, nutrition, and fitness. These stories shape the imagination of those in our culture who then see themselves as part of those stories. The pastor counteracts by preaching and teaching the story of the Bible.
In part 2, Vanhoozer argues for the need to reclaim the protestant tradition which is centered around sola Scriptura. He then goes to provide one of the best critiques of the modern understanding of the protestant reformation. In summary, the priesthood of all believers does not mean the popehood of all believers. Believers should read the Bible "attuned to the remarkable consensus reflected in the Great Tradition."
In part 2, Vanhoozer argues for the need to reclaim the protestant tradition which is centered around sola Scriptura. He then goes to provide one of the best critiques of the modern understanding of the protestant reformation. In summary, the priesthood of all believers does not mean the popehood of all believers. Believers should read the Bible "attuned to the remarkable consensus reflected in the Great Tradition."
May 21, 2019
Great discussion on how both Scripture and doctrine are vital in creating Christlike disciples using a uniquely Protestant methodology. Lots of great content and easy to follow. The controlling metaphor of exercise and fitness helps brings the content to a finer point.
The only thing that I have about the writing is that it feels really redundant if you read more than one chapter per sitting. A lot of the same content said repeatedly with minor changes in words.
The only thing that I have about the writing is that it feels really redundant if you read more than one chapter per sitting. A lot of the same content said repeatedly with minor changes in words.
February 19, 2024
Second Reading: Still 🔥
First Reading: Made me excited about God and the ministry in which he allows us to participate.
First Reading: Made me excited about God and the ministry in which he allows us to participate.
February 7, 2020
Vanhoozer does a fantastic job of casting vision for making disciples by making the story of Scripture the primary story by which they view life. I also really enjoyed his reminder that theology is meant to build up the body rather than just be for the academy. Throughout the book it was clear that Jesus is the climax of the story and that discipleship is about being conformed to Christ.
January 7, 2023
4.2 Good book on the importance of scripture when thinking about culture, discipleship, and the church. Vanhoozer is wicked smart and definitely knows his literature. I struggled at times to connect all the dots he made but that was probably a lack of understanding on my part.
December 31, 2024
Very good. Need to read more Vanhoozer
July 20, 2025
I was an exercise physiologist for five years before becoming a pastor, so the comparison between wellness, diet, and fitness culture and the church was a really compelling image for me.
It was hard for me to read. I think the book lacked cohesiveness and I think there was a lot of somewhat random information in the book that didn’t directly add to the main arguments.
It was hard for me to read. I think the book lacked cohesiveness and I think there was a lot of somewhat random information in the book that didn’t directly add to the main arguments.
December 19, 2023
This is a helpful book for applying scripture and doctrine to the task of discipleship. Vanhoozer’s retrieval of sola Scriptura for the church and discipleship is particularly helpful.
November 29, 2019
This book was excellent. It’s essentially 8 chapters of Vanhoozer casting vision for why doctrine and theology are central to making disciples of Jesus.
He doesn’t get too practical, but the tracks are clear at the end of every chapter and the book shows over and over again how Jesus is central to the disciple making process.
My only qualms is that the chapters are too long. And I couldn’t give it to an incoming Freshman in college.
He doesn’t get too practical, but the tracks are clear at the end of every chapter and the book shows over and over again how Jesus is central to the disciple making process.
My only qualms is that the chapters are too long. And I couldn’t give it to an incoming Freshman in college.
January 30, 2020
What is the foundation of discipleship? Is it outreach events? Church programs? Relationships? Hearers and Doers: A Pastor’s Guide to Making Disciples Through Scripture and Doctrine by Kevin J. Vanhoozer is a pastor’s guide to making disciples through Scripture and doctrine. It is a theology of discipleship by means of pastors preaching the Word and teaching sound doctrine.
Award-Winning
Kevin J. Vanhoozer (Ph.D., Cambridge University) is an author and Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. At a little bit over 250 pages in a beautiful hardbound book, Vanhoozer writes carefully and clearly. His points are all grounded in the Bible, and he takes the time to define words and phrases and helps us to understand the true meaning of the text.
Listed by For The Church as one of the best Christian books of 2019, Hearers and Doers does not disappoint. The book is broken up into two parts to show how pastors can take their people from doctrine (Christ for Us) to discipleship (We for Christ).
A Pastor’s Guide
Part 1 is titled Warming Up: Why Discipleship Matters. After introducing his readers to the Role of theology in making disciples, Vanhoozer shows us how medicine and health, diet and nutrition, and exercise and training shape our cultural understanding of fitness and body image. He explains how our fitness as the Church, or body of Christ, must shape up. Vanhoozer calls Christians to be waking and walking in the truth of Scripture. He then introduces us to the concept of Biblical Literacy: What Every Christian Citizen Needs to Know. Here at the heart of the book, he presents seven initial theses on reading the Bible theologically.
With the groundwork laid, Vanhoozer embarks on Part 2: Working Out: How Discipleship Works. He introduces us to the concept of the pastor as eye doctor (and general practitioner) of the church. It is a memorable picture and full of practical implications. By necessity, he brings us to a brief theology of the imagination, as believers must use their imaginations to make connections and discern meaningful patterns while engaging the mind, will, and emotions.
Making Disciples
What I found most fascinating was Chapter 6: Company of the Gospel - The Disciple as Member fo the Church. Here Vanhoozer presents history as the theater of the Gospel and shows us the drama of redemption. It is very much akin to John Frame’s concepts regarding theodrama - God’s actions. Vanhoozer sees the church as a gathered company playing out the liturgy of the gospel.
Part 2 also provides us with several sections where Vanhoozer presents what he calls core exercises. These are disciplines for spiritual formation to be practiced. For instance, the first is Core Exercises for the Eyes of the Heart. Exercise 1: Read Scripture to correct our pictures of church leadership. Exercise 2: Read Scripture to open your congregation’s eyes to the way in which a culture’s social imaginary is a means of spiritual formation. Exercise 3: Read Scripture to exercise the eschatological imagination and strengthen the eyes of the heart. With each core exercise, he allows us to see precisely what he means for the reader to practice and achieve.
Scripture and Doctrine
The book concludes with the reminder that the call for spiritual fitness is not for self-help or self-glorifying purposes. Rather, it is to glorify God and have him be the center of attention in a theater of glory. While Vanhoozer’s readers are pastors, I found the book to be extremely practical for lay leaders as well as any disciple of Christ that wants to grow in their faith.
I consider this book to be a foundational framework for understanding discipleship. And after reading, I feel better equipped and prepared to use Scripture and doctrine without hesitation. I am encouraged to go and make disciples.
I was provided a free copy of Hearers and Doers but was not required to write a positive review.
Award-Winning
Kevin J. Vanhoozer (Ph.D., Cambridge University) is an author and Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. At a little bit over 250 pages in a beautiful hardbound book, Vanhoozer writes carefully and clearly. His points are all grounded in the Bible, and he takes the time to define words and phrases and helps us to understand the true meaning of the text.
Listed by For The Church as one of the best Christian books of 2019, Hearers and Doers does not disappoint. The book is broken up into two parts to show how pastors can take their people from doctrine (Christ for Us) to discipleship (We for Christ).
A Pastor’s Guide
Part 1 is titled Warming Up: Why Discipleship Matters. After introducing his readers to the Role of theology in making disciples, Vanhoozer shows us how medicine and health, diet and nutrition, and exercise and training shape our cultural understanding of fitness and body image. He explains how our fitness as the Church, or body of Christ, must shape up. Vanhoozer calls Christians to be waking and walking in the truth of Scripture. He then introduces us to the concept of Biblical Literacy: What Every Christian Citizen Needs to Know. Here at the heart of the book, he presents seven initial theses on reading the Bible theologically.
With the groundwork laid, Vanhoozer embarks on Part 2: Working Out: How Discipleship Works. He introduces us to the concept of the pastor as eye doctor (and general practitioner) of the church. It is a memorable picture and full of practical implications. By necessity, he brings us to a brief theology of the imagination, as believers must use their imaginations to make connections and discern meaningful patterns while engaging the mind, will, and emotions.
Making Disciples
What I found most fascinating was Chapter 6: Company of the Gospel - The Disciple as Member fo the Church. Here Vanhoozer presents history as the theater of the Gospel and shows us the drama of redemption. It is very much akin to John Frame’s concepts regarding theodrama - God’s actions. Vanhoozer sees the church as a gathered company playing out the liturgy of the gospel.
Part 2 also provides us with several sections where Vanhoozer presents what he calls core exercises. These are disciplines for spiritual formation to be practiced. For instance, the first is Core Exercises for the Eyes of the Heart. Exercise 1: Read Scripture to correct our pictures of church leadership. Exercise 2: Read Scripture to open your congregation’s eyes to the way in which a culture’s social imaginary is a means of spiritual formation. Exercise 3: Read Scripture to exercise the eschatological imagination and strengthen the eyes of the heart. With each core exercise, he allows us to see precisely what he means for the reader to practice and achieve.
Scripture and Doctrine
The book concludes with the reminder that the call for spiritual fitness is not for self-help or self-glorifying purposes. Rather, it is to glorify God and have him be the center of attention in a theater of glory. While Vanhoozer’s readers are pastors, I found the book to be extremely practical for lay leaders as well as any disciple of Christ that wants to grow in their faith.
I consider this book to be a foundational framework for understanding discipleship. And after reading, I feel better equipped and prepared to use Scripture and doctrine without hesitation. I am encouraged to go and make disciples.
I was provided a free copy of Hearers and Doers but was not required to write a positive review.
October 31, 2022
Hearers & Doers, by Kevin Vanhoozer, is intended to help pastors fulfill their Great Commission to make disciples (xi) though it really is written for and for the sake of the church at large. Vanhoozer describes the book as “a guide for hearing and reading the Bible righty, as well as a training manual for doing the Bible rightly (71). From his stated goal and the very title of the book it is clear that what is written is meant to be lived out. This book review will cover some general strengths of Hearers & Doers before evaluating three of the many analogies used by Vanhoozer – the social imaginary, fitness culture, and theater.
Overall Strengths
Though every analogy breaks down at some point, Vanhoozer’s analogies are a strength of the book. They repackage biblical truth and present it in a way that is fresh and memorable. And the analogies are stretched and unpacked throughout the chapter and book to where one feels they are nearly perfect. Another strength in this area is that his analogies do not replace the metaphors of Scripture. Instead, he offers fresh images that draw us into what Scripture displays and encourages the reader to live by what is found therein (111). My one critique on this front is that there are moments in the book where one feels the analogies are not weak but merely too numerous. Perhaps less is more. However, another strength of Vanhoozer’s work is the fullness of his gospel. He seeks to correct our culturally influenced view of Christianity as being primarily about the individual’s relationship to God. He says, “while it is true that we relate to God as individuals, modern individualism has distorted and blown this out of all proportion, eclipsing God’s concern for the church as gathered community” (xxvii). He reminders readers on every page that we were brought from death to life to be a part of the people of God and have been called to live as gospel citizens. Converts are those brought from death to life, but disciples are those who walk in that new direction – and all believers are called to be disciples of Christ. In these ways, Vanhoozer reminds the reader that they were saved to be a part of the people of God and they were saved to learn Christ and grow in more and more like him.
The Social Imaginary – The Importance of Waking Up to the Messages of the World
The “social imaginary” does not perhaps qualify as an analogy, but it is similar to one and becomes the background for many of his metaphors. Vanhoozer borrows the term from Charles Taylor, a term which refers to “the picture that frames our everyday beliefs and practices, in particular the ways people imagine their social existence” (10). Culture presents us all with pictures of the good life, and the world is constantly shaping us and calling us to a certain reality. It is discipling us. For this reason, Vanhoozer believers the pastor’s role is, in part, to wake people up to the narratives that are shaping them and then to reshape their imaginations through doctrine. This “waking up” process is part of what it means to make disciples. This past summer I worked with a number of high school and college students. One girl claimed to be a believer (and I believe she was), but there was hardly a moment when she didn’t have headphones in her ears and a screen before her eyes. When she did communicate with fellow humans, it was usually about celebrity drama, her favorite t.v. character becoming trans, or her opinion on the countless shows she had recently binged. Vanhoozer’s book is a reminder that those people are in our pews. Those people need to be awakened to the narratives they consume and how it is shaping them. The next step is to reshape people’s imaginations so they see themselves within the plan of God and view the world through the metaphors of Scripture. Theology and doctrine are vital in this step. For it is through reading the Scriptures theologically that our imaginations are shaped to the story of what God is doing in Christ. It is through theology that we see our true selves and “burn with desire to become what we are: children of God; little Christs” (57). This reflects something seen in each of Vanhoozer’s analogies and throughout the book: theology is practical; it is to be lived out. While many view theology, doctrine, and biblical metaphors as abstract, unhelpful in reaching outsiders, and unnecessary, Vanhoozer depicts them as practical and necessary for the church of God.
Fitness Culture – The Church Should Make People Fit for Purpose
Throughout the book Vanhoozer uses the analogy of fitness culture to illuminate the role of the church and doctrine in the lives of believers. He notes the irony in our culture’s obsession with fitness while the church neglects spiritual fitness. The church should be built up and fit for purpose. There is a goal in mind. Believers are to be built up so they can live as gospel citizens. When I went to college a new lead pastor stepped into the pulpit at my home church. The culture of the church began to shift. When faithful believers began coming to the new pastor sharing that they were not being fed through the Sunday sermons, they received the reply “you’ve been a Christian for a while, right? Sunday morning isn’t for you. You should be feeding yourself throughout the week.” The hungry sheep began searching for greener pastures and a shepherd that would feed and lead. To use Vanhoozer’s analogy, they sought a church that would build them up through doctrine to make them fit for gospel citizenship. His analogy seems more in line with Eph. 4:11-12 than the response given by the pastor.
Theater – Redemption as a Drama and Doctrine as Directions
Perhaps the strongest analogy in the book is his theater comparison. The church is the place where believers take on their roles in the drama of redemption. They “perform the gospel” as an amateur, royal, martyrological, doxological, interactive theater, and local theater (141). And in this theater doctrine is essential. It provides “the direction for discipleship, direction for embodying and enacting the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus Christ faithfully in new situations” (135). His imagery summarizes much of the New Testament’s vision of the church. While many Americans view the church as a building, themselves as spectators, and doctrine as boring and unnecessary, Vanhoozer’s analogy is a helpful corrective. And as doctrine equips people to live as gospel citizens in the previous analogy, doctrine equips people to improvise in the theater analogy. This captures a different but equally biblical role of doctrine. I am currently working through the book of Joshua, and in Joshua 1, the Lord commands him to meditate on the book of the law day and night. It is then that he will act wisely/have success. While some of Joshua’s actions are fulfillments of specific commands in the Torah, much of his leadership falls in the category of “improvising” – to use Vanhoozer’s term. Joshua is shaped by the Torah and then steps out to make Torah-informed decisions on a variety of issues. Vanhoozer’s analogy then captures much of what he laid out with the social imaginary and fitness culture. Pastor’s through the Scriptures and doctrine equip believers to live as gospel citizens in every area of their lives.
Conclusion
While Vanhoozer’s book is perhaps analogy heavy, the analogies certainly capture what I understand to be the biblical picture of Christian discipleship. Through his analogies Vanhoozer presents discipleship not as a 5-step check-list nor as a list of abstract truths but as an all-encompassing way of life built upon and guided by the Scriptures. Vanhoozer’s call for pastors to capture and reshape the imaginations of God’s people is needed. Ministry is not merely about standing in a pulpit and saying things that are true but about helping them see reality and live in light of it – the reality given in the Scriptures. It’s about moving people from hearers of the Word to doers.
August 17, 2024
A great book with lots of really valuable framework thinking for how to go about discipleship.
Vanhoozer helpfully analyzes aspects of the modern social imaginary, before building a better biblical gospel imaginary that feeds the rest of the book. Wonderfully grounded in scripture and the Great Tradition, and full of Vanhoozer's signature metaphors (I particularly appreciated his use of 'theatre'). There is a lot of value throughout.
It does often feel repetitive, and sometimes the metaphor mix unhelpfully. And while Vanhoozer suggests 'core exercises' for producing gospel fitness, I found myself regularly hoping for some more concrete examples of how to put them into practice.
Overall, a great and worthwhile read for anyone who disciples others.
Vanhoozer helpfully analyzes aspects of the modern social imaginary, before building a better biblical gospel imaginary that feeds the rest of the book. Wonderfully grounded in scripture and the Great Tradition, and full of Vanhoozer's signature metaphors (I particularly appreciated his use of 'theatre'). There is a lot of value throughout.
It does often feel repetitive, and sometimes the metaphor mix unhelpfully. And while Vanhoozer suggests 'core exercises' for producing gospel fitness, I found myself regularly hoping for some more concrete examples of how to put them into practice.
Overall, a great and worthwhile read for anyone who disciples others.
April 14, 2020
Really helpful in providing a framework for pastoral ministry as fundamentally theological work--and theology as fundamentally pastoral work, aimed at building disciples up into maturity in Christ, able to be faithful in their lives.
Graciously cuts against pragmatic sensibilities that treat doctrine as distant from real--not by critiquing pragmatists so much as by showing a better, more biblical way.
Highly recommend for pastors and those aspiring to pastoral ministry.
Graciously cuts against pragmatic sensibilities that treat doctrine as distant from real--not by critiquing pragmatists so much as by showing a better, more biblical way.
Highly recommend for pastors and those aspiring to pastoral ministry.
July 13, 2020
The playfulness of his metaphors combined with the richness of his thoughts make for an entertaining and informative read.
I continue to seek out what God does and how God forms a person to put on Christ. This book is a nice place to continue that journey.
I continue to seek out what God does and how God forms a person to put on Christ. This book is a nice place to continue that journey.
May 24, 2025
Excellent. Been reading this one slowly and thinking about Pastoral ministry.
May 27, 2020
This is one of the best books on discipleship that I’ve read. Loved his exploration of “social imaginaries” which connects well with James K.A Smith’s cultural liturgies’ books. If you’re a pastor, I highly recommend this book.
October 31, 2025
Few people really understand what it means to have a sanctified imagination like Vanhoozer.
October 10, 2025
A very helpful book addressing discipleship in the context of Word saturated local church community.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
June 23, 2019
At 58, I still love physical fitness. I run 4 miles three times a week, lift weights, and keep up with my Tae Kwon Do. Though it doesn't come easy, it did come early, and it came with loads of guidance and instruction. In my Junior High and High School years I received instruction and coaching on various aspects of running and lifting. I also received years of training from three martial arts instructors patiently guiding me through routines, sparring and weapons drills. These experiences and my present pleasure in physical conditioning has attuned my ears to the analogies in Scripture that picture discipleship as something of an aerobic fitness program. Kevin Vanhoozer, research professor of systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, picks up this work out theme in his new 296 page hardback, "Hearers & Doers: A Pastor's Guide to Making Disciples Through Scripture and Doctrine". The author writes mainly for pastors as coaches who enable their parishioners to become "fit for purpose" because the "church itself is a gym with its own fitness culture" (43). But there's more in these pages than simply an athletic analogy.
"Hearers & Doers" is "intended to help pastors fulfill their Great Commission to make disciples, with emphasis on the importance of teaching disciples to read the Scriptures" (xi). Yet it is not a book describing some yearly Bible Reading plan. Rather, Vanhoozer encourages us to help our people to read with an eye to the way the gospel reshapes and redeems our imaginations in a social milieu that is trying to capture and control our imaginations. Also, reading Scripture theologically with and for the people of God, instead of academically. And reading with a view to being a new people, since the "end of orthodoxy, its final purpose, is not an orthodox compendium of doctrine but an orthodox community of disciples who embody the mind of Jesus Christ everywhere, to everyone, at all times" (127-8).
To bring us to these desired actions, Vanhoozer guides readers to understand their story in a different vein. We no longer try to fit the Bible into our story, our place in history, our world, but rather read "our world in light of the story of the Bible" (112). We no longer buy into the wellness gospel that promises "you can make yourself well - save yourself - by following this or that program" (20), but rather embracing the "theological meaning of wellness: to live in accordance with true doctrine about Jesus Christ. Knowing the story of Jesus Christ, his cross, resurrection, ascension, and heavenly session, is the proper context for determining whether we are doing well as mortal beings" (24). All of this means that we must reclaim the Reformation concept of Sola Scriptura, which the author unpacks in a hardy, hale and hygienic manner!
Throughout the book the author addresses numerous aspects of what it means to be hearers and doers. He looks into the significance of sound and solid doctrine. He delves into the role and realm of the local church. He tackles Protestantism, schism and genuine unity. He brings us into the church's worship and liturgy, even claiming "Ancient worship trains us for contemporary discipleship" (162). He further guides us into the ways humility and biblical interpretation go hand in glove, "In matters of biblical interpretation, humility is next to godliness" (197). There are some real gems in this volume!
"Hearers & Doers" is a robust manual written for pastors. But if parishioners were to pick up a copy and peruse it thoughtfully, they will not only be spurred further up and further on, but they will know better (1) what kinds of pastors they should seek out, or (2) what to appreciate in their present shepherds. This volume definitely needs to be in the hand of every Christian minister. I highly recommend the work, and leave you - my fellow pastors - with this closing thought: "Helping people understand who they are, why they're here, and where they should be going on the journey that is life is perhaps the most important ministry there is" (117).
My huge thanks goes to Lexham Press. I requested a copy of this book for review and they happily sent the one I used, making no demands nor placing any commands on me. This review, therefore, is my own assessment, all mine! And I freely give it.
"Hearers & Doers" is "intended to help pastors fulfill their Great Commission to make disciples, with emphasis on the importance of teaching disciples to read the Scriptures" (xi). Yet it is not a book describing some yearly Bible Reading plan. Rather, Vanhoozer encourages us to help our people to read with an eye to the way the gospel reshapes and redeems our imaginations in a social milieu that is trying to capture and control our imaginations. Also, reading Scripture theologically with and for the people of God, instead of academically. And reading with a view to being a new people, since the "end of orthodoxy, its final purpose, is not an orthodox compendium of doctrine but an orthodox community of disciples who embody the mind of Jesus Christ everywhere, to everyone, at all times" (127-8).
To bring us to these desired actions, Vanhoozer guides readers to understand their story in a different vein. We no longer try to fit the Bible into our story, our place in history, our world, but rather read "our world in light of the story of the Bible" (112). We no longer buy into the wellness gospel that promises "you can make yourself well - save yourself - by following this or that program" (20), but rather embracing the "theological meaning of wellness: to live in accordance with true doctrine about Jesus Christ. Knowing the story of Jesus Christ, his cross, resurrection, ascension, and heavenly session, is the proper context for determining whether we are doing well as mortal beings" (24). All of this means that we must reclaim the Reformation concept of Sola Scriptura, which the author unpacks in a hardy, hale and hygienic manner!
Throughout the book the author addresses numerous aspects of what it means to be hearers and doers. He looks into the significance of sound and solid doctrine. He delves into the role and realm of the local church. He tackles Protestantism, schism and genuine unity. He brings us into the church's worship and liturgy, even claiming "Ancient worship trains us for contemporary discipleship" (162). He further guides us into the ways humility and biblical interpretation go hand in glove, "In matters of biblical interpretation, humility is next to godliness" (197). There are some real gems in this volume!
"Hearers & Doers" is a robust manual written for pastors. But if parishioners were to pick up a copy and peruse it thoughtfully, they will not only be spurred further up and further on, but they will know better (1) what kinds of pastors they should seek out, or (2) what to appreciate in their present shepherds. This volume definitely needs to be in the hand of every Christian minister. I highly recommend the work, and leave you - my fellow pastors - with this closing thought: "Helping people understand who they are, why they're here, and where they should be going on the journey that is life is perhaps the most important ministry there is" (117).
My huge thanks goes to Lexham Press. I requested a copy of this book for review and they happily sent the one I used, making no demands nor placing any commands on me. This review, therefore, is my own assessment, all mine! And I freely give it.
December 12, 2021
In this surprisingly refreshing book the author takes a different approach to the task of discipleship. Believers in Christ come to maturity as they understand and live out their role in the great drama of God's redemption story. Those who would see Christ formed in a person (whether in themselves or others) must first change the way they think, the frame through which they see the world and their own place in it. We do this by marinating in the great Story and stories of Scripture: Who is God and what is He doing in history? What narratives and metaphors and pictures has He given to help us locate ourselves in this great project? Only when our imaginations have been thoroughly shaped by His word can we truly live by faith and act out "Christ in us, the hope of glory."
The author helpfully explains how doctrine, the historical creeds, the local church, and liturgy shape our imaginations and our understanding. This was all very helpful. So too was the reminder that we are not ultimately aiming to raise up members of a denomination or a certain tradition, but to build up the church universal, comprised of all who love and obey Christ around the world and through the ages.
This book did not answer all the practical how-to questions, but it did get me thinking along a dozen different lines about ways that I can pursue a deeper discipleship with my four teenage/young adult children and the many women in my life. I'm glad I read it, and highly recommend it to anyone involved in the great project of raising up followers of Jesus.
The author helpfully explains how doctrine, the historical creeds, the local church, and liturgy shape our imaginations and our understanding. This was all very helpful. So too was the reminder that we are not ultimately aiming to raise up members of a denomination or a certain tradition, but to build up the church universal, comprised of all who love and obey Christ around the world and through the ages.
This book did not answer all the practical how-to questions, but it did get me thinking along a dozen different lines about ways that I can pursue a deeper discipleship with my four teenage/young adult children and the many women in my life. I'm glad I read it, and highly recommend it to anyone involved in the great project of raising up followers of Jesus.
November 10, 2024
From what I’ve seen from others, this is a synthesis of Vanhoozer’s work and probably the most practical. In his own words: “This book is a guide to hearing and reading the Bible rightly, as well as a training manual for doing the Bible rightly. The goal is to train disciples to walk around in the strange new world of the Bible even as they live in the familiar old world of the present. It’s a pastor’s guide for training hears and doers, faithful followers of Jesus Christ and faithful interpreters of the Word that directs us in the way” (71).
He recommends 12 “core exercises” that for the church provide “a workout for theological discipleship.”
• Core exercises for the eyes of the heart.
o Exercise 1: Read Scripture to correct our pictures of church leadership.
o Exercise 2: Read Scripture to open your congregation’s eyes to the way in which a culture’s social imaginary is a means of spiritual formation.
o Exercise 3: Read Scripture to exercise the eschatological imagination and strengthen the eyes of the heart.
• Core exercises for improving mobility.
o Exercise 1: Searching for Samaritans (mercy).
o Exercise 2: Sharing your table (hospitality).
o Exercise 3: Shining as lights (evangelism).
• Core exercises for staying the course and increasing endurance (191)
o Exercise 1: Playing by the rules, such as the doctrine of the Trinity.
o Exercise 2: Global norming, reading in the communion of saints.
o Exercise 3: Enduring long-distance relationships (and long-time differences); being a catholic Christian.
• Core exercises for strength training in Christ
o Exercise 1: “Take/Read; Come/See”. “Pastors help disciples experience the power of God when they too ‘come and see’ the Christ Lying in the manger of the Scriptures” (224).
o Exercise 2: “Take up your cross.” “Disciples must not only take and read; they must take up their cross (not Jesus’) in order to follow him in an exercise of everyday martyrdom” (226–7).
o Exercise 3: “Practice death (and resurrection).” “In today’s secular social imaginary, this life is all these is, which means that death presents a technological problem that needs to be solved. It is in learning to deal with death and dying that disciples undertake what is perhaps the most challenging course of their curriculum” (228).
He shows how culture is discipling us, even as Christians, especially in the areas of medicine, diet, and fitness. The people in our churches are not blank slates; they swim in the waters of our cultural social imaginary. Where do pastors come in? Sola Scriptura. They are called above all else to rightly handle the word of truth and to teach sound, healthy doctrine. “Theology serves the church by helping to shape its collective imagination so that its image of its body life, and everything else, is governed by the gospel message at the heart of the master story that unifies Scripture” (10). Pastors must help their people be both hearers and doers. The pastor does theology for the church because doctrine serves discipleship. In this work, the pastor is a spiritual fitness trainer helping his people become Cross-fit (75–76); an eye doctor and general practitioner helping his people put on what Calvin called the “spectacles of faith,” the corrective lenses of Scripture (92); he is shepherd, minister, and doctor of the church. The pastor himself needs to be shaped by the story in order to help him people. Is he “planning programs, preparing sermons, and managing conflict,” or is he “building a temple?” (124).
Vanhoozer addresses the trouble evangelicals have gotten in through misinterpreting sola Scriptura. The doctrine doesn’t make a popehood of all believers, and not a priest, but a priesthood of all believers, highlighting the prominence of reading the Bible theologically in the local church. “Though every believer is a priest, every priest is a member of a company of priests, as in 1 Peter 2:9” (178). “’Royal’ signals authority (which resides in the gospel); ‘priesthood’ signals interpretive community (the church as city of God); ‘all believers’ signals that individuals are not autonomous agents but citizens of the gospel….‘The Spirit who enables and sustains out reading of Holy Scripture also provides a community to aid us in our reading” (179).
“…[T]he church today can learn three things from the ancient synagogue: (1) the importance of prioritizing public Bible reading; (2) the importance of having pastor-theologians who are familiar with both the biblical text and the Great Tradition and can minister real understanding of what is read; (3) the important not only of Bible study but vigorous biblical interpretation in which small groups learn how to indwell the text and to listen in humility to other interpreters” (198–199).
Two other quotes that helped me:
“Here’s my point: Scripture and sound doctrine set the captives free by waking them up to reality, freeing them from enslavement to cultural fast food—patterns of heavier and values that do not yield ultimate satisfaction—and in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, freeing them for living for God and one another….‘You are what you eat’” (211).
“Wisdom means knowing what to do in particular situations in order to glorify God and follow Jesus is ways that befit faithful disciples. In a word, theological wisdom means knowing how to improvise the mind of Christ at all times, everywhere, and to everyone” (217).
He recommends 12 “core exercises” that for the church provide “a workout for theological discipleship.”
• Core exercises for the eyes of the heart.
o Exercise 1: Read Scripture to correct our pictures of church leadership.
o Exercise 2: Read Scripture to open your congregation’s eyes to the way in which a culture’s social imaginary is a means of spiritual formation.
o Exercise 3: Read Scripture to exercise the eschatological imagination and strengthen the eyes of the heart.
• Core exercises for improving mobility.
o Exercise 1: Searching for Samaritans (mercy).
o Exercise 2: Sharing your table (hospitality).
o Exercise 3: Shining as lights (evangelism).
• Core exercises for staying the course and increasing endurance (191)
o Exercise 1: Playing by the rules, such as the doctrine of the Trinity.
o Exercise 2: Global norming, reading in the communion of saints.
o Exercise 3: Enduring long-distance relationships (and long-time differences); being a catholic Christian.
• Core exercises for strength training in Christ
o Exercise 1: “Take/Read; Come/See”. “Pastors help disciples experience the power of God when they too ‘come and see’ the Christ Lying in the manger of the Scriptures” (224).
o Exercise 2: “Take up your cross.” “Disciples must not only take and read; they must take up their cross (not Jesus’) in order to follow him in an exercise of everyday martyrdom” (226–7).
o Exercise 3: “Practice death (and resurrection).” “In today’s secular social imaginary, this life is all these is, which means that death presents a technological problem that needs to be solved. It is in learning to deal with death and dying that disciples undertake what is perhaps the most challenging course of their curriculum” (228).
He shows how culture is discipling us, even as Christians, especially in the areas of medicine, diet, and fitness. The people in our churches are not blank slates; they swim in the waters of our cultural social imaginary. Where do pastors come in? Sola Scriptura. They are called above all else to rightly handle the word of truth and to teach sound, healthy doctrine. “Theology serves the church by helping to shape its collective imagination so that its image of its body life, and everything else, is governed by the gospel message at the heart of the master story that unifies Scripture” (10). Pastors must help their people be both hearers and doers. The pastor does theology for the church because doctrine serves discipleship. In this work, the pastor is a spiritual fitness trainer helping his people become Cross-fit (75–76); an eye doctor and general practitioner helping his people put on what Calvin called the “spectacles of faith,” the corrective lenses of Scripture (92); he is shepherd, minister, and doctor of the church. The pastor himself needs to be shaped by the story in order to help him people. Is he “planning programs, preparing sermons, and managing conflict,” or is he “building a temple?” (124).
Vanhoozer addresses the trouble evangelicals have gotten in through misinterpreting sola Scriptura. The doctrine doesn’t make a popehood of all believers, and not a priest, but a priesthood of all believers, highlighting the prominence of reading the Bible theologically in the local church. “Though every believer is a priest, every priest is a member of a company of priests, as in 1 Peter 2:9” (178). “’Royal’ signals authority (which resides in the gospel); ‘priesthood’ signals interpretive community (the church as city of God); ‘all believers’ signals that individuals are not autonomous agents but citizens of the gospel….‘The Spirit who enables and sustains out reading of Holy Scripture also provides a community to aid us in our reading” (179).
“…[T]he church today can learn three things from the ancient synagogue: (1) the importance of prioritizing public Bible reading; (2) the importance of having pastor-theologians who are familiar with both the biblical text and the Great Tradition and can minister real understanding of what is read; (3) the important not only of Bible study but vigorous biblical interpretation in which small groups learn how to indwell the text and to listen in humility to other interpreters” (198–199).
Two other quotes that helped me:
“Here’s my point: Scripture and sound doctrine set the captives free by waking them up to reality, freeing them from enslavement to cultural fast food—patterns of heavier and values that do not yield ultimate satisfaction—and in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, freeing them for living for God and one another….‘You are what you eat’” (211).
“Wisdom means knowing what to do in particular situations in order to glorify God and follow Jesus is ways that befit faithful disciples. In a word, theological wisdom means knowing how to improvise the mind of Christ at all times, everywhere, and to everyone” (217).
July 26, 2019
Kevin Vanhoozer is one of our sharpest theological minds today. He so often breaks into territory that no one else tackles. He may wrestle with a multitude of heavy theological works, but he is the guy to bring it to the rest of us. Since his latest subject here is that of making disciples, particularly from a pastor’s point of view, and since there’s a glut in the market on discipleship, he shows the league apart that he works in amongst a world of works that all say the same thing. Make room among all the dime-a-dozen discipleship titles on your shelves for this provocative volume to have a prominent place. This book is one for a pastor to lay as a foundation for our work. The subtitle accurately lets you know what you are getting yourself into: A pastor’s guide to making disciples through Scripture and doctrine.
After a clear introduction, Part One that is made up of four chapters explains why discipleship matters. He champions the importance of theology in making disciples. Chapter 2 is so profound that it could be pulled out of this book and presented as commentary on our age, at least involving fitness and body image which has taken on its own religious pretensions. I shared that chapter with some in my family as making clear things that I was ashamed I had never thought of. The next chapters explain the importance of taking disciples from hearing to doing and in building up the body of Christ.
Part Two in four more chapters digs into working out discipleship. Pastors should be challenged by his analogy of our being the eye doctor and general practitioner of the church. Next, he looks at the disciple as a member of the church, which is sadly so de-emphasized in our day. I found myself not fully agreeing with all he said in the chapter on the communion of saints, but there are some fair correctives there that may keep us from running off into the other ditch. The final chapter, wisely, looks at us as children of God who are disciples as “fitting image of Jesus Christ”.
You can often judge how much I find value in a book by how much I underline and notate throughout. My volume of this book is marked all over with usually something on every page. This book is for those who want to think, so pick it up and read slowly and you will be in for a treat.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
After a clear introduction, Part One that is made up of four chapters explains why discipleship matters. He champions the importance of theology in making disciples. Chapter 2 is so profound that it could be pulled out of this book and presented as commentary on our age, at least involving fitness and body image which has taken on its own religious pretensions. I shared that chapter with some in my family as making clear things that I was ashamed I had never thought of. The next chapters explain the importance of taking disciples from hearing to doing and in building up the body of Christ.
Part Two in four more chapters digs into working out discipleship. Pastors should be challenged by his analogy of our being the eye doctor and general practitioner of the church. Next, he looks at the disciple as a member of the church, which is sadly so de-emphasized in our day. I found myself not fully agreeing with all he said in the chapter on the communion of saints, but there are some fair correctives there that may keep us from running off into the other ditch. The final chapter, wisely, looks at us as children of God who are disciples as “fitting image of Jesus Christ”.
You can often judge how much I find value in a book by how much I underline and notate throughout. My volume of this book is marked all over with usually something on every page. This book is for those who want to think, so pick it up and read slowly and you will be in for a treat.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
January 15, 2021
Kevin J. Vanhoozer has written perhaps the most helpful book for pastors that I've ever read. His claim that "reading Scripture theologically is the royal road to discipleship" (pg xi) is both, in my estimation, exactly right and and woefully under embraced. I'm not sure a lot of Christians would even know what to do with a phrase such as, "reading Scripture theologically."
This is not a how-to book in the sense of "start this program and run it for 75 days, followed by a 43 day fast, and 12 consecutive 24 minute prayer meetings, and viola! disciples." But neither is it a book that flies around in the stratosphere of theory. Vanhoozer puts forward a compelling biblical vision for what a disciple is, and then argues -perhaps argue isn't even the right word here- that God really did give us the right equipment when he gave us the Bible and not a step-by-step guidebook.
The reason I wonder if argue is the right word is that Vanhoozer advances much of this through metaphor-which is a strikingly biblical way to communicate, if foreign to many books about the Bible. The metaphors which dominate are the idea of fitness -that a disciple is meant to be one fit for service- and the concept of disciples as actors of God's story, given a proverbial script by God in his word, but this script doesn't give us the precise lines to say in every situation, but instead teaches us what is fitting, in such a way that if we fully inhabit the biblical story, when we enter our world we will know how to act in such a way as it fitting. Again, fitness. If with a slightly different shade of meaning.
I cannot commend this book highly enough to pastors and laypeople alike.
This is not a how-to book in the sense of "start this program and run it for 75 days, followed by a 43 day fast, and 12 consecutive 24 minute prayer meetings, and viola! disciples." But neither is it a book that flies around in the stratosphere of theory. Vanhoozer puts forward a compelling biblical vision for what a disciple is, and then argues -perhaps argue isn't even the right word here- that God really did give us the right equipment when he gave us the Bible and not a step-by-step guidebook.
The reason I wonder if argue is the right word is that Vanhoozer advances much of this through metaphor-which is a strikingly biblical way to communicate, if foreign to many books about the Bible. The metaphors which dominate are the idea of fitness -that a disciple is meant to be one fit for service- and the concept of disciples as actors of God's story, given a proverbial script by God in his word, but this script doesn't give us the precise lines to say in every situation, but instead teaches us what is fitting, in such a way that if we fully inhabit the biblical story, when we enter our world we will know how to act in such a way as it fitting. Again, fitness. If with a slightly different shade of meaning.
I cannot commend this book highly enough to pastors and laypeople alike.
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