True Discipleship: The Art of Following Jesus

by John Koessler

Most of us would answer 'No' when asked if we were like Jesus. So how do we become more like Jesus? John Koessler believes the answer is by understanding and developing the marks of a true disciple in our lives. In True Discipleship and the companion guide, he provides a straightforward presentation of the characteristics Jesus laid out for His disciples. As he offers teaching on the practice of discipleship and the responsibility of being a disciple, readers will be stretched in their thinking and encouraged in their journey. This book is intended for use alongside the True Discipleship Companion Guide. With Scripture studies, reflection questions, and areas for writing down thoughts, the guide will help you internalize what God's Word identifies as marks of a true Christian. Perfect for individual study, small groups, or the classroom.

Genres: Discipleship, Christian Living, Devotional, Theology

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

John Koessler serves as chair of the pastoral studies department at Moody Bible Institute, where he has served on the faculty since 1994. He is an award-winning author who has written thirteen books and numerous magazine articles. He writes the monthly “Theology Matters” column for Today in the Word and is a frequent workshop leader at the Moody Pastor’s Conference. Prior to joining the Moody faculty, John served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He is married to Jane and they have two adult sons. John and Jane live in Munster, Indiana.

Reviews

[Kara Kuehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. There were a lot of encouraging and convicting chapters. I think it would be great for a Bible study!

[Charles · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having to read this book for class was an interesting experience. It started out as a fairly well written book but quickly became dry about 1/3 into it. It seemed that the content in the middle was quite uninteresting and seemed to pick up near the end. The ideas concerning what makes a disciple, family, and some other elements are extremely intriguing. But I should also add that these elements seemed out of order and placed in odd areas of the book. Overall some of the ideas and points were great but the book itself was not the most enjoyable thing to read. A good attempt that seems to need a lot more time in the development process. Don't be turned off by the author though, I heard a rumor that my school kind of forced him to write this one. O and filling out the workbook that goes along with this was like putting forks in my eyes and twisting.

Although the book has the word "discipleship" in the name, I still found myself slightly confused with about 10 million more questions by what that word really means biblically. For instance, the author brings up some theological points about when Jesus begins "discipling" people. Although this wasn't a super deep look into things it brought up quite a few questions that have been making my head spin a little bit lately. The author seemed to avoid taking stances on issues at several key points in the book. At least the book made me think and I can't say the same for many books I read.

Take a star off if you don't like books that don't give you the whole argument and expect you to finish it. Add a star if you like these kind of books.

[Malcolm Dyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive, relatable and understandable. One of the best books on Discipleship I have come across. Broad in its scope, biblically based and simply explained. It does what it says on the cover. Although the author comes from a different denominational perspective from my own there is so much we agree on and I have no hesitation in recommending this book. Discipleship is not a course or a check box, it is an ongoing pattern of learning and development within a local body of believers as we learn together what it it is to become more like Jesus.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Reads more like a prescriptive way to go about discipleship but may not work in every situation. However, it has some great points that are backed up by scripture and experience.

[Jason Savage · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for a class on Matthew I took at Lincoln. It was an excellent book on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. It is a great resource for use within the church body. There is a workbook that can be used as well. I'm thinking about using this book at Round Lake in the near future.