A Deeper Walk: A Proven Path for Developing a More Vibrant Faith

by Marcus Warner, Neil T. Anderson (Foreword)

Revolutionizing disicipleship—experience transformation and go deep with God“If you desire a deeper level of maturity in your walk with God, read this book! Dr. Marcus Warner shows the best model is heart-focused discipleship. There is freedom and healing in these pages.” —CHRIS FABRY Author, radio host of Chris Fabry LiveToo many Christians are stuck and unable to go deeper in their walk with God because traditional discipleship models are overly left-brained and miss the heart. These models are broken and need to be re-engineered if the Western Church is going to produce spiritually vibrant and emotionally mature disciples. In A Deeper Walk, Marcus Warner examines how status quo discipleship broke down and provides a model for whole-brained, heart-focused discipleship based on the gospel's four essential freedom, identity, spirit, and heart-focused community—FISH. A Bible teacher at heart, Marcus Warner is the president of Deeper Walk International and has a passion for taking complex topics and making them practical and accessible for everyone. A Deeper Walk is the flagship title from this growing and dynamic organization seeking to revolutionize the way discipleship is done in the West.

Genres: Christian Living, Christian, Nonfiction

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 2, 2022

About the author

MARCUS WARNER (M.Div., Th.M. and D.Min. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is the president of Deeper Walk International. He is a former pastor and college professor who has written several books on topics ranging from how to study the Bible to spiritual warfare, emotional healing, and leadership. Marcus has done training events for organizations such as Navigators, Willow Creek Prison Ministry, and Moody Church. He has traveled the world with Deeper Walk equipping people on the front lines of ministry with practical tools for dealing with root issues that keep people and ministries stuck and unable to go deeper into what God has for them

Reviews

[Cover Lover Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I love the cover and title of this book. The cover draws me in quickly, and the title gets into the ‘meat’ of Christian spiritual growth. A Deeper Walk is what we should all strive for in our day to day lives.

This is both an enjoyable read as well as inspiring. It lights a fire or lengthens a flame inside. It showcases the meaning and importance of discipleship, digging beneath surface-level beliefs and practices to draw closer to Christ.

Whether an individual or part of a small group, this book will illuminate things in your life that might need a little bit deeper of a walk.

Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcus Warner struggled with the left-brained models of discipleship until he discovered a better way. In "A Deeper Walk", Warner provides a whole-brained, heart-focused discipleship model based on freedom, identity, Spirit and community. This book should be in the library of every pastor, youth leader, small group leader, and Bible leader. It is a great resource for anyone who disciples believers to lead them into experiencing a deeper faith and relationship with God.

Individuals can benefit from learning what true discipleship is and how important it is to develop in our churches and small groups. Warner talks about the importance of Bible memorization, Bible theology and heart-focused community. He discusses our identity in Christ, our mission and the importance of being able to share the gospel at a moment's notice. Being a disciple is more than just sitting at the feet of Jesus gazing into His wonderful face; it is also developing relationships with others and leading them to the feet of Christ and into relationship with Him.

I encourage small group leaders to share this book with their members. It would be a great study to work through in community.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Moody Publishers, as part of its book review blogger program. I was not required to write a 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Brooke J Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book on spiritual warfare and prayer and identity in Christ I definitely want to recommend for any Christian rather you a new Christian or a seasoned Christian this is great material for growth

[Alexa Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who wants to walk deeply with Jesus in the church and through discipleship should give this book a read.

[LC PN · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Deeper Walk, brushes aways the crumbling infrastructure of ineffective discipleship methodology, offering a dynamic and fully-orbed model in its place. Based on the acronym FISH, Freedom, Identity, Spirit and Heart-Focused Community, Dr. Marcus Warner provides readers vital insight that will equip both individuals and groups to live the abundant life Jesus promises. In this book you will find brave and honest treatment on topics such as spiritual warfare and maturity, as well as assessment tools to help you discern and move into your growth edge. Warner’s experience, relatable style and first-hand examples make this book a joy to read, even as he tackles subjects the modern-day church sometimes approaches tentatively or has ignored. A Deeper Walk may just revolutionize the way the church makes disciples and will certainly offer hope, healing and maturation to those who dare apply the book’s principles.

[Sherrill Woodard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciated this book and it's slightly different, but very important, take on discipleship. Over the course of the book he describes the importance of a "heart focused" discipleship that not only teaches knowledge about the Bible and our faith, but helps us recognize the tactics of our very real enemy and the authority and power we have to resist him. My favorite take away was his "WLVS" acronym for one of the ways the enemy gains ground in our lives and eventually, if not resisted, can gain a stronghold that feels impossible to break (but is!). W=wounds, L=lies, V=vows, S=strongholds. His suggestion is that when we are wounded (by things done TO us or by wounds of absence/neglect), we begin to believe the enemy's lies and begin to "agree" with them as truth (ie: "If my dad doesn't love me, how can any man love me?" or "If my friends abandoned me I must not be _____ enough"). As those lies become our reality, we consciously or unconsciously make vows (often of self protection..."I won't ever again let a man hurt me" or "No one is ever going to make me feel out of control again" etc). As we live out these vows, they often steal, kill, and destroy our relationships, joy, and ultimately, our freedom in Christ as they become strongholds that dominate our lives.

Over the course of the book he describes how heart focused discipleship in community with others can help us to recognize those wounds and begin to remove and tear down the lies, vows and strongholds we've handed over to the enemy so we can all begin living in the true freedom that Jesus promised throughout the gospels. It's a very practical, easy read and I'd highly recommend it.

[Jeff Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recently, my wife Becky was looking at books and thought this sounded like a good book for me to read. So I started reading "A Deeper Walk: A Proven Path for Develping a More Vibrant Faith," written by Marcus Warner with a foreward by Neil T. Anderson, author and founder/President Emeritus Freedom in Christ Ministries.
Warner's premise - one I agree with - is that the church is not making disciples that are transforming the world. He is encouraging the body of Christ to grow more mature through our freedom, our identity in Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, and heart focused community. I also agree with the excellent cover, though isn't there a proverb about judging a book by its cover?

While I agree with the premise, I don't agree with his views on what that looks like. Warner encourages us to exercise our freedom in Christ through Spiritual Warfare, including commnding demons to leave, with addiction to pornography, eating disorders, and unforgiveness being possible demonic oppression, as well as generational sin. The impression Ezekiel 18 gives me is that those who live righteous will be rewarded for their righteousness, regardless of how their ancestors lived.

I know true Christians may disagree on the issues I mentioned. But one thing that bothers me is when a Christian gives the impression that there are those who agree with them and those who are wrong. This book sounds like the author believes his proposed approach will have a 100% success rate and not using it will result in failure 100% of the time.

Most books I read I can recommend and give a 5 star result. I have enough questions that I'm giving this only three stars.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing insight!

This book is well written and gives great examples and details. It opened my eyes to how spiritual warfare has played a role in my life and I had no idea. So many great insights into building a stronger relationship with Jesus and how to improve prayer life. Highly recommend. I read this with a group of women from church and hearing their takeaways brought valuable insight to things that didn't immediately resonate with me. If you can read it with others, I think it helps absorb the various topics.

[Nathan Ownbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Dr Warner and the work he does. He continues to build the church with his latest book on discipleship. The sections on the wounded heart and overcoming the hurts from your past promise to cause you to look deeper into yourself and then at how God can redeem it all.

We used this book in our small group, our first small group together, and we are all closer now for going through it together.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book is exactly what I needed at this time. Warner provides a very clear and powerful vision of what it can look like to grow in maturity in your relationship with God. There are several things he said that have already helped me greatly, and several more than I am sure will help me as I get the opportunity to put them into practice. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, regardless of how mature you believe you are in your relationship with God.

[Heather Panter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful cover and the title is exactly fitting to what the book beholds. This book was a gift that I will treasure. Packed full of wisdom that I do not take for granted one bit. There are so many topics that I’ve enjoyed learning about but one that is sticking out to me now is the topic of fear bond and joy bonds. I didn’t realize I had fear bonds in certain relationships.
5 stars, easy! I recommend this book for every Christian!

[Pen]

Great ideas. I feel like it’s harder to practically implement. I agree with the premise and need, just feels like the next steps aspect could be built out more as to what to practically do. He recommends reading the book in a community group, but sometimes that is difficult to arrange. More alternative practical next steps would have been helpful.

[AJ Rankin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! It was not on my radar as far as people I would typically read, so I really like when I discover some new authors. The only negative was the tearing down of 'tradition discipleship' to promote their method of 'heart focused discipleship'.

[Carolyn E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for new and longtime followers of Christ. Very comprehensive overview of discipleship. Love his heart-focused approach and practical methods for dealing with demonization and hard-to-uproot wounds.

[Jamie Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book. Full of wisdom touching on Joy, Gratitude, Wisdom, Spiritual Warfare, Growing in Maturity, Prayer, Identity in Christ, and Community. I know he talked about so much more, but those are the ones that stick out in my notes. I'm looking forward to rereading it!

[Sheri Spears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warner’s book makes growing closer with Christ simple. Lots of examples and practical ways to practice. Also listened to their podcast and it added to the book. Read book with my women’s group at church. Love it! Will recommend to others!!

[Noah Buresh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Better off just reading Trellis and the Vine/Vine Project again.

[Anna Enderle · Rating 5 out of 5]

everyone who knows how to read should read this book

[Frances Eaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful book on what it looks like to be a mature believer in Christ and the steps to get there.

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was so clearly written with examples to know exactly what the author means. I particularly like the chapter on spiritual warfare.

[Jodi Tomlinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing discipleship tool.

[Humeyra Kacar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The topic was strong, I liked how the author focused on evil influences and how to overcome them within our hearts.

I appreciated his notes on creating a heartfelt and supportive religious community, which I think is very important for staying united and keeping service alive.