Outrageous Love, Transforming Power: How the Holy Spirit Shapes You into the Likeness of Christ

by Terry Wardle

Terry Wardle presents compelling evidence that countless churches are made up of people who seem perpetually caught in spiritual infancy. What does it really mean to be Christlike? Christians today are struggling with immaturity because they do not know the answer to that question. This book surveys the life of Jesus to identify eight characteristics of Christ that are to be nurtured by the Holy Spirit in the believer's life. Being transformed into the likeness of Christ is the true mark of spiritual maturity.

Genres: Church

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Sa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sentence in Christian mystics writings, a chapter (or more) in this book.

I appreciate how this book attempts to introduce spiritual formation to Protestant Christians who have no knowledge of it, but it keeps nagging on some simple ideas about how we can find proofs in the New Testament. (Yes, I know the author quoted passages from Psalms, but it doesn’t mean they’re coherent with the rich spiritual heritage of the Old Testament/Hebrew.)

The book helps readers to examine their lives. It suggests eight areas that help to discover God’s work in reader’s life journey, but some are they can be combined to articulate deeper reflection. For example, the author distinguishes relational and communal relationships into two different chapters, and it shows no coherent between these two important parts of constructing one’s identity. Besides, there’re contradictions. The author emphasizes in the work of the Holy Spirit, which is also the title of this book. But if the outcome or what’s happening is not positive right at that moment, he blames others and stigmatizes those dark places and blind spots, ignoring God is working in the dark or even in our poignant events.

The author draws a binary and anthropogenic image of spiritual formation. It seems he sometimes forgets it’s a journey with layers. God is still in those places even you found unworthy. This is the outrageous love that God wants us know.

But I still recommend this book for those who need to take a first step in spiritual formation. But if you’re with an ecumenical background, there’re many other choices.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book as a reference point for a self-examination as part of a Spiritual Formation seminary course. I found Wardle's eight categories (characteristics of Christ in to which we can seek to grow- identity with the father, intimacy with the father, embracing brokenness, etc.) very good areas in which to examine my own journey towards Christ-likeness. I enjoyed Terry Wardle's examples from his own ministry life and appreciated his optimism for both the ongoing potential for the outpouring of the Spirit and growing in grace. This aligned very well with my Wesleyan world view and I felt encouraged and convicted in all the right places. A short, succinct, helpful read for any Jesus follower.

[Sarah Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great easy read outlining eight characteristics of Jesus that we are shaped toward as we are sanctified by the Spirit. The key argument is that Spiritual Formation is the process of becoming like Jesus, and the eight characteristics explain what becoming like Jesus might look like. Recommend for someone new to the Christian faith, or someone who has been a Christian for a while but wants to explore areas of Christlikeness they are growing in, need to grow in or have grown in. Each characteristic has practical disciplines, books and activity recommendations all while recognizing none of these activities will grow you into Christlikeness without the power of the Spirit.

[Kelly Duplantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being transformed into the image of Christ is the call of every believer, yet for most of us it has seemed impossible. In our own power and effort it is quite impossible. However, what if the transforming work was something Christ through His Spirit actually did in you? What if it wasn't about effort but about being in an intimate relationship that changed you? Terry Wardle explains how the character of Christ is formed in us, not by self effort, but by realizing how much we are loved as we experience a really intimate life changing relationship with Christ and invite the Holy Spirit to fill us and empower us to walk it out. We are not alone in being formed into the image of Christ and we cannot do the changing ourselves. I read this book in conjunction with a book called Seeing Is Believing by Gregory Boyd which explicitly and practically tells about how experiencing Jesus in more concrete ways through mental images is actually what brings about the transformation we need. I highly recommend both of these books.