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Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship
In 1937, on the threshold of Nazi Germany s war on the world, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote what turned out to be one of the most influential books of the century, The Cost of Discipleship. In it, he challenged the flabby faith and compromises of German Christians, famously writing, When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die. Now, seventy-three years after the book was first published, Jon Walker writes Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship.
Walker brings to a new generation the timeless message of Bonhoeffer against the background of today's political upheaval and societal change and what it means to those who claim to follow Christ's teachings.
Christianity Today named Bonhoeffer's book one of the ten most influential books of the twentieth century, but although the book still has a loyal readership, it has not been adequately viewed through the eyes of the twenty-first century, until now.
In Costly Grace, Walker, who worked with Rick Warren for several years and recently authored Growing with Purpose (Zondervan, 2009), writes a book that will challenge contemporary teachings and lifestyles.
Grace is a foundational doctrine for Christians, yet it is one of the most misunderstood. Bonhoeffer watched as many used the doctrine of grace as an excuse to do whatever they wanted, and in response, he wrote his classic work on what it truly means to follow Jesus. We cheapen grace, he declared, when we use it to compromise our behavior or to lower the standards of God s Word. In a modern retelling of this Christian classic, Walker explains what Bonhoeffer meant when he taught that grace is free but will cost us everything.
Walker brings to a new generation the timeless message of Bonhoeffer against the background of today's political upheaval and societal change and what it means to those who claim to follow Christ's teachings.
Christianity Today named Bonhoeffer's book one of the ten most influential books of the twentieth century, but although the book still has a loyal readership, it has not been adequately viewed through the eyes of the twenty-first century, until now.
In Costly Grace, Walker, who worked with Rick Warren for several years and recently authored Growing with Purpose (Zondervan, 2009), writes a book that will challenge contemporary teachings and lifestyles.
Grace is a foundational doctrine for Christians, yet it is one of the most misunderstood. Bonhoeffer watched as many used the doctrine of grace as an excuse to do whatever they wanted, and in response, he wrote his classic work on what it truly means to follow Jesus. We cheapen grace, he declared, when we use it to compromise our behavior or to lower the standards of God s Word. In a modern retelling of this Christian classic, Walker explains what Bonhoeffer meant when he taught that grace is free but will cost us everything.
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2010
37 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Jon Walker
18 books2 followersJon Walker is the author of Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s ‘The Cost of Discipleship’ and Growing with Purpose: Connecting with God Everyday. He is the editor of Rick Warren’s Daily Hope devotionals.
Jon Walker has worked closely with Rick Warren for many years, first as a writer/editor, later as vice president of communications at Purpose Driven Ministries, and then as a pastor at Saddleback Church. He’s also served as editor-in-chief of LifeWay’s HomeLife magazine and founding editor of Rick Warren’s Ministry Toolbox. He is the author of Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship. His articles have appeared in publications and websites around the world. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
You can sign up for Jon’s devotionals or join him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GraceCreates.
Jon Walker has worked closely with Rick Warren for many years, first as a writer/editor, later as vice president of communications at Purpose Driven Ministries, and then as a pastor at Saddleback Church. He’s also served as editor-in-chief of LifeWay’s HomeLife magazine and founding editor of Rick Warren’s Ministry Toolbox. He is the author of Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship. His articles have appeared in publications and websites around the world. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
You can sign up for Jon’s devotionals or join him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GraceCreates.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 4, 2010
Costly Grace by author Jon Walker is a contemporary view of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship. Walker explains, quite thoroughly, what Bonhoeffer meant when he taught that grace is free but will cost us everything. Walker's book is an easy to read view of Bonhoeffer's words, whereas if you read the original The Cost of Discipleship, you will feel Bonhoeffer's anger leap off the pages.
In Costly Grace the author presents a clear picture of what it means to be a disciple of Christ. Using Bonhoeffer's words, combined with scripture, Walker paints a vivid picture of what is required of every believer. In chapter one, Walker talks about Bonhoeffer's description of "cheap grace" - "the arrogant presumption that we can receive forgiveness for our sins, yet never abandon our lives to Jesus." Throughout the rest of the book Walker shows you what it really means to live a life abandoned to Christ and how to become like Him.
While I found the subject matter to be thoroughly intriguing, the typos and grammatical errors in the book left me more than irritated. While errors weren't on every page, there were enough of them that it had me wondering if the book had seen an editor. However, If you can get over things like that, you will enjoy Costly Grace. It's message is one we all need to hear.
In Costly Grace the author presents a clear picture of what it means to be a disciple of Christ. Using Bonhoeffer's words, combined with scripture, Walker paints a vivid picture of what is required of every believer. In chapter one, Walker talks about Bonhoeffer's description of "cheap grace" - "the arrogant presumption that we can receive forgiveness for our sins, yet never abandon our lives to Jesus." Throughout the rest of the book Walker shows you what it really means to live a life abandoned to Christ and how to become like Him.
While I found the subject matter to be thoroughly intriguing, the typos and grammatical errors in the book left me more than irritated. While errors weren't on every page, there were enough of them that it had me wondering if the book had seen an editor. However, If you can get over things like that, you will enjoy Costly Grace. It's message is one we all need to hear.
July 13, 2012
Powerful book. Excellent for those who are willing or ready to be examined and fully spiritually challenged. No punches are pulled, and you won't get through this book without feeling more than a few of those hits. In my view, this book is best digested in small pieces, over time.
August 20, 2025
“Looking back is double-mindedness. It makes us unstable and uncertain and that’s the exact opposite of the focused following Jesus expected of us… the call of Jesus is a real command and it requires that we take a real and tangible step in response… to follow Jesus, we must have faith- a confident intimate trust in Him.”
October 23, 2024
Very good. I first read Bonhoeffer’s book several years ago. It was a tough read for me as his theology was difficult for me. This book broke down Bonhoeffer’ original book making easier to comprehend his concepts. I will go back and read Bonhoeffer’s again.
November 18, 2024
Jon Walker does a fantastic job of retelling the teachings of Jesus from The Cost of Discipleship in modern, everyday terms. The book was easy to read and the chapters were digestible for daily readings.
December 27, 2011
MY REVIEW:
Contemporary. Refreshing. Challenging. Thought-provoking.
Just a few of the words I use to describe this book which is a contemporary view of Bonhoeffer's book titled The Cost Of Discipleship. Not only is it an updated version of the previous book, but it's easy to read all the while being challenging to your thinking and traditional beliefs. I really enjoyed the casual feel - almost as if in a conversation. And the bullet-pointed questions and thoughts to contemplate at the end of each chapter were incredibly helpful and convicting. Not only does this book give you good thoughts and theology, but great application as well.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone - young or old. It will be worth your time to read and appreciate the cost of grace in our lives.
BOOK OVERVIEW:
In 1937, on the threshold of Nazi Germany’s war on the world, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote what turned out to be one of the most influential books of the century, The Cost of Discipleship. In it, he challenged the flabby faith and compromises of German Christians, famously writing, “When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die.”
Now, seventy-three years after the book was first published, Jon Walker has written Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship. Although Bonhoeffer’s book still has a loyal readership, it has not been adequately viewed through the eyes of the twenty-first century. Walker brings to a new generation the timeless message of Bonhoeffer against the background of today’s political upheaval and societal change and what it means to those who claim to follow Christ’s teachings, challenging contemporary teachings and lifestyles.
Grace is a foundational doctrine for Christians, yet it is one of the most misunderstood. Bonhoeffer watched as many used the doctrine of grace as an excuse to do whatever they wanted, and in response, he wrote his classic work on what it truly means to follow Jesus. We cheapen grace, he declared, when we use it to compromise our behavior or to lower the standards of God’s Word. In a modern retelling of this Christian classic, Walker explains what Bonhoeffer meant when he taught that grace is free but will cost us everything.
“Bonhoeffer called for a return to ‘costly grace,’ to a recognition that God’s grace comes at the cost of Christ’s passion. Grace is free, but it demands a disciple’s whole life, not just partial obedience to the commands of Christ. Bonhoeffer’s message resonates with our time of instability and insecurity,” Walker explains. “We’re tempted to compromise in order to keep things as they have been, but the cost of discipleship requires that our loyalty be only to Christ and Christ alone. Where our behavior is at odds with our belief, God requires we be ruthless in letting go of the things that entangle us and keep us from becoming just like Jesus.”
Costly Grace is a clear call to discipleship, reminding us what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and makes the doctrine of grace understandable and practical. Following Bonhoeffer’s example, Walker has anchored this book around an expository study of Matthew 5–7, including the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. As such, Costly Grace is an excellent resource for small group curriculum or congregation-wide study.
Also set to release in October is the Costly Grace 90-Day Devotional. The companion devotional is dedicated to bringing home to the heart of every Christian the vital call that Bonhoeffer made in his book and that Walker now makes in his. What decisions do we need to act on to walk the road Jesus shows us? Who is it we are called to love and forgive? And why is it imperative that the Beatitudes become our way of life? These are just some of the challenges that Walker helps us tackle in his valuable guide.
Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship by Jon Walker
ISBN 978-0-89112-676-8/224 pages/softcover/$15.99
Costly Grace 90-Day Devotional
ISBN 978-0-89112-677-5/224 pages/softcover/$13.99
Leafwood Publishers, October 2010
www.leafwoodpublishers.com ~ www.gracecreates.com
* * * * *
This review book was provided courtesy of The B&B Media Group but the opinions expressed are my own.
Contemporary. Refreshing. Challenging. Thought-provoking.
Just a few of the words I use to describe this book which is a contemporary view of Bonhoeffer's book titled The Cost Of Discipleship. Not only is it an updated version of the previous book, but it's easy to read all the while being challenging to your thinking and traditional beliefs. I really enjoyed the casual feel - almost as if in a conversation. And the bullet-pointed questions and thoughts to contemplate at the end of each chapter were incredibly helpful and convicting. Not only does this book give you good thoughts and theology, but great application as well.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone - young or old. It will be worth your time to read and appreciate the cost of grace in our lives.
BOOK OVERVIEW:
In 1937, on the threshold of Nazi Germany’s war on the world, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote what turned out to be one of the most influential books of the century, The Cost of Discipleship. In it, he challenged the flabby faith and compromises of German Christians, famously writing, “When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die.”
Now, seventy-three years after the book was first published, Jon Walker has written Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship. Although Bonhoeffer’s book still has a loyal readership, it has not been adequately viewed through the eyes of the twenty-first century. Walker brings to a new generation the timeless message of Bonhoeffer against the background of today’s political upheaval and societal change and what it means to those who claim to follow Christ’s teachings, challenging contemporary teachings and lifestyles.
Grace is a foundational doctrine for Christians, yet it is one of the most misunderstood. Bonhoeffer watched as many used the doctrine of grace as an excuse to do whatever they wanted, and in response, he wrote his classic work on what it truly means to follow Jesus. We cheapen grace, he declared, when we use it to compromise our behavior or to lower the standards of God’s Word. In a modern retelling of this Christian classic, Walker explains what Bonhoeffer meant when he taught that grace is free but will cost us everything.
“Bonhoeffer called for a return to ‘costly grace,’ to a recognition that God’s grace comes at the cost of Christ’s passion. Grace is free, but it demands a disciple’s whole life, not just partial obedience to the commands of Christ. Bonhoeffer’s message resonates with our time of instability and insecurity,” Walker explains. “We’re tempted to compromise in order to keep things as they have been, but the cost of discipleship requires that our loyalty be only to Christ and Christ alone. Where our behavior is at odds with our belief, God requires we be ruthless in letting go of the things that entangle us and keep us from becoming just like Jesus.”
Costly Grace is a clear call to discipleship, reminding us what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and makes the doctrine of grace understandable and practical. Following Bonhoeffer’s example, Walker has anchored this book around an expository study of Matthew 5–7, including the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. As such, Costly Grace is an excellent resource for small group curriculum or congregation-wide study.
Also set to release in October is the Costly Grace 90-Day Devotional. The companion devotional is dedicated to bringing home to the heart of every Christian the vital call that Bonhoeffer made in his book and that Walker now makes in his. What decisions do we need to act on to walk the road Jesus shows us? Who is it we are called to love and forgive? And why is it imperative that the Beatitudes become our way of life? These are just some of the challenges that Walker helps us tackle in his valuable guide.
Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship by Jon Walker
ISBN 978-0-89112-676-8/224 pages/softcover/$15.99
Costly Grace 90-Day Devotional
ISBN 978-0-89112-677-5/224 pages/softcover/$13.99
Leafwood Publishers, October 2010
www.leafwoodpublishers.com ~ www.gracecreates.com
* * * * *
This review book was provided courtesy of The B&B Media Group but the opinions expressed are my own.
November 29, 2010
Written as a contemporary look at Dietrich Bonhoeffer,“The Cost of Discipleship”, “Costly Grace” is a startling look for the contemporary Christian at what it means to be a Christian in a world that is filled with both challenging and sometimes conflicting views.
Not an overnighter, but a book that works great for a bible study meeting or personal study, Jon Walker’s book, “Costly Grace”, not only re-introduces, Bonhoeffer’s influential book,”The Cost of Discipleship”, but also challenges the modern day Christian to rethink, “What does it mean to be a disciple” and “How do we fit our Father in our lives and how we connect with others”.
Reading the back of the book, I concur with one of the quotes that, “Costly Grace” is an uncomfortable reading that makes it a necessary reading, in that it draws the reader out of their comfort zone and face to face with…are you sharing God’s word as it needs to be shared.
We live in a society that we want the best of both worlds but not the inconveniences and both “Costly Grace”, but Bonhoeffer’s insight via, The Cost of Discipleship”, asks us how far and how much are we willing to give for and about our Father in Heaven.
237 pages with each chapter ending with the following:
* The Cost of Discipleship
* Fallen Thinking
* Kingdom Thinking
* Your Choice?
This is food for the soul. “Costly Grace” will drag us out of our comfort zone and into our Father’s Kingdom Zone and have us thinking…what and how should we approach Him and His word.
As Boenhoeffer would say,”The message becomes an event, and the event confirms the message.”
This is a must read book to read and ask yourself, are you read for a “Costly Grace”?
Not an overnighter, but a book that works great for a bible study meeting or personal study, Jon Walker’s book, “Costly Grace”, not only re-introduces, Bonhoeffer’s influential book,”The Cost of Discipleship”, but also challenges the modern day Christian to rethink, “What does it mean to be a disciple” and “How do we fit our Father in our lives and how we connect with others”.
Reading the back of the book, I concur with one of the quotes that, “Costly Grace” is an uncomfortable reading that makes it a necessary reading, in that it draws the reader out of their comfort zone and face to face with…are you sharing God’s word as it needs to be shared.
We live in a society that we want the best of both worlds but not the inconveniences and both “Costly Grace”, but Bonhoeffer’s insight via, The Cost of Discipleship”, asks us how far and how much are we willing to give for and about our Father in Heaven.
237 pages with each chapter ending with the following:
* The Cost of Discipleship
* Fallen Thinking
* Kingdom Thinking
* Your Choice?
This is food for the soul. “Costly Grace” will drag us out of our comfort zone and into our Father’s Kingdom Zone and have us thinking…what and how should we approach Him and His word.
As Boenhoeffer would say,”The message becomes an event, and the event confirms the message.”
This is a must read book to read and ask yourself, are you read for a “Costly Grace”?
December 10, 2010
Costly Grace is a modern revisiting of Dietrich Boenhoeffer's classic book, The Cost of Discipleship. I have wanted to read that book for a long time but haven't had the chance. I feel that this book has given me a basic understanding of those principles and so much more. This is not a read for those who are faint of spiritual heart - it's for those who want to re-examine their faith and analyze why they are doing what they're doing what they're doing. The most challenging concept for me was the idea that suffering can be used by God to help grow our faith.
The book has an analysis of the each topic from The Cost of Discipleship with modern commentary and extensive quotes, and the end of each chapter has a practical application for the principle being dealth with. There is a list of self-talk items that show "Fallen Thinking" and then another that show what a spirit driven perspective would do to deal with it.
The book has an analysis of the each topic from The Cost of Discipleship with modern commentary and extensive quotes, and the end of each chapter has a practical application for the principle being dealth with. There is a list of self-talk items that show "Fallen Thinking" and then another that show what a spirit driven perspective would do to deal with it.
January 31, 2012
What a great contemporary version of Bonhoeffer's classic. Now I have to read Bonhoeffer's classic!! But seriously, this is an easy to read book comparing "cheap grace" to "costly grace". A must read for every serious Jesus follower.
Read
February 19, 2016Extremely disappointing! I found this hard to read, not because of depth, but lack of interest and disservice to Bonhoeffer's own theology and work of Cost of Discipleship. I would not recommend this for a personal read or any type of study.
July 10, 2012
Very good "tell-it-like-it-is" book about being a true Christ-follower and not taking shortcuts. Use it for guidance and encouragement to stay on the right path, re-read highlights often.
January 16, 2017
very insightful and challenging book as it relates to understanding and living in God's Grace
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews