Hazardous: Committing to the Cost of Following Jesus [Paperback]

Ed Cyzewski (Author), Derek Cooper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 10, 2012

We may think that following Jesus always leads to green fields and still waters, but Christ sends us out as sheep among wolves and warns us that we will be hated by everyone because of Him.

Derek Cooper and Ed Cyzewski show how true discipleship clashes with our culture and affects every area of life. Counting the cost and becoming disciples of Jesus instead of just spectators will influence all our daily decisions and plans. Hazardous is a call to listen for God's leading and to obey, even when it leads us down a difficult and dangerous path.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Hazardous is the best spiritual growth book I've read in years! Reading this book has not only altered how I view Jesus' life on earth, but its' also challenged me on what it means to call myself a Christian. Rich with story and passion for helping people connect with God, Cooper and Cyzewski's book will bring you closer to the story of Jesus and help you engage the story that Christ intended for you.

- Matthew Paul Turner, author of Churched and Hear No Evil --Matthew Paul Turner

This is a book about radical discipleship, a challenging read for all of us who feel we do not take our walk with Jesus seriously enough. The interweaving of personal and biblical stories are enlightening and make this a good read for all who want to take their faith more seriously.

- Christine Sine, author of Sacred Rhythms: Finding a Peaceful Pace in a Hectic World --Christine Sine

Into a world of easy discipleship, Cooper and Cyzewski offer a bold biblical challenge: follow Jesus. By tracing the messy lives and costly discipleship of faithful people throughout scripture, they tell a story that is both dangerous and delightful. Readers of Hazardous will not merely be rewarded with a great read; they will be rewarded with an invitation to deeper relationship with a great Lord.

- David T. Lamb, Biblical Seminary, author of God Behaving Badly --David T. Lamb

About the Author

Derek Cooper is an assistant professor of biblical studies and historical theology at Biblical Seminary in Hatfield, PA where he also serves as associate director of the Doctor of Ministry program.

Ed Cyzewski is a freelance writer and blogger at inamirrordimly who uses curiosity, a seminary degree and bad puns to help his readers follow Jesus.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: CLC Publications (August 10, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 161958011X
• ISBN-13: 978-1619580114
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,486,562 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Explanation of a Resurgent Topic September 8, 2012

By Steve Wilburn

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Over the past several years, many writers and thinkers in the American Christian world have called Christians back to fuller understanding of discipleship. Some, like Francis Chan and David Platt, use a prophetic voice to call the church out of its mediocre state to pursue the radical nature of following Jesus. Other, like Shane Claiborne, model what this type of discipleship might look like, and call others to follow in their footsteps. However, there have been few books, outside of the Spiritual Formation works of authors like Dallas Willard, that have really sought to tackle the mechanics of discipleship.

Enter Ed Cyzewski and Derek Cooper and their book Hazardous.

In this book Cyzewski and Cooper lay the biblical foundation for the importance, purpose and means of discipleship. They use examples throughout scripture to demonstrate how following the will of God, especially found the path of Jesus Christ, can be both exciting and challenging. The most influential section of the book for me was the final section on "How Discipleship Works". Without trying to oversimplify the journey into some multi-step process, it gives excellent practical insight into how to begin to follow Jesus in our lives and how to take our existing walk even further.

My only criticism of the book is that it sometimes feels as if the authors don't take their excellent biblical conclusions far enough. Yes, God will often lead us to new opportunities that are beyond our plans or expectations, but sometimes this will require more of us that just moving our families or leaving our church homes. Following Jesus may require us to risk everything including career, financial stability, security, even our own lives in order to do his will.... It feels like the book at times stops just short of taking us to that place of discipleship (one where many disciples throughout church history have gone). However, a good reader will see the implications of what's written and follow the book to its logical conclusions.

Hazardous is an excellent, timely book and I recommend it for anyone who considers themselves a follow of Jesus. Whether you've been a Christian for a few days or a few decades, there is material here both to encourage and challenge you in your daily life. It has already changed the way I see my own Christian walk. Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A healthy view of discipleship December 22, 2012

By Lisa notes...

Format:Kindle Edition

When we first decide to follow Christ, we usually focus on the positives. And we should. But being His disciple doesn't exempt us from troubles. Authors Ed Cyzewski and Derek Cooper wrote this book to help us transition through those difficult times with proper attitudes and actions.

They break the book down into three sections:

Section One: Understanding Discipleship
Section Two: What Discipleship Looks Like
Section Three: How Discipleship Works

By weaving stories from the Bible with stories from their own lives, they help us understand how to apply the principles to our own lives as well. Additionally, they place strategic questions at the end of each chapter--"Discipleship Practices"--to provoke thought and action from the readers.

Two of the questions from the introductory section were enough to motivate me to keep reading:

5. What do you fear losing if you follow Jesus?
6. What do you fear losing if you don't follow Jesus?

Discipleship is serious. It forces us to consider our true desires and motives. The book shows how discipleship affects our personal life, our family life, and even our public life. It also has chapters on discipleship requiring holiness, listening and obedience, which will look slightly (if not largely) different for each individual:

"Obedience in the Bible is not always a shopping list of commands we have to obey. We have patterns of obedience, but there is no template for obedience. Otherwise we'd have to pick and choose which stories and commands to obey. There is an expectation that God's people will listen for God's direction and obey it. So the critical question is: What is Jesus asking you to do?"

What is Jesus asking us to do?... This book helps us figure that out.

The rewards of discipleship far exceed the costs. Being transformed into the image of his Son is more than we can imagine and definitely more than we deserve. Living by faith in the midst of the hazards of discipleship means "we are free to enjoy God and to be the kind of people God made us to be."

I'm glad I read this book to remind me to stick with the cost--the rewards are worth it. Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A healthy view of discipleship August 27, 2012

By Lisa notes...

Format:Paperback

When we first decide to follow Christ, we usually focus on the positives. And we should. But being His disciple doesn't exempt us from troubles. Authors Ed Cyzewski and Derek Cooper wrote this book to help us transition through those difficult times with proper attitudes and actions.

They break the book down into three sections:

Section One: Understanding Discipleship
Section Two: What Discipleship Looks Like
Section Three: How Discipleship Works

By weaving stories from the Bible with stories from their own lives, they help us understand how to apply the principles to our own lives as well. Additionally, they place strategic questions at the end of each chapter--"Discipleship Practices"--to provoke thought and action from the readers.

Two of the questions from the introductory section were enough to motivate me to keep reading:

5. What do you fear losing if you follow Jesus?
6. What do you fear losing if you don't follow Jesus?

Discipleship is serious. It forces us to consider our true desires and motives. The book shows how discipleship affects our personal life, our family life, and even our public life. It also has chapters on discipleship requiring holiness, listening and obedience, which will look slightly (if not largely) different for each individual:

"Obedience in the Bible is not always a shopping list of commands we have to obey. We have patterns of obedience, but there is no template for obedience. Otherwise we'd have to pick and choose which stories and commands to obey. There is an expectation that God's people will listen for God's direction and obey it. So the critical question is: What is Jesus asking you to do?"

What is Jesus asking us to do?... This book helps us figure that out.

The rewards of discipleship far exceed the costs. Being transformed into the image of his Son is more than we can imagine and definitely more than we deserve. Living by faith in the midst of the hazards of discipleship means "we are free to enjoy God and to be the kind of people God made us to be."

I'm glad I read this book to remind me to stick with the cost--the rewards are worth it. Read more ›