Customer Reviews

Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice: Experiments in Spiritual Transformation

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Let me be clear about what it is that I'm reviewing. The book "Renovation of the Heart" is one of the best books I've ever read in my life. It should be rated very high and read by anyone serious about growing as a Christian. I can't say enough about how great that book is.

However, this book about daily practice and experiments in spiritual transformation is quite the opposite. It has 61 chapters that more or less outline the original work by Willard. Each of the chapters does an OK job of sticking to the individual topics and ends with an "experiment" to help you apply what the chapter is talking about.

These "experiments" are an absolute disappointment. They basically consist of questions that make you think or reflect on the topic. "Consider what it would look like for..." "reflect on this," or "pretend that." You get the picture.

I bought the book expecting some tangible action experiments but all I got were some relatively simple questions which are supposed to provoke deep thought. I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1 because it uses some of Willard's original material and could be useful as a simple devotional (the chapters are about 2 or 3 pages long).

I would strongly recomend to anyone considering this companion book to stick to the original and wrestle through it, no matter how weighty it may be.

It's the way of our world, it seems, to never admit our ignorance, but I don't mind telling you that I'm not nearly smart enough for Dallas Willard. I read The Divine Conspiracy several years ago and thought it was great, but, frankly, much of his writing and thinking is over my head. That's why I love what NavPress did in creating Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. I read this book over the course of a few weeks, but I'll go back and use it as a daily devotional. That's its gift. Short chapters by Willard that end with brief comments and "experiments" written by Jan Johnson. With this format, I can take the time to think through and digest and internalize Willard's wonderful insights on how we go about conforming ourselves as followers of Jesus. This book might never leave my nightstand.

Jan Johnson acts as the tour guide as she uses Willard's "Renovation of the Heart" to transport us on a soul searching journey. I have personally been touched as I meditate on the thought provoking devotionals. A must have for those who find Willard a compelling read.

I was becoming dispondent and disillusioned with church. Not sure what this life in Christ was all about. Why as Christians today we are seemingly powerless and so far away from the authority and manifestations that the Word of God promises. I felt close to giving up then I found this book. From page one the tears flowed as I drank from the cup of revelation that the pages offered. I am eternally grateful. I want to meet the authors please!

I listened to Renovation of the Heart on CD and it kicked my butt! I so wanted to just be able to take it line by line or paragraph by paragraph and figure out, "what now? How do I DO this?" This book was exactly what I was looking for and it has not disappointed. It has been my devotional reading for the last couple of months, allowing me to remember some of the most powerful passages from Willard's book and really dwell on practical things to try to incorporate them into my day. Challenging in a good way.

Willard's book is practical information, sound Christian theology, along with exercises that help those who want a deeper spiritual journey, but are frustrated with poor results from their attempts to renovate the heart through their own strength and will. Willard's book helps us understand where we allow our personal strength fails to produce the needed results and that we must allow Christ to empower us to move beyond what our human strength can produce.
Nelson Knight

this is a great book to tackle the harder Renovation of the Heart book. love the small sections with practical application.

This is a very good study devotional. It is very practical. I will use it on a daily basis over and over. This is not something you will just work through once. It gives you inspiration to strive for everyday.

I do not want to say that Dallas Willard is impractical as he writes about Christian disciplines-- he is not. I will say that Renovation in Daily Practice is the 'walk through'. It delivered what it promised while delivering helpful substance itself.

The material is excellent and the arrangement for a daily reflection and activity makes this a mosst useful aid to daily devotion and the effort to move truth from the head to the heart