Customer Reviews

Revolution of Character: Discovering Christ's Pattern for Spiritual Transformation

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The way this book is advertised is a bit misleading. Dallas Willard writes a 2 page 'Note to the reader' in the beginning of the book stating "The text of this book has been composed ENTIRELY by Don Simpson...".

Hmmmm... Ok. Well why didn't they just say that Don Simpson is the author in the first place? Would it be politically correct to call this 'ethically-challenged advertising'?

With that aside, here's what the book actually is. It's Don Simpson's interpretation of Dallas Willard's popular book, 'Renovation Of The Heart'. I like 'Renovation Of The Heart' very much. If you want to know what 'Revolution Of Character' is like, simply read the reviews for 'Renovation Of The Heart'. The only difference here is that Don uses a slightly more down to earth writing style than Dallas does. In and of themselves, both books are excellent and IMO worth 5 stars. However, I have to knock a couple stars off this one simply due to the publisher's marketing 'techniques'.

This is classic Dallas Willard, one of the best authors for explaining in both philosophical and practical terms spiritual transformation through discipline.
His teaching that our spiritual condition is a product of our daily choices and decisions, and the only way to change them is by following the teachings of Jesus, is both clear and challenging.
He is the only author that I have read who discribes the spiritual disciplines in such a way that I felt sure that to learn them would truly change me at the deepest level and give me the best possible relationship with God. A great book !

This is another important work containing Dallas Willard's thoughts, interpreted by Simpson, that makes more accessible the main themes of his larger book Renovation of the Heart. While reading 'Renovation' may be best for some, those who prefer a shorter work that captures the essence of Willard's ideas might do better to start with Revolution of Character. Both works provide a clear understanding of the process of spiritual transformation and give practical advice on how to open our lives to the transforming work of the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Highly Recommended.

I disagree strongly with the below review. I love Dallas Willard and his writing, but often I find myself struggling through the dense (although beautiful) ideas and thoughts he has to offer. If you have read Renovation of the Heart, you'll notice that Revolution still uses Dallas' words. And this is Dallas' message! It would be unethical to NOT include his name on the cover. Even if the partnership was just Dallas' ideas and Don's words, both names still deserve to be on the cover. (But, as I said before, this book is still Dallas' words.) It's just distilled in a way that everyone can understand. Don Simpson, a master at understanding and communicating both beautifully and powerfully, has given us a Dallas Willard that we can learn from and enjoy even more. I am indebted to this rendering, and to the author who created it. This is a book that every Christian can and should read.

Dallas Willard and Don Simpson have greatly improved my understanding of my spiritual development by clearly describing the aspects of a person's being: mind (thoughts and feelings), heart, will, body, and soul. With this understanding, I am much better equiped to answer the call to righteousness that revolutionizes my character.

Curt Jernigan

Easier to read than other books by Willard, this one lays out a clear path for Spiritual Transformation. The challenge for the reader is to walk the path- which will probably require several readings and study of the scripture references.

If you are struggling to live a coherent life that lines up your beliefs and behavoir this is a book you will find helpful.

In Revolution of Character: Discovering Christ's Pattern for Spiritual Transformation, Don Simpson presents a concise version of Dallas Willard's popular book, Renovation of the Heart. In an opening statement, Willard notes that "the text of this book has been composed entirely by Don Simpson and expresses our shared understanding of Renovation." This is helpful information and helps explain the format; broken into twelve chapters, each with several 1-2 page sections, the book is appropriated for small bits of reading and reflection. Each chapter concludes with questions for meditation and response.


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In the opening chapter, A Revolution Has Begun, Simpson explains his use of the term heart and its interchangeability with the terms spirit and will. This is helpful, as Simpson mentions these three terms throughout. "From the contents of our heart," he says, "we see our world and interpret reality. From that decisive place in our self, we make choices, break forth into action, and try to change our world. We live from our depths--most of which we understand only in part" (12).

The heart, therefore, plays a vital role in our spiritual formation, which he defines as "the Holy Spirit driven process of forming the inner world of the human self in such a way that it becomes like the inner being of Christ himself...the outer life of the individual becomes a natural expression of the character and teachings of Jesus" (16).

Chapter two continues discussing the importance of the heart and explores the six human dimensions, with the heart at the center; spiritual transformation occurs when these dimensions work in proper order: (1) thoughts, (2) feelings, (3) the heart, (4) the body, (5) social context (relations with others), and (6) the soul (the integrator to all of the above). A helpful diagram provided by Simpson demonstrates the proper functioning of these six dynamics.

A significant amount of time is spent discussing one's restoration and how the process of overcoming ruin contributes to spiritual transformation. "One of the amazing things about human beings," says Simpson "is their capacity for restoration--a restoration that makes them somehow more magnificent because they have been ruined" (55). The key to restoration is one's ability to die to self and therefore replace, rather than enhance, the ruined self. Chapter Four provides an excellent challenge, accompanied by practical steps, to become more like Christ through dying to selfish claims on life.

Simpson next explores Christ's pattern of spiritual transformation through the process of VIM (Vision, Intention, Means). Vision applies to our ability to visualize the kingdom of God and to live fully in it today, rather than preparing only to live in the kingdom post-life. We live in the kingdom now through the process of intention. Of this necessity, and the connection between vision and intention, Simpson says:

The idea that you can trust Christ for the hereafter but have no intention to obey him now is an illusion generated by a widespread unbelieving "Christian culture." In fact, you can no more trust Jesus and not intend to obey him than you can trust your doctor and not intend to follow his or her advice. If you don't intend to follow the advice, you simply don't trust the person. (76)

In order to follow our vision through living intentionally, there must also be a means. The means, which Simpson in part contends is self-denial, helps to replace the lostness of our inner self with the characteristics of Jesus.

In Chapter Six, Simpson turns to the importance of our thought life in the process of escaping our ruin and moving toward transformation. "We first turned away from God in our thoughts, so it is in our thought life that we must ignite the revolution of character" (83). Simpson provides a striking quotation from Thomas Watson, written in the middle of the 17th Century:

The first fruit of love is the musing of the mind upon God. He who is in love, his thoughts are even upon the object. He who loves God is ravished and transported with the contemplation of God...The thoughts are as travelers in the mind...By this we may test our love to God. What are our thoughts most upon? Can we say we are ravished with delight when we think on God?

Chapters Seven through Nine explore the dynamics of our feelings, character, and body. These three dynamics are connected by their ability to spread and affect other people and other parts of our self. The final dimension of the spiritual life, the soul, covered in the next to last chapter, is referred to by Simpson as the "inner stream."

Our soul is like an inner stream of water, which gives strength, direction, and harmony to every other element of our life. When that stream is as it should be, we are constantly refreshed and exuberant in all we do because our soul itself is deeply rooted in the vastness of God and his kingdom. All else within us is enlivened and directed by that stream. (161)

Related to this inner stream is our need to understand that which is and is not within our control. We must "abandon outcomes to God" and acknowledge that "we do not have within ourselves...the wherewithal to make anything we do come out right...we simply have to rest in God's life as he gives it to us" (165-6).

Following the final chapter, which provides a charge to be the light of the world through demonstrating a transformed life, Simpson includes a brief Afterword and Notes section.

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Though organized differently in the book than his diagram lays out, Simpson addresses each of the six dynamics required for spiritual transformation. Each is addressed in a succinct manner that can at times lack depth. Revolution of Character is a quick guide that is replete with applicatory actions. Despite its rather brisk description of the specific topics, which seems to be the intent, Revolution is a helpful guide worth spending time with.

I have used this book with 40 other people, and we are finding that we are becoming different people. It is profound material presented in a user-friendly style.