Transformational Discipleship: How People Really Grow [Paperback]

Eric Geiger (Author), Michael Kelley (Author), Philip Nation (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 1, 2012

A Christian’s desire to grow in faith is beautiful and biblical, best illustrated in Jeremiah 17 where Scripture describes “The man who trusts in the LORD” as being “like a tree planted by water . . . It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.”

But how do people really grow? Transformational Discipleship describes the process that brings to life that kind of person described in the Bible. There’s no magic formula or mantra to recite here, but rather a substantive measure of research with churches and individuals who have wholeheartedly answered the call of Jesus to make disciples.

A compilation of their wisdom and stories, it surely guides church leaders and members to practice the intentional efforts needed to foster an entire culture in which people grow in Christian faith.

And they will grow, not because of human research, but by the power of the Word and of the Holy Spirit working through the church—the same way disciples have always been made. When the people of God engage in the mission of God through the Spirit of God, lives are transformed.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (June 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433678543
• ISBN-13: 978-1433678547
• Product Dimensions: 0.7 x 5.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,325 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Eric Geiger is vice president of the Church Resources division at LifeWay Christian Resources. He is also co-author of the best seller Simple Church with Thom S. Rainer.

Michael Kelley is director of Discipleship at LifeWay Christian Resources. His previous written works include Holy Vocabulary, The Tough Sayings of Jesus, and Wednesdays Were Pretty Normal.

Philip Nation is director of Ministry Development with LifeWay Research. He co-edited The Mission of God Study Bible and co-authored Compelled by Love with Ed Stetzer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books (June 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433678543
• ISBN-13: 978-1433678547
• Product Dimensions: 0.7 x 5.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,325 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for some June 12, 2012

By Paul Martin

Format:Paperback

I have read every book I could find from Eric Geiger beginning with Simple Church. I have found him to be insightful, pushing the church into new, needed areas. So I was anticipating this book from the start.

There are a lot of great ideas in this book. These men have done a lot of work in researching the area of discipleship and drawing conclusions. Though there was a lot of research that went into this book, I found myself wanting to either just trust what they wrote or needing more support from their research. There are moments where some pretty bold statements stick out without any ties back to the research.

At other times while reading, I felt like I was hearing the same tired ideas from the many books out there on this subject. The incorporate disciplines, the need for relationships, Bible study, prayer, etc. without much new information than many other books on discipleship.

I think they support and affirm much of what is happening in the church today, while nudging it ahead. It's a good resource for someone newly trying to plunge in discipleship that's more than just a small group book study.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Offensive vs. Defensive Discipleship: The Transformational Sweet Spot of Discipleship June 16, 2012

By KLupton

Format:Paperback

I learned and had confirmed a number of principles related to doing intentional discipleship which is a rare commodity to be initiated by church leaders and exercised by church bodies. The distinction between "offensive" and "defensive" discipleship was an eye opener for me! We are not to just protect people from the world but empower believers to overcome the world. I knew this but the book clarified for me that effective discipling must be intentional in facilitating a process that results in heart & life change-transformational change not just informational infusion.

The Transformational Framework (Sweet Spot) of Truth, Posture, and Leaders is an excellent way to evaluate where discipleship is actually transforming me and fellow disciples. The reminder that success is evaluated by the number of leaders that we disciple who are unleashed into the mission was just what church leaders must hear today! I am looking forward to engaging in the Transformational Discipleship Assessment mentioned in the book. If you want to be intentional in making discipleship transformational (rather than informational), then I highly recommend the book. I plan to use the DVD available through Lifeway to start a conversation with my church leadership team about implementing the principles and using the assessment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good, simple, flexible, and readable approach! October 20, 2012

By John

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have been looking for good models to consider as our church considers how to accomplish our mission statement of making disciples of Jesus. (shouldn't that be every church's mission statement?) First, though, we needed to seriously consider what it means to be a mature disciple of Jesus, and that led me to this book. I can say that it has been encouraging and helpful to read. It is not earth-shattering, but it is enlightening and I recommend it highly.

Perhaps the best aspect of the book comes in the beginning, where the authors specifically state that their approach is NOT a model. It is a description of their findings after researching the issue about what makes for Christians who are maturing and growing in Christ. That is significant, in that the book does not purport to give a model to accomplish the goal of discipleship. Instead they showcase the principles and foci that bring authentic discipleship and then leave the actual modeling and accomplishment to the reader. I love this, because the situation of each church will be different and therefore implementation will be as well.

The book's tone is approachable and readable; this is not a technical manual by any means. Geiger, Kelley, and Nation make sure to "put the cookies" on the bottom shelf and simplify wherever possible. I loved the venn diagram that makes up the heart of the book's information. The fact that they kept coming back to that reinforced the message as simple and important, and that was helpful.

I am going to use this book to train our leaders.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for all who want to be disciples May 29, 2013

By SMiller

Format:Paperback

I've just finished Transformational Discipleship by Eric Geiger, Michael Kelley and Philip Nation. I had been looking forward to reading it since I heard about it, and it didn't disappoint. I would recommend it for pastors and leaders, as well as any Christian who is concerned with being a better disciple. That pretty much should be all Christians, right?

Anyway, the authors start out by introducing us to the concept of transformational discipleship. They point out that everyone is a disciple of something or someone, and that not all discipleship produces transformation. It might change things on the outside, but inward transformation requires being a disciple of Jesus. It isn't about knowledge, though that is important (and even part of the process of transformation), and it isn't about behavior modification, though our actions will change as we are transformed.

They have created an image they call the "transformational sweet spot", converging Truth, Posture and Leadership. You should read the book and find out more. How we discover and live in truth, grow with a proper understanding of who we are in Christ, and how we lead and are led are all things you'll find as you read through this book.

One of the areas I especially liked was when they reminded me of the importance of communicating that our discipleship is a result of our identity. Who we are in Christ is why we love God, love people and reach out to the world. While I certainly speak of this often, I don't know that I do it nearly often enough.

Another area I'll mention quickly has to do with the idea of creating leaders. As a pastor, I'm not proactive enough in creating leaders. Too often my temptation is to wait to see who reveals leadership tendencies, and help them become leaders.... I don't think this is good enough.

I will continue to process the book. There is a lot there, and it has left me challenged. As I prepare for leading the church I pastor into the future, there are a lot of these concepts I will be mulling over and applying to the way I lead. Read more ›