Ordinary Discipleship
How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation
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- $20.99
Publisher Description
God wired your brain for transformation.
Jesus told his followers, “Go and make disciples of every nation,” but a lot of us stop before we start—because we feel like we don’t have what it takes. But Jesus didn’t ask spiritual superstars to make disciples. He invited ordinary people into the adventure of following Him.
Jessie Cruickshank learned how to be a disciplemaker in the wilderness. When she connected her training in outdoor adventure ministry with her Harvard degree in neuroeducation, God showed her a pathway for ordinary disciples of Jesus to experience profound spiritual growth.
• You can help someone choose to go somewhere they have never gone before and to be brave enough to choose to change.
• You can model a new way of living.
• And you can share your own hard-fought wisdom on the journey of faith.
Jessie Cruickshank will help you navigate the terrain, be inspired by the vast sky, and move toward the hope to which you are called. With Joseph Campbell’s iconic hero’s journey framework as a guide, you’ll discover how a spirit of adventure, brain science, and passionate faith can equip you for the greatest adventure of all.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Minister Cruickshank (coauthor, Activating 5Q) suggests ways for Christians to lead nonbelievers to Jesus in this mixed offering. Charting a path for Christians who wish to mentor disciples, the author argues that "God hardwired our brains for transformation," and so "anyone can help anyone else change." Cruickshank uses the "hero's journey" to model this evolution, explaining how ordinary Christians first need to "answer the call" to disciple another person—and acknowledges that while this can be an intimidating prospect, only Jesus can "decide that you are qualified" to lead. After accepting the call, it's important to connect with like-minded disciple-makers for support. Eventually, disciple-makers will reach the "struggle" at the heart of the quest, sometimes in the form of internal narcissism (making the discipleship about one's ego, as a way to "prove" their role in the church) or desire for power (focusing on having a "follower" rather than serving God). One must be vigilant in identifying these impulses and redirect themselves toward God's mission, she reminds. Despite an occasional lack of argumentative clarity, this entry provides useful motivation to believers, and delivers it in a tone that's earnest but not cloying. Christians aiming to deepen their faith practice should take a look.
