I have been thinking about disciples and disciple-making recently, and then this book fell into my lap (or, my mailbox): Neil Anderson’s Becoming a Disciple Making Church: A Proven Method for Growing Spiritually Mature Christians. I am having a hard time coming up with an overarching opinion about it, so I think I will just describe some of the things I loved and disliked.

Things I love about this book:

• Anderson writes from his experience, and he has plenty of it. Recently I’ve tired of reading books from authors in my generation, because we are missing the longitudinal view.
• Anderson points out that we as people all have things that we have to work through, and leaders are not exempt. He writes “We can’t impart to others what we don’t posses ourselves” (p.28). I have seen this to be true in my parenting. I can’t expect to teach my children patience if I am frequently yelling at them to hurry up. And leaders in the church can’t expect to lead others towards a transforming relationship with Christ if they themselves have not been changed. Being a leader is more than just being able to manage programs and preach a sermon.

Critique/Questions:

• Anderson could do with less talk about how his Steps to Freedom program has helped people. I’m sure it has helped people, but I almost felt as if he was trying to sell me something. And, really, God should get the credit, not some special formula that Anderson came up with.
• How would a trained counselor or therapist read this book? Is it a balanced perspective between psychology and theology?

What is going to stick with me:

• “Wounds that are not healed are transferred to others” (p. 47). So true.

*I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.