Dallas Willard

Renovation of the Heart explains the common misunderstandings about human nature and the discipleship process by outlining the general pattern of personal spiritual transformation––not as a formula, but as a systematic process. This bestseller by Dallas Willard explains that as intentional apprentices of Jesus, we are to move deeper into a relationship with God while becoming more like Jesus. In his unique, winning way, Dallas Willard will guide you in discovering your true identity while exploring spiritual growth in a new way. Includes discussion questions.

Putting on the Character of Christ

Renovation of the Heart

Reinier Terblanche

Renovation of the heart by Dallas Willard is a book about how people change. Willard argues that all people are being formed, regardless of whether they are aware of it. All people are undergoing some form of spiritual formation. For, all people are spiritual beings. Yet, this formational path can lead to a character shaped by the world or it can lead to a character shaped by the living God. Dallas argues for the latter, firmly believing that Christ's way is the way to abundant life.

Dallas begins by exploring and defining the different dimensions of the human being from both a psychological and biblical perspective. These dimensions are: the heart, the soul, the mind (thoughts and feelings), the body, and the social context. After establishing the make-up of human personhood he looks at the frightening reality that the soul has both the capacity for radical good and radical evil. 

In chapter three Dallas unpacks the ruining of the soul and its potential for evil. In chapter four Dallas discusses the potential goodness of the soul that can be restored to it by God alone. In chapter five he points to the means by which restoration can be achieved, the reliable pattern of transformation through the spiritual disciplines.

This leads to the next section of the book which goes into more detail about how each dimension of the human person can be transformed. He begins with the mind, then moves to the will (heart), then to the body, after that he looks into the social dimension, and finally at the deepest part of the human being, the soul. 

He argues that a heart directed by the will of God will lead to a soul that is submitted and energised under God's power. Such a soul will lead the mind to think and feel in patterns that exalts, worships, and obeys God. A mind, set on God, then leads to a body and a social context that is in harmony with the truth of who God is and of his purposes for humanity.

In the final two chapters, Dallas Willard points to the grand vision of "world revolution" as expressed in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and discusses how this beautiful vision can be lived out, in reality, within the local congregations of Christ's disciples that we call churches.

The entire book is saturated with Scripture and Willard never ceases to point the reader to the true treasure, Christ himself. For this reason, I regard this book as an excellent and trustworthy aid to any Christian who takes their apprenticeship to Jesus seriously.

In a post-Christian society, the Christians who keep attending church have a certain resilience about them because there is no longer an immediate social reward for going to church. Therefore, I think this is an opportune time for Christian leaders to admonish their congregants to take up the yoke of Christ (Matthew 11:28-30), and to actually begin taking their apprenticeship/discipleship to Jesus seriously. 

I highly recommend “Renovation of the Heart” to every serious Christian.

Todd Luallen

Dallas is an intellectual writer, and his books have a certain quality to them that tends to appeal to the analytical side of the brain. I often find myself saying something to the effect of "I never thought about it that way." But because of this analytical aspect, I think his books are best taken in small sections rather than big blocks. In addition, when he reads his own books, the pace is slow and his voice is sleep inducing (I listened to this book at 1.25x speed to make it sound normal). Having said all that, I highly recommend this book. Renovation of the Heart is a master treatise on the condition of man, the hope that can be found in Jesus, and the call to discipleship for all those in the Church.

Renovation of the Heart Putting on the Character of Christ

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