“The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’ will become disciples – students, apprentices, practitioners – of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the Kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence.”
Dallas Willard, The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’ Essential Teachings on Discipleship (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 2006) xv.
“You lead people to become disciples of Jesus by ravishing them with a vision of life in the kingdom of the heavens in the fellowship of Jesus. And you do this by proclaiming, manifesting, and teaching the kingdom to them in the manner learned from Jesus himself. You thereby change the belief system that governs their lives.”
Dallas Willard, Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 305.
Today’s two-part meditation is honor of a brilliant scholar and beloved disciple of Jesus Christ who befriended and inspired me many years ago in a long conversation together in Long Beach, CA.
While I was seeking advice on teaching stewardship and generosity in the seminary setting, Willard paused, then expressed: “it may be one of the most important if not the most important topics you could teach.”
From there Dallas was generous with wisdom on making our churches and schools places where followers of Jesus are taught to handle possessions according to the Master’s instructions, by leaders who are living out the gospel.
Undoubtedly, Dallas Willard (September 4, 1936 – May 8, 2013) heard these words yesterday: “Well done, good and faithful steward. Enter into the joy of the Lord.”