Invitation to the Jesus Life: Experiments in Christlikeness
Overview
What would it be like to walk with Jesus on a daily basis and know him personally? Jan Johnson offers 17 characteristics of Jesus that help you experience transformation in a fresh way. Each chapter takes a deeper look at particular, underrated qualities in Jesus and offers a menu of spiritual disciplines to embrace these qualities. By knowing him better, you become more like him.
The Logos Bible Software edition of this volume is designed to encourage and stimulate your study and understanding of spiritual disciplines. Scripture passages link directly to your English translations and to the original language texts, and important concepts link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. In addition, you can perform powerful searches by topic and find what other authors, scholars, and theologians have to say about faith, meditation, and Christlikeness.
- Discusses qualities of Christ and how to emulate him
- Features questions and group study suggestions
- Includes a spiritual disciplines glossary and index
- Soul School: Will I Ever Change?
- Part 1: Jesus, the Relater-Style Savior
- God with Us
- Attentive Listener
- Authenticity: True Goodness and True Realness
- Welcoming the Stranger
- Part 2: Jesus, the Proactive Lover
- Compassion That Flows
- Tough but Tender
- Speaking the Truth in Love
- Cheerfully Going the Extra Mile
- Part 3: Jesus, the Confident, Purposeful Savior
- Purposeful Intentionality
- No Fear
- Exceptional Teacher
- Part 4: Jesus, the Selfless, Hidden Savior
- Hidden Servant
- Dying to Self
- Slow to Speak
- Engaging Artist
- Transcendent Glory
- Epilogue: “Draw Me, We Will Run After Thee”
Top Highlights
“For example, as some people read the Bible every day, they become eager to check off that task to get it done or because they hope it will help them have a better day. Such motives cause them to read the Bible primarily to finish the task. But if their goal in reading is to connect with God, they won’t focus on getting to the bottom of the page. They take time to pause in the middle because they sense God speaking to them. As they linger over the text—maybe even every day for a week—they find themselves doing the good things mentioned in the passage without even realizing it. Because they are abiding, they bear fruit and obey. The more they bear fruit and obey, the more they want to abide.” (Page 24)
“Motives matter. It’s easy to do spiritual practices for the wrong reasons, especially to be a better Christian or to be holy. The goal of doing a spiritual discipline is to help you connect with God—abide in Christ, live in terms of the Spirit. This union with God then transforms you into Christlikeness. Doing these disciplines equips you to love God and love your neighbor (the Great Commandment). As you ‘train yourself to be godly,’ you ‘share in the life of Christ’21 (1 Timothy 4:7).” (Page 24)
“This book does not focus on helping you to change your behaviors or to practice spiritual disciplines, but it places Jesus in the center of your vision and lets Jesus lead you into this eternal kind of life. In each chapter of this book, I present a characteristic of Jesus that we often overlook or take for granted, yet when we examine Jesus this way we are astonished and drawn to him.” (Page 23)
Jan Johnson, with the tender touch of a soul companion, leads us into ‘soul school,’ where we can become the kind of persons who actually live the Jesus life. I will read and reread this book and give it freely to my friends.
—Howard Baker, instructor of Christian formation, Denver Seminary
Invitation to the Jesus Life engaged my emotions, my intellect, and my belief system. I can no longer call myself a Christ follower without becoming more like him. Get ready for an exceptional challenge to step out of your comfortable life and into the toughest, most rewarding inner change you’ve ever experienced.
—Carol Kent, author and speaker
Jan Johnson’s Invitation to the Jesus Life is a much-needed response to Dallas Willard’s startling charge in The Divine Conspiracy that a curriculum of Christlikeness does not exist. It is a carefully crafted ‘soul school’ for all who are weary with the wrong question—WWJD?—and long to learn how to love as many moments of their lives as possible with him as students of kingdom living.
—Gary W. Moon, director, Martin Family Institute and Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation, Westmont College
With simplicity and depth of insight, Jan Johnson carves a path of walking with Jesus that feels like a cool glass of water among trivial alternatives. Invitation to the Jesus Life is a welcomed guide to following Jesus that is biblical, practical, and most of all possible.
—Keith J. Matthews, professor of spiritual formation and contemporary culture, School of Theology, Azusa Pacific University
- Title: Invitation to the Jesus Life: Experiments in Christlikeness
- Author: Jan Johnson
- Publisher: NavPress
- Publication Date: 2008
- Pages: 255