The Weekend and Dallas Willard

The wedding was one of those story-book weddings........at least in my eyes. Everything was just perfect! It doesn't get much better than Saturday night. I was surrounded by family (except for my dad who couldn't make the trip because of health issues) and friends in a beautiful church watching my son marry a lovely, sweet, Christian young woman.........with my favorite preacher doing the ceremony! The whole evening was just one big blessing. Thanks to all of you who were able to attend, and thanks to all the rest of you who were there in spirit. A special thanks to Steve and Kathy Stevens for making that evening possible! Luke will be blessed to have such special in-laws. And me............I GET A NEW DAUGHTER!!! YEA! :) I will go from having no daughters to having TWO within a month! Am I the luckiest guy in the world or what? Yeah, I get to do this whole thing over again in about 3 weeks! :) So, when you see me walking amongst the tree tops, just let me stay there.

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At present, I am reading Dallas Willard's "The Great Omission". Willard's constant theme in most of his books is discipleship. I consider him to be this generation's Dietrich Bonhoffer. Here is an excerpt:


"The overshadowing event of the past two centuries of Christian life has been the struggle between orthodoxy and modernism. In this struggle the primary issue has, as a matter of fact, NOT been discipleship to Christ as a transformation of soul that expresses itself in pervasive, routine obedience to his 'all that I have commanded you.' Instead, both sides of the controversy have focused almost entirely upon what is to be explicitly asserted or rejected as essential Christian doctrine. In the process of battles over views of Christ the Savior, CHRIST THE TEACHER WAS LOST ON ALL SIDES. Discipleship as an essential issue disappeared from the churches, and with it there also disappeared realistic plans and programs for the transformation of the inmost self into Christ-likeness. One could now be a Christian forever without actually changing in heart and life. Right PROFESSION, positive or negative, was all that was required. This has now produced generations of professing Christians who, as a whole, do not differ in character, but only in ritual, from their nonprofessing neighbors; in addition, a massive population has now arisen in America who believe in God, even self-identify as spiritual, but will have nothing to do with churches......often as a matter of pride. What has in other days been called 'NOMINAL' Christianity now has become 'NORMAL' Christianity, even among those whose tradition had prided itself in not being just nominal Christians. We are seeing that the church betrays itself and its world if it fails to make clear and accessible the path of thoroughgoing inner transformation through Christ."