Chapter 5

 

Suggestions for Further Reading:

 

Mere Discipleship (2003) by Lee C. Camp
Camp’s book is a heartfelt reminder of how radical the calling to follow Jesus and live by the Spirit can be, especially amidst the affluence and narcissism of contemporary western culture.

 

Celebration of Discipline (1978) by Richard J. Foster
When it was published, this book helped spark the resurgence of interest in spirituality that is still growing today. A wonderful introduction to the personal and corporate disciplines of the Christian life.

 

Streams of Living Water (1998) by Richard J. Foster
This winsome book outlines six different but complementary traditions of Christian faith and practice (contemplative, holiness, charismatic, social justice, evangelical, and incarnational) that continue to guide Christians toward spiritual maturity today.

 

The Upside-Down Kingdom (2003) by Donald B. Kraybill
This 25th year anniversary edition of Kraybill’s call to radical Christian discipleship still makes for good reading. It is an Anabaptist vision of Christian faith presented in terms all Christians will find instructive.

 

The Moral Imagination (2005) by John Paul Lederach
One of the leading ethicists of the Mennonite world analyzes the art and soul of peacemaking. This book combines realism with hope seeking to make our work for peace and justice more effective and compassionate at the same time.

 

Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace (1999) by Kent Nerburn
Nerburn’s reflections on the famous prayer of St. Francis encourage readers to embody the Christian virtues of peace, patience, humility, and compassion in their lives today.

 

Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit (1996) by Clark H. Pinnock
This is one of the best and most complete theological discussions of the person and work of the Holy Spirit in print.

 

What God Wants for Your Life (2005) by Frederick W. Schmidt
Writing largely to a mainline Protestant audience, Schmidt describes the many factors that need to be taken into account as we seek to discern God’s leading in our lives.

 

Poverty and Joy (1999) by William J. Short
This book explains the history of the Franciscan tradition from St. Francis himself up to the present.

 

The Will of God as a Way of Life (2004) by Jerry Sittser
This is a wonderfully readable exposition of how God guides us through life via our own decisions as we seek to be faithful followers of God in the present.

The Cost of Discipleship (1949) by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
This is the most well known of Bonhoeffer’s published works. In it he discusses the nature of Christian discipleship based largely on the Sermon on the Mount.