Few things send a shudder down a book reviewer’s spine more than reading a book penned by a friend. So when I began reading Jonathan Dodson’s Gospel Centered Discipleship, I was thrilled to see that his wisdom and experience as a theologian and as a church planter came through the pages.
I remember being taken aback by the theological depth of Dodson when we met in Austin several years ago. He was one of the first (though thank God, not the last) church planter I had met whose primary pursuit was biblical fidelity, rather than merely building a growing church. Reading his book left me with the same impression.
In Dodson, we see a pastor deliberately working through a biblical model of discipleship which requires, “not only ‘sharing our faith,’ but also sharing our lives – failures, successes, disobedience and obedience” (15). The entire second half of the book brings its focus to what Dodson terms, “Fight Clubs” – intentionally small, and deliberate discipleship groups that bring the focus of each member back to the gospel on a regular basis.
Any pastor seeking to establish a more intentional discipleship program should invest in his church by reading this book. Even if one does not put the entire practice into effect, Dodson’s book will provide much needed insight into another potential direction for making disciples.
I highly recommend this book.
I received this book free from the publisher through the Crossway book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
