Apprenticeship with Jesus: Learning to Live Like the Master

By Gary W. Moon

Book Overview

Ask a crowd of Christians whether they believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and all hands will go up. Ask the same crowd whether they live like Jesus, and most of those same hands will come down. Why is this? Why is it so hard to bridge the gap between belief and real life?Respected author, professor, and psychologist Gary W. Moon thinks it has to do with our hyper-intellectual but non-experiential method of living the Christian life. In this winsome book Moon provides a thirty-day apprenticeship with Jesus, whereby readers will actively practice being with Jesus day in and day out. Each day's reading uses compelling stories and scripture to illustrate a point and closes with a suggested apprenticeship activity.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080106841X
• ISBN13: 9780801068416
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Baker Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Moves from abstract to application

Dallas Willard teaches that in developing materials for transformation into Christlikeness, one should avoid abstractions. This author certainly saw the wisdom of that concept. "Apprenticeship with Jesus" does not suffer from abstraction; instead it weaves a foundation of theory within a concrete pathway into "real life" application. Each day's reading includes a Reflection and an Apprentice Activity. The reader who spends some time actually reflecting on the Reflection, and who puts into practice the "Apprentice Activity" cannot help but to be transformed by the experience - not just learning more about life with God, but actually living out such a life. I read the book and then ordered 7 more copies to use in a small group study, where we'll walk together through the teaching, the reflections and the activities. The book opens with the question, "Who would I be if Jesus were living through me?" The following thirty day journey goes a long way in helping one to find the answer to that question.

How does it look like today to be a disciple of Jesus?

The question asked in the title of this review is one I have been asking for many years. It is central to my life. This book does an excellent job of answering this question in a accessible and practical way.

Life Changing

This is the first review I think I've ever actually sat down to do. This book is so amazing, mostly because I can not wait to get to the next day. I have not completely finished it but let me tell you the introduction alone and God himself has revealed his love and purpose in such a way that I can not stop thinking of it day after day. I reread the two stories every day, drinking in the real Jesus the parents that made a nursery for thier beloved children, and well I'll let you read it for yourself. It's one of those books you want to buy a case of and give to everyone you know that has struggled with why my christian life looks no different than the worldly life. Thank you Mr.Moon for being you and for writing this awesome book. Sincerely Rachelle

A GREAT AND HUMOROUS DEVOTIONAL

Gary Moon is a hybrid of comedian and story teller. As reading the stories will leave you laughing out loud and gasping for air. I have done this for just about every story (especially the first one). And although I start with humor, I alway end in awe of the seriousness of Christian formation and the importance of becoming an apprentice of Jesus. This is becuase after the story there is a REFLECTION section and then APPRENTICE ACTIVITY. These sections are extremely helpful, especially the apprentice activity as it helps to stress the fact that becoming like Jesus is a daily process that occurs over time. In addition the appendix of the book have illustrations showing how to setup up outlook to remind you of devotional and prayer times. I found this extremely helpful and realistic, as many things are not done, simply because they are forgotten. Adding it to our schedule makes it more real and makes the apprentice activity, whether mediating,or memorizing scripture more consistent. So it is without reservation that I recommend this book. Knowing that this book will do your heart [ Prov 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.] good and your soul. For more in depth analysis of the issues covered in this book see his: Falling for God: Saying Yes to His Extravagant Proposal.