Too often, Christ followers are content to live inside the church walls with other Christians. Jesus calls us to shatter our comfort zones and dangerously share the love we have found in him with people whose lives are characterized by brokenness, self-sufficiency, emotional poverty, and rejection. Discipleship is the process of intentionally and thoughtfully introducing the grace of Jesus to these people so that their hearts will bulge with love, their souls will brim with life, and their faces will brighten with light as they come to intimately know him. How is this accomplished? In these pages, unbelievers who became disciples of Christ reveal what factors influenced them to follow Jesus. The research revealed that discipling is an intentional process that is most effective when our lives reflect the character of Jesus. The author explains discipleship as a relational process that can be understood and effectively accomplished by virtually any follower of Jesus.
Shawn Anderson (EdD Pepperdine University) grew up in North Pole, Alaska. He is a husband, father, consultant, and minister. He resides in Dundee, Oregon. Contact the author at Docshawn.com.
"With the support of good research methodology, vivid illustrations from his life on the Alaskan frontier, and anecdotal examples from his own discipling ministry, Shawn Anderson carefully lays out solid, practical biblical principles for leading others to Christ . . . Rather than offer neat, pre-packaged techniques for successful discipling, Shawn instead delves deep into how God shapes the heart and spirit of the authentic discipler."
--Ken R. Durham
Batsell Barrett Baxter Chair of Preaching
Lipscomb University
"In our time, when tolerance and diversity are public watchwords and the very concept of evangelism is viewed as an act of aggressive coercion, Shawn Anderson helps us understand the process of conversion and how we believers can faithfully, with integrity, speak to others of the grace and truth of Jesus Christ . . . I recommend Living Dangerously as a must read book by anyone whose heart beats with God's heart to see every person receive God's gracious gift of life. This is a book I've been waiting for a long time."
--Stan Granberg
Executive Director
Kairos Church Planting
"Armed with loads of his own research and statistical analysis, Living Dangerously paints a current picture of how people tend to come to faith in America. It also gives the ordinary, discouraged Christian considerable hope and help in how to live more like Jesus and be part of his dangerous call to go and make disciples."
--Randy Siever
Executive Director
Doable Evangelism
Living Dangerously is a thought-provoking book that explores the nature of true discipleship, Discipleship is the process of drawing close to Jesus, and then leading others to do the same. But it is done, not with salesmanship or manipulative techniques, but by genuinely demonstrating certain influential characteristics. Traits like love, faithfulness, authenticity enable a Christian to positively influence others. The whole process is "dangerous," in that it involves a person's transparency, vulnerability, and intention. In this entertaining and instructive manual, Dr. Shawn Anderson refers to his clear and personal research, his knowledge of scripture, and his own lifetime experiences growing up as a youth in Alaska. It is more practical than theoretical. It will serve as a virtual manual to Christians who are serious enough about their own faith to want to share it with others.
Dr. Silas Shotwell
National Church Growth Research Center