Book Review Disciple Getting Your Identity From Jesus

Book Review Disciple Getting Your Identity From Jesus

Every year produces more and more discipleship books geared to help believers understand what they are supposed to do. Many of these books have good intentions and are generally helpful in so far as they help explain how ministry leaders should help people become better disciples. Some books even detail what a disciple looks like. Very few books combine what a disciple is and how a disciple should live for Jesus on a daily basis. Disciple Getting Your Identity From Jesus is written by veteran Pastor Bill Clem Pastor of Mars Hill Ballard in Seattle is a book that balances the what with the how of discipleship.

In eleven chapters spanning 219 pages, Pastor Clem takes his readers on a journey from the story of God to multiplying disciples to the glory of God. Along the way, Bill helps his readers understand not only what the Scriptures teaches about discipleship, but how believers get these issues related to being a disciple wrong. The four most helpful chapters in this book are where Bill takes his extensive experience ministering the Gospel and helps believers understand the various distortions (identity, worship, community and mission) that hinder their growth as disciples of Jesus.

Disciple Getting Your Identity from Jesus is a very helpful book on discipleship not only for ministry leaders, but for every disciple of Jesus. Disciple will help believers understand that Jesus invites His disciples to freedom rather than mere rule keeping, and give them a relationship framework rather than just behavioral prescriptions for pursing God. For those who follow Mars Hill, Acts 29 and the Resurgence Identity is must read to understand the discipleship framework of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington. Disciple by Bill Clem is a book I recommend you pick up and read carefully not just to figure out how to better serve others, but to learn how Jesus calls you to be His disciple—one who picks up the Cross and bears the marks of the Cross in all of life to the glory of God.

Title: Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus (Re:Lit)

Author: Bill Clem

Publisher: Crossway 2011

Dave Jenkins

Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.