Dallas Willard

A word about a man who changed my life--and recommendations

I came across Dallas Willard in 2009. Gary Haugen, the founder and CEO of International Justice Mission, had sent The Divine Conspiracy with a handwritten note to my office when I was working at The White House. The book stayed on the shelf for months, but I’d eye it every now and then.

After about a few months, I read a blog post from Jerry Gillis, my pastor from back home in Buffalo, where he recommended Willard. I rushed into the office the next morning and grabbed the book off the shelf. And that book undeniably changed the trajectory of my life.

I can perhaps go into greater depth about that change at some other point—the purpose of this post is to recommend some of my favorite Willard and Willardian works—but the crux of it is that after becoming a Christian when I was a teenager, I had been frustrated with the lack of clarity I could find from Christian teachers and resources about what it actually meant to follow Jesus. It was Willard who helped me understand the reality of God’s kingdom, and the fact that we have been called into it. That recognition sent me on a journey that I am still on, and I continue to benefit from Willard’s work as I go on my way.

I am often asked what I recommend for those who have not read much or any of Willard’s work, and today, on the seventh anniversary of Willard’s passing, seemed like a good day to share some ideas.

Books

1. The Divine Conspiracy

This book really lays out Willard’s full vision of life with God. It includes personally enriching insights, but also, and this is sometimes missed, a powerful vision for the public implications of the Christian faith.

2. Living in Christ’s Presence

I highly recommend the audiobook, in particular. The book is based on a conference that was convened just a couple years, I believe, before Willard passed. It is the #1 resource I give as a gift for pastors and leaders in my life. No other single resource has informed so many major, personal decisions Melissa and I have made in our marriage and life together.

3. Spirit of the Disciplines

This is Melissa’s favorite, and it is a good book to read, in my view, after The Divine Conspiracy. This book does not offer a program or a new burden, but rather some tools that might help you to “put off your old self” as Paul writes in Ephesians.

4. Renovation of the Heart

Renovation of the Heart provides a vision for personal transformation, and will help you think through just who you want to become, and who God is calling you to be.

5. Becoming Dallas Willard by Gary Moon

My friend, and Dallas’ friend, Gary Moon, wrote a wonderful biography of Willard. I just finished it this year, and really enjoyed it.

Devotional and Other Resources

1. Bible Gateway’s Dallas Willard Devotional

The only daily devotional I receive in my inbox that I use regularly.

2. Hearing God Through the Year A Daily Devotional by Dallas Willard and edited by Jan Johnson

This is a devotional book offering 365 truly helpful devotionals pulling from Dallas’ writing. I’ve had trouble with scripture memorization, but this book has been one of the resources that I’ve been able to use to make some headway.

3. Conversatio Divina: A Center for Spiritual Learning

This relatively new digital platform provides all kinds of resources—essays, devotionals, videos, curricula, etc.—drawing from Dallas Willard’s work, but also from other leading Christian thinkers and Church Father’s. I’m only just starting to unpack all this site has to offer, but it’s already been really helpful for me and our family.

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I hope this might be of some help to you. I wasn’t planning to send something like this, but felt moved to do so when reminded that today is the seventh anniversary of Willard’s passing.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

-Michael