The Divine Conspiracy Continued

Fulfilling God's Kingdom on Earth

By: Dallas Willard, Gary Black

Narrated by: Alan Winter

Dallas Willard's bestselling book The Divine Conspiracy revolutionized how we understand Christian discipleship. Jesus is not a remote savior, waiting for us in heaven after we die, Willard taught, but a leader and teacher to whom we apprentice ourselves to fulfill what Jesus had in mind when he declared that the "kingdom of God has come." In The Divine Conspiracy Continued, Willard and theologian Gary Black Jr. lay out the next stage in God's plan as this generation's disciples enter into positions of leadership and transform the world from the inside out. Christians are not called to protect themselves from the world but to step into the world to lead and serve, and in doing so, bring the kingdom of God to earth.

Makes you think, but sometimes too much at a time

The narrator did a good job, sometimes more inflection would have changed up the pace and been enjoyed.

The overall project is important and helpful. How does the kingdom of God affect all of life, especially public life? The authors do a good job of bringing up how it could and problems in public life, but as my title says, sometimes it’s too many questions and problems without enough examples making long listens a chore. Nonetheless!!! This has been one of the most thought provoking books I’ve read with regards to my trade (electrical), political opinions, and volunteerism. Also helped me in engaging my teenage son on future plans. So I would recommend, but it’s no light read!

Wow.

This is the book for leaders and lay people who want to impact the world.

Practical Follow Up to The Divine Conspiracy

Thoughtfully written for professionals who want to translate their discipleship into the real world in which they live.

Evangelical Christianity made the OTHER choice!

“Christian educators can work to alleviate the harsh, shame-based judgmentalism that marks so much moral teaching and replace it with teachings that give life, hope, and grace. Christian educators can give their full, critical, and honest effort to comparing, measuring, and discerning which traditions and teachings are most life-giving.”
― Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy Continued: Fulfilling God's Kingdom on Earth

I think there was a lot of potential in this book, but also several glaring weaknesses. I like it when people (religious or otherwise) are thinking about big, transformative, ideas. Dallas Willard, along with Gary Black, Jr., explores how leaders and professionals both within the Christian Church and in the professions (law, medicine, etc) can carry the positive message of Christianity forward.

It is a very optimistic book and seems to have invested its whole pile betting on evangelicalism RIGHT as the US evangelical movement doubled down on Donald Trump. I'm not an evangelical and wouldn't even be considered a Christian by many evangelicals. But I love the teachings of Jesus and see a lot of potential in Christianity. However, I think there is something desperately wrong in US Christianity (or at least how it is messaging). Troubling and wrong. The results can be seen as the youth run for the door. Before the Church (or its leaders) can worry about transforming economics, medicine, law, and business... it needs to get its house in order. Moral leadership is not something most Americans would equate right now with the evangelical movement. That is unfortunate. Willard and Black argue correctly that an educated ministry would help. I'm just afraid that a book like this and a thinker like Willard (who taught philosophy at USC) is a bit too little a lot too late.

The book was Willard's last work, and he died before it was finished. Gary Black, one of Dallas Willard's acolytes finished the book and completed the work. Having not read much of Black or Willard, it is hard to know whose voice is whose. I find it interesting to gather tidbits from many faith traditions to see where they are as a movement. I've heard good things about Willard. This might not have been the best one to start with since it is more of an unfinished, or hybrid work than his others.

Recommended

It is so different from the Divine Conspiracy that I wondered if it should have a different title. It is still highly worthwhile though, and does have some key logical connections with its parent book. I would recommend reading the Divine Conspiracy twice before tackling this one.