
Dallas Willard was a widely respected American philosopher and Christian thinker, best known for his work on spiritual formation and his expertise in phenomenology, particularly the philosophy of Edmund Husserl. He taught philosophy at the University of Southern California from 1965 until his death in 2013, where he also served as department chair in the early 1980s. Willard held degrees in psychology, philosophy, and religion, earning his PhD in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a focus on the history of science. He was recognized as a leading translator and interpreter of Husserl's thought, making foundational texts available in English and contributing significantly to the fields of epistemology, philosophy of mind, and logic. Though a serious academic, Willard became even more widely known for his books on Christian living, including The Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart, both of which earned major awards and helped shape the modern spiritual formation movement. He believed that discipleship to Jesus was an intentional process involving not only belief but transformation through spiritual disciplines like prayer, study, solitude, and service. For Willard, spiritual growth was not about earning God’s favor but about participating in the divine life through active cooperation with grace. His teachings emphasized the concept of apprenticeship to Jesus—being with him, learning to be like him—and his influence extended to ministries such as Renovaré, the Apprentice Institute, and the Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation. He served on the boards of organizations like the C.S. Lewis Foundation and Biola University, and his intellectual and spiritual legacy continues through Dallas Willard Ministries and academic institutions inspired by his work. Willard was also a deeply personal writer who shared candidly about the challenges of balancing academic life with family. Despite his own admitted shortcomings, those closest to him regarded him as a man of deep love, humility, and grace. His enduring impact can be seen in the lives and works of many contemporary Christian thinkers and writers, including Richard J. Foster, James Bryan Smith, and John Mark Comer. As both philosopher and pastor to the mind, Dallas Willard remains a towering figure in the dialogue between rigorous thought and transformative Christian practice.
by Dallas Willard
Rating: 4.2 ⭐
The last command Jesus gave the church before he ascended to heaven was the Great Commission, the call for Christians to "make disciples of all the nations." But Christians have responded by making "Christians," not "disciples." This, according to brilliant scholar and renowned Christian thinker Dallas Willard, has been the church's Great Omission."The word disciple occurs 269
Renovation of the Heart (02) by Willard, Dallas - Frazee, Randy [Paperback (2005)]
by Dallas Willard
Rating: 4.0 ⭐
This book will help you reflect on the spiritual significance of each element of your human self--heart, mind, body, social life, and soul--so that God can transform you. Includes discussion questions.
How to Live as Jesus LivedDallas Willard, one of today's most brilliant Christian thinkers and author of The Divine Conspiracy (Christianity Today's 1999 Book of the Year), presents a way of living that enables ordinary men and women to enjoy the fruit of the Christian life. He reveals how the key to self-transformation resides in the practice of the spiritual disciplines,
"God spoke to me." "The Spirit spoke to my heart." "God revealed the idea to me." Being close to God means communicating with him--telling him what is on our hearts in prayer and hearing and understanding what he is saying to us. It is this second half of our conversation with God that is so important but that can also be so difficult. How do we hear his voice? How can we be sure that what we thin
by Dallas Willard
Rating: 4.0 ⭐
The Divine Conspiracy has revolutionized how we think about the true meaning of discipleship. In this classic, one of the most brilliant Christian thinkers of our times and author of the acclaimed The Spirit of Disciplines, Dallas Willard, skillfully weaves together biblical teaching, popular culture, science, scholarship, and spiritual practice, revealing what it means to "apprentice" ourselves t
At a time when popular atheism books are talking about the irrationality of believing in God, Willard makes a rigorous intellectual case for why it makes sense to believe in God and in Jesus, the Son.
by Dallas Willard
Rating: 4.4 ⭐
A "paradox" concerning divine guidance --Guidelines to guidance --Never alone --Our communicating cosmos --The still small voice and its rivals --The Word of God and the rule of God --Redemption through the Word of God --Knowing the voice of God --Guidance and beyond : a life more than guidance.
by Dallas Willard
Rating: 4.5 ⭐
Renowned teacher, writer of the acclaimed The Spirit of the Disciplines , and one of today's most brilliant Christian thinkers, Dallas Willard, now offers a new six-session small group Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately). This guide offers a timely and challenging call back to the true meaning of Christian discipleship. Gracefully weaving biblical teaching, popular culture, science, sc
Being close to God means communicating with him--telling him what is on our hearts in prayer and understanding what he is saying to us. The second half of this conversation is so important--and so difficult. How do we hear God? In these daily devotionals Dallas Willard helps us understand how we can know the voice of God and act on it. Each day you'll read Scripture on this topic and find suggesti
At a time when many people think that it is irrational to believe in God, renowned philosopher Dallas Willard challenges the idea that spiritual wisdom is somehow distinct from the realm of knowledge. PERSONAL RELIGION, PUBLIC REALITY? seeks to redress the balance, making a powerful case for the contribution that Christian knowledge can make in the global marketplace of ideas. Willard looks at the
Dallas Willard, the author of the bestselling spiritual classic, The Divine Conspiracy , now fulfills his revolutionary vision of how the kingdom of God is made real on earth in this sequel, the last book he was working on before his recent death. In The Divine Conspiracy , revered Christian philosopher and scholar Dallas Willard critiqued the church's obsession with "sin management" and revolutio
by Dallas Willard
Rating: 4.5 ⭐
Logos Bookstores' 2014 Best Book in Spirituality 2014 Readers' Choice Award Winner 2014 Leadership Journal Best Books for Church Leaders (The Leader's Inner Life) A Special Award of Merit, from Byron Borger, Hearts and Minds Bookstore In these pages Dallas Willard explores what it means to live well now in light of God's kingdom. He reflects on the power of the Trinity in our lives, the meaning of
A paper presented by Dallas Willard at the American Association of Christian Counselors conference in Nashville, TN, on September 15, 2007. Conference No Greater Love. Dr. Willard explains the importance of the Apostle Paul's teaching on "It is Paul who really helps us to understand the love of which Jesus and the New Testament speak. There is, needless to say, much confusion about love, and what
When called upon to explain their faith, Christians do not always feel equipped to do so—particularly when some of the most difficult questions arise. In The Allure of Gentleness, esteemed teacher and author Dallas Willard not only assures us of the truth and reasonableness of the Christian faith, but also explores why reason and logic are not enough: to explain Jesus's message, we must also be li
From Dallas Willard, one of the most important Christian intellectuals of the twentieth century, comes a collection of readings, interviews, talks, and articles—many previously unpublished.In his groundbreaking books The Divine Conspiracy, The Great Omission, Knowing Christ Today, Hearing God, The Spirit of the Disciplines, The Divine Conspiracy Continued, and The Allure of Gentleness,
Dallas Willard revolutionized how we think about the true meaning of discipleship. In this edited version of his popular talk on business, one of the most brilliant Christian thinkers of our times and author of the acclaimed "The Divine Conspiracy", Dallas skillfully weaves together biblical teaching, popular culture, business and spiritual practice to reveal how God can be a part of the work that
Based on an unfinished manuscript by the late philosopher Dallas Willard, this book makes the case that the 20th century saw a massive shift in Western beliefs and attitudes concerning the possibility of moral knowledge, such that knowledge of the moral life and of its conduct is no longer routinely available from the social institutions long thought to be responsible for it. In this sense, moral
by Dallas Willard
Rating: 4.3 ⭐
Called to Business illuminates business as a way of bringing creative value and goodness into the world. Willard uses “Business” in a generous and inclusive way that incorporates all the things each of us do to make a living and serve our community. Willard considered business to be a fundamental structure of love in our world. He believed God created it to promote loving communities and to bring
How can we hear and understand God's voice? For over thirty years, Dallas Willard's Hearing God has helped thousands of readers learn to develop a conversational relationship with God. Now Hearing God Bible Study guides you deeper into biblical texts and themes that are woven throughout Willard's beloved book. With these six easy-to-use studies, written by longti
by Dallas Willard
Rating: 5.0 ⭐
by Dallas Willard
Rating: 4.0 ⭐
There is a striking difference between the way that most churches operate today and the way Jesus the conducted his ministry when he was on earth. Most churches today spend their time and resources trying to get people to come into their doors and join their fellowship. But Jesus didn't concern himself with trying to get followers. One time, he even responded to such a request by saying, "Foxes ha
by Dallas Willard
Rating: 4.5 ⭐
What does it mean to truly live in the kingdom of God in our day-to-day lives? Discover the wisdom and wonder of the parables of Jesus as they unlock secrets of our faith and reveal the nature and availability of God's kingdom here on earth.The parables are some of Jesus's best-known teachings, but they are also some of the least understood. Even the disciples weren't always sure what