The Jesus Climb: Journeying from Student to Disciple. This item is unavailable.The Jesus Climb: Journeying from Student to Disciple

"Despite this seemingly insurmountable obstacle, the day came when Jesus' first followers-flawed and broken people very much like you and me-reached the spiritual summit of other-centered love. By focusing upon Jesus' teaching on what it meant to be his disciple-a word used over 260 times in the New Testament-rather than the word Christian-a word used only three times, it is possible to discern how Jesus accomplished this miracle. Using an acclimatization strategy not unlike Mallory, Jesus' set up a base camp in the relatively thick spiritual air of his followers' first spiritual steps. Then by his teaching and example, guided his followers along a series of expedition camps leading toward the summit long two interrelated yet distinct pathways. First, the Ascent of a higher and higher commitment to loving God and neighbor with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength via the camps of Desire, Instruction, Surrender, and Community. Second, the Descent into a deeper and deeper experience of God's intimate, transforming, through other-centered love, through the expedition camps of Intimacy, Prayer, Love, and Endurance"--

Gary David Stratton is a leading expert in the spiritual formation of students in educational settings. A Senior Fellow for the Association of Biblical Higher Education, Gary cofounded the Future of Hope youth theology institute and the award-winning website TwoHandedWarriors.com. Gary and his wife, Dr. Sue Stratton, have served as church planters, youth pastors, campus ministers, and professors at twelve schools in the United States and China. Gary is currently Professor of Spiritual Formation and Cultural Leadership and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Johnson University.