The Jesus Way: The Essential Christian Starter Kit

Peter Walker, Monarch Books

The Jesus Way may be a helpful book for evangelical and conservative Christians seeking to be more intentional in their discipleship. It systematically and quite thoroughly sets out an explanation of Christian faith and discipleship as a helpful guide for new Christians or those seeking to nurture those new to the Christian faith.

Whilst it does not contain much that is new (more a re-presenting of much that has been for the past thirty years or more) it works through discipleship methodically and comprehensively with many references to scripture.

This is possibly not something to hand a young person as it is essentially a Christian textbook and looks and reads as such. The Jesus Way is perhaps used best a resource for youth leaders who are looking for a knowledge base to inform learning elements as part of their youth programs or for clergy in their preparation of candidates for baptism and/or confirmation.

Is it essential? I’d say a starter, probably. I was underwhelmed by this book’s failure to deliver anything really new, and its dry and unappealing packaging. One of the book’s blurb writers states, “What the church today needs most are resources for Christian discipleship.” Whilst this is such a resource, I think it still leaves us with a “struggle to find materials that will help jump-start them [new Christians] in their journey”.

Jon Humphries