A Teachable Spirit - by A J Swoboda (Hardcover)

About the Book

Becoming a teachable person is a lost art in our cultural moment that the Christian has resources to cultivate. The main idea of the book is the power and importance of cultivating this virtue as part of the path of following Jesus.

Book Synopsis

Being a know-it-all isn't a fruit of the Spirit. But the ancient call of Jesus beckons us to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength" (Matt. 22:37). How do we love God with our mind? In A Teachable Spirit, A.J. Swoboda helps followers of Jesus develop the discipline of teachability.

In a world marked by distraction, mind-numbing entertainment, endless content, polarization, and a decreasing desire to humbly learn from those we dislike, the way we engage sources of information like news media, science, and social media content could not be more important. Thankfully, the Christian faith provides sharp tools and rich traditions for learning how to be the best learners. By drawing on his experiences as a professor, theologian, and lay pastor, Swoboda explores the potency of seeing learning as a part of one's spiritual formation to Jesus.

With the right posture, Christians can learn from even the most unexpected places.

Review Quotes

A Teachable Spirit is a profound and timely invitation to rediscover humility in a world saturated with arrogance and noise. A.J. Swoboda's insights are both challenging and liberating, reminding us that authentic discipleship begins with a heart willing to learn from anyone, anywhere. I was personally irritated, convicted, poked, prodded, and pressed into greater curiosity--and shy; a sure sign of a deep and rich book. I know it'll be helpful to you too.--Chuck DeGroat, PhD, professor of pastoral care and Christian spirituality, licensed professional counselor, and author of When Narcissism Comes to Church

Christians by definition are learners. We follow Jesus, our Teacher. How can we love God with our heart and soul and mind if we are unwilling to learn? In and lt;iand gt;A Teachable Spiritand lt;/iand gt;, A.J. Swoboda is our guide to guides. He encourages us to be lifelong learners and shows us that we have something we can learn from everyone.--Ian Harber, author of Walking Through Deconstruction, writer, and Christian media producer

In a world increasingly defined by echo chambers, A.J. Swoboda offers a timely and compelling call to cultivate a teachable spirit. Through captivating stories and profound wisdom, he inspires us to embrace humility and curiosity and to learn from everyone--friends, strangers, children, and even our enemies. This transformative book is essential for anyone seeking to follow Jesus faithfully in a polarized age.--Ken Shigematsu, pastor of Tenth Church, Vancouver, BC, and author of God in My Everything

In a world rife with entrenched beliefs and divisive echo chambers, A.J. Swoboda offers a profound perspective on the art of learning and what it means to be apprentices of Jesus, to be his 'TAs.' With captivating prose and poignant personal stories, he demonstrates how authentic Christian discipleship demands a radical humility--the willingness to learn from anyone, anywhere, anytime. From scholars and strangers to adversaries and ancient wisdom, Swoboda invites us to embrace the kind of intellectual curiosity that characterizes true followers of Jesus. This isn't just another book about learning; it's a call to cultivate the most vital (and often overlooked) virtue of our time--a truly teachable spirit. It's not just a book you'll read; it's one you'll live.--Leonard Sweet, author, professor, preacher, publisher, proprietor, and founder of SpiritVenture Ministries

In a you-do-you world paralyzed by relativism on the one hand and seduced by certainty on the other, the virtue of teachability is rare. Are we willing to admit that we have much to learn? A.J. Swoboda urges us to be willing to learn from experts, strangers, children, parents, the dead, enemies, and the wider culture. Our collective future depends on it.--Carmen Joy Imes, associate professor of Old Testament, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

In an age of content, we are quickly losing one of the great gifts of human experience--curiosity. To live well, we must learn well. Better yet, we must acquire and embrace the desire to learn--a living, breathing curiosity about God, ourselves, and our world. A.J. Swoboda offers a compelling call and an accessible path to living the life of a learner, not simply to know more, but to become more. As Swoboda concludes, 'The goal, then, for disciples of Jesus is not to get more information from the teacher. The goal is to become like him.' This book shows us how.--Jay Y. Kim, pastor and author of Analog Church and Listen, Listen, Speak

In A Teachable Spirit, A.J. Swoboda humbly demonstrates that 'to be teachable is to allow someone else to love you.' Having known him for a few years, I can say that his life embodies this message too. Though he is exponentially smarter than me, he consistently asks me more questions (seemingly genuinely curiously!) than I think to ask him. From his written and lived example, I've learned how to learn even from my ideological and theological 'enemies' in a manner that exudes both love of and loving allegiance to the person of Christ. The body of Christ needs this book.--Evan Wickham, lead pastor, Park Hill Church

Once again, A.J. Swoboda has given us a great gift toward becoming mature disciples of Jesus Christ. Being teachable is at the heart of discipleship, but it's often only an abstraction. Swoboda gives wise direction so we can learn from a wide range of people. I particularly appreciated his chapter on learning from enemies, a most challenging assignment. Do yourself a favor and invest in developing a teachable spirit.--Gerry Breshears, PhD, professor of theology, Western Seminary, Portland, Oregon

We live in a world of broken specializations. Social media curates our audience until it becomes people who say only what gets our attention; scientism listens only to scientists; sociologists want to know which studies prove which politicians or issues women voted for; theologians require others to express themselves in theological terms and do so with accuracy. Specialists look for other specialists. Don't we all encounter a critic on some social media and look to see who wrote it? Do they have the credentials to say that about me? A.J. Swoboda prophetically cuts into these broken specializations and heals the flow of learning to the capacity and humility to listen to everyone.--Scot McKnight, professor of New Testament and author of A Church Called Tov

When teachability and humility have gone out of fashion as a virtue for Christians or as a sign of serious scholarship, this is the book we need to call us back to who we are. Christians are called to be learners, not only first, but always. A teachable spirit is a spirit of a Christ follower. A.J. Swoboda invites us to return to the humility of being a learner not only of our heroes but also of our enemies in order to know how to think, and how to think well. In this transformative book, we are challenged to the posture of a true disciple--a learner.--Rev. Dr. Sarah Baldwin, vice president of Student Life, Asbury University, and author of Generation Awakened