The Essential Commandment - (Essentials Set) by Greg Ogden (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Is it really possible to live out the Great Commandment?When an expert in the law asked Jesus what the greatest commandment is, Jesus gave a clear and simple answer: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."But what does the Great Commandment look like on the ground, in our day-to-day lives? And can we even come close to living it out?Jesus, Greg Ogden believes, has a simple answer to that too. He writes, "Jesus didn't follow [the Great Commandment] up by saying, 'I know I'm asking a lot, but do the best you can. I know you'll never fully approximate this high and lofty goal, but it's still worth striving for.' . . . Jesus thinks this is possible." And with Jesus, Ogden has found, it is possible--and essential.In this practical, in-depth handbook, Ogden draws from his years of pastoral experience training and discipling others to help us truly be changed by Christ into people who love God and love others with all that we are. Following the format of his bestselling Discipleship Essentials, each chapter includes:

• a core truth
• a memory verse
• an inductive Bible study
• a reading on one aspect of the Great Commandment

Thoughtful questions will also help you examine your heart and life and move you to open yourself to God's transforming work.Above all, Ogden helps you see that the Great Commandment is actually a great invitation to join God in bringing his kingdom to earth. And as you learn to do so, you'll find that the greatest commandment leads to the greatest life possible.

Review Quotes

"The Essential Commandment could be a great resource for the development of a church mission. I foresee immense usefulness in the encouragement of outreach to communities with which all churches are surrounded."

"In The Essential Commandment, Greg Ogden has once again taken the complex subject of Christian discipleship and made it truly understandable and personally applicable. After reading this book, you will wonder why more authors have not made the Great Commandment of Jesus their central focus. More importantly, you will be grateful that Ogden has, and that he's given you another essential tool for finding your way and helping others into the deeper life of Christ."

About the Author

Greg Ogden (D.Min., Fuller Theological Seminary) is executive pastor of discipleship at Christ Church of Oak Brook in Oak Brook, Illinois. Previously he was academic director of the doctor of ministry program and associate professor of lay equipping and discipleship at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Prior to that he was a pastor for twenty-three years with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He is the author of Discipleship Essentials and coauthor with Daniel Meyer of Leadership Essentials.