I love reading Dallas Willard'sbooks. Any of the Christian books that he writes. There are a lot of reasons why, but I think that one of the biggest ones is that he uses everyday language to explain what exactly certain "Christian terms" mean. And I really mean "normal/everyday" language.
Terms like "the Kingdom of God", "the grace of God", "in the name of Jesus", "grow in the grace of God", being filled with the Spirit", "focussing on the things that are invisible, and not visible", "spiritual power" etc are Biblical, but the problem is, if the only way to define them is with other words and terms that are only in the Bible, we just have certain understandings of Christian terms within the "world of the Bible" and have trouble talking about what it means to be Christ-like while watching a baseball game, lining up for a coffee, or going to class (that is, of course, without recycling Christian vocabulary in circular definitions that never have any definitions outside of the Bible).
Dallas Willard is very serious about explaining all these "Christian terms" with precise everyday language. The result is that the way a Christian talks about weather, sports, politics is as natural with the everyday "normal" vocabulary that one talks with one's secular friends.
I think that the words that we use come from certain contexts, one can even say they come from "mini-worlds". I think if everytime we talk with our friends about Christian topics but use words only from the "mini-world" of theological vocabulary from Bible or Bible-related terminology (that has definitions only within the self-referencing circle of other "Christian terms"), but switch to a completely different "mini-world" of vocabulary with its own references, the result is a fragmanted life. If I have to use a certain set of vocabulary when talking about God in specifically "holy settings" while switching to a completely different set of vocabulary in a "non-holy settings", no matter why I would find it so difficult to "bridge" the two worlds, something that most of us Christians agree we should be doing, yet don't do.
When I raed Dallas or listen to his talks, it seems like the vocabulary that he's using to describe the substance/content of the Bible is the same set of words I'd hear John Madden use to commentate on Football, the same set of words Peter Mansbridge would use to describe the evening news, and the same set of words my psychology professor would use to describe psychology 101 material. The result is that Dallas has helped me to bridge the world of the Bible and the modern world that I live in. Since he has taught me to use the same set of vocab (both when I talk to others as well as talk to myself in my mind), I see one world, and it is easier to keep God on my mind, practise his presence, view the world as Christ views it, and use a Christian worldview to interpret normal everyday situations withotu forcing associations with things unnaturally without any contextualization.
I get so refreshed each time i read and/or re-read his writings.
On a related note, I think that I am learning about the importance of getting socially refreshed as a means towards maintaining and even building up my passion for God and His Kingdom. If I do not interact with other very passionate/on-fire Christians for God at least once every couple days, I can see my passion slowly starting to fade. I think God made it that way, so that we need to depend on each other to a certain extent to remain passionate and on fire for Him and His Kingdom, and that we can't do it ourselves.
I acces this "spiritual social refreshment" namely in two ways:
1)Being in the physical presence of other passionate Christians. Just listening to them share passionately about God and His Kingdom rubs passion off on me. The cool thing too, is that when I get an opportunity to express my passion about Kingdom related things that I'm passionate about to other passionate friends, the passion just gets reinforced inside me as well.
2)When I read books from authors (dead or alive) who was/are passionate about God and His Kingdom. These books, I am discovering more and more, having such a profound impact on me it is insane. Just reading the right books (I am starting to appreciate dead authors more and more) is like a dose of spiritual adrenaline to keep me going, running hard, and storming in the front lines for God.
The power of social influence. I'm glad that God designed it this way.
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