Discipling Nations (Book Review)

Book Critic: Joshua McQuirk

Introduction Discipling Nations: The Power of Truth to Transform Cultures is a highly recommended work. This is a classic, wholesome book on worldview, with the focus on the great commission and the development of nations. If one is interested or involved in Christian missions, then this book is a must read, especially if one may be surrounded by impoverished communities. With its step-by-step process and graphic explanations, this book is only a joy to read.

Summary of its contents The subtitle of this book gives a great summary of its contents – “The power of Truth to Transform Cultures.” As mentioned in the introduction, this book follows a step-by-step process, therefore, making it easy to read and understand. The book is divided into five parts: The Story, The King, His Kingdom, His Stewards, and The Task. This is preempted by a thorough introduction explaining Miller’s concepts, objective, and how all these parts fit together. Miller’s main idea is to make the reader aware of his or her preconceived assumptions when it comes to evangelism and the transformation of cultures. But he does not stop there, he then invites the reader to seek a biblical worldview, rather than their own cultural worldview, regarding The Great Commission (see Matt. 28:19-20). Critical Evaluation The organisation of the text was exquisite, simple, and easy to follow. The study guide at the end of each chapter (a list of thought-provoking questions) aids to the flow and understanding of the text. Miller does not try to prove a point in this book, therefore there is no argument within his text to be won, however, he does invite the reader to challenge his or her own thinking. Therefore, some might say that Miller is persuasive in his text. Either way, it is logically sound, easy to follow, and moreover, it is difficult to dispute the thoughts and concepts presented by Miller. The glossary makes this book easy for anyone to read, and if in fact it was too easy for you then you will find a section for further reading at the end of the book. Yet another aspect of the book is Miller’s beautiful graphics and diagrams aid the reader to truly understand, which at times may seem foreign. In addition to the above, this is an academic book which is a textbook for some universities (just to give one example: Regent University, Virginia, USA) which proves its worth as a true, trusted, and up-to-date book.

Miller has crafted this book with such thoughtfulness, that it is difficult to critique. The flow of Miller’s concepts is logical and smooth, the study guide (at the end of each chapter), glossary, and suggestions for further reading are all key aspects which make this book easy to use for an array of different people.

Conclusion

Discipling Nations: The Power of Truth to Transform Cultures is a modern classic. Miller has taken the old strategies for evangelism of many cultures and viewed them through different lenses. In this book, he has brought a biblical worldview to evangelism, the development of nations, and the art of transforming a culture, with special attention to impoverished communities. Overall, this is a well written and well compiled book. One might be pleasantly surprised by how great this book is. Time spent reading this book will be well spent.