What do you think?
Rate this book
How People Change
What does it take for lasting change to take root in your life? If you've ever tried, failed, and wondered why, you need How People Change. This book explains the biblical pattern for spiritual change in a clear, practical way you can apply to the challenges of daily life as a Christian. But change involves more than a biblical formula: you will see how God is at work to make you the person you were created to be. That powerful, loving, redemptive relationship is at the heart of all positive change you experience as a Christian on your path in life.
255 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
About the author
Timothy S. Lane
32 books35 followersTimothy S. Lane, M. Div., D. Min.
Born in Sylvania, Georgia, Tim enjoyed a good relationship with his parents in his formative years, but he did not become involved in church until his later teens. Just before his senior year in high school, Tim became aware of his sin and his need for Jesus. God used simple salvation sermons at a local church, as well as a group of friends, to bring him to Christ at the age of seventeen.
In 1984, Tim graduated with a degree in English and Philosophy from the University of Georgia. Before going to seminary in 1987, Tim served 3 years as a staff person at an evangelical ministry where he met Barbara, whom he later married in 1989. In 1991, Tim graduated from Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia.
In 1991, Tim and Barbara also moved to South Carolina where Tim served as assistant pastor and then pastor at Clemson Presbyterian Church until 2001. It was during these 10 years that Tim truly began to understand and apply the gospel to his life and ministry. He learned that the blessings and difficulties of marriage, family and ministry were just the things God used to draw him into a deeper relationship with Him. He also learned how to apply God’s truth to everyday life and ministry, pointing others to Christ and his gospel of grace.
Tim, Barbara and their four children moved to Philadelphia in 2001 where they both serve at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation. Tim is a counselor and faculty member at CCEF and a lecturer in practical theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. He is also a speaker, the author of CONFLICT and the co-author of HOW PEOPLE CHANGE and RELATIONSHIPS: A Mess Worth Making.
- http://www.bookreporter.com/authors/t...
Born in Sylvania, Georgia, Tim enjoyed a good relationship with his parents in his formative years, but he did not become involved in church until his later teens. Just before his senior year in high school, Tim became aware of his sin and his need for Jesus. God used simple salvation sermons at a local church, as well as a group of friends, to bring him to Christ at the age of seventeen.
In 1984, Tim graduated with a degree in English and Philosophy from the University of Georgia. Before going to seminary in 1987, Tim served 3 years as a staff person at an evangelical ministry where he met Barbara, whom he later married in 1989. In 1991, Tim graduated from Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia.
In 1991, Tim and Barbara also moved to South Carolina where Tim served as assistant pastor and then pastor at Clemson Presbyterian Church until 2001. It was during these 10 years that Tim truly began to understand and apply the gospel to his life and ministry. He learned that the blessings and difficulties of marriage, family and ministry were just the things God used to draw him into a deeper relationship with Him. He also learned how to apply God’s truth to everyday life and ministry, pointing others to Christ and his gospel of grace.
Tim, Barbara and their four children moved to Philadelphia in 2001 where they both serve at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation. Tim is a counselor and faculty member at CCEF and a lecturer in practical theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. He is also a speaker, the author of CONFLICT and the co-author of HOW PEOPLE CHANGE and RELATIONSHIPS: A Mess Worth Making.
- http://www.bookreporter.com/authors/t...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews
February 6, 2011
It's the unspoken elephant in the room: why aren't professing Christians, by and large, any different than non-Christians? We often struggle and fail at the same sins, have the same divorce rates, and generally don't stand out as being more kind or loving than devoted moral adherants of other religions--- despite our theology that we have been "born again." Ask many, including pastors, the question, and the reply often comes down to some variant of "they aren't trying hard enough" or "they aren't really saved after all."
But the question behind the question is "So, how do people really change--- how does a person who has become a child of God actually become radically more loving, more peaceful, more self-controlled, in a way that isn't mere psychology and that can't be explained or experienced by a non-Christian?"
Few people can give a robust, Biblical, detailed explanation to this fundamental question. Timothy Lane & Paul Tripp can, and do, in this wonderful book. They give us a truly Biblical & congruent theology of how people change, and show us a path to meaningful personal change in our own lives.
The first five chapters lay a foundation for what real Biblical life change is and isn't-- they talk about how easy it is to substitute external change like formalism and activism for true change of the heart. They lay out the crucial understanding of our marriage to Christ, and how God designed real change to take place in the context of community. There is a lot of rich thought provoking truth on every page of these foundation chapters.
Next, they move onto their central Biblical picture of how God has designed change: that of the tree. They explain chapter by chapter that the "heat" of living in a fallen world brings out fallen human responses of sin and evil "thorns." But as we turn to the cross of Christ and His presence we gain the ability to bear beautiful fruit, new supernatural responses to the same "heat" that before would only produce thorns.
True "fruit" only comes from the nourishment that God provides, and we need to be able to recognize the thorns and the fallen nature behind them to be able to choose Christ instead. This book is a wonderful Biblical mirror to hold in front of your soul, to be able to see yourself, the good and the bad, and see the work of God within. Highly recommended.
But the question behind the question is "So, how do people really change--- how does a person who has become a child of God actually become radically more loving, more peaceful, more self-controlled, in a way that isn't mere psychology and that can't be explained or experienced by a non-Christian?"
Few people can give a robust, Biblical, detailed explanation to this fundamental question. Timothy Lane & Paul Tripp can, and do, in this wonderful book. They give us a truly Biblical & congruent theology of how people change, and show us a path to meaningful personal change in our own lives.
The first five chapters lay a foundation for what real Biblical life change is and isn't-- they talk about how easy it is to substitute external change like formalism and activism for true change of the heart. They lay out the crucial understanding of our marriage to Christ, and how God designed real change to take place in the context of community. There is a lot of rich thought provoking truth on every page of these foundation chapters.
Next, they move onto their central Biblical picture of how God has designed change: that of the tree. They explain chapter by chapter that the "heat" of living in a fallen world brings out fallen human responses of sin and evil "thorns." But as we turn to the cross of Christ and His presence we gain the ability to bear beautiful fruit, new supernatural responses to the same "heat" that before would only produce thorns.
True "fruit" only comes from the nourishment that God provides, and we need to be able to recognize the thorns and the fallen nature behind them to be able to choose Christ instead. This book is a wonderful Biblical mirror to hold in front of your soul, to be able to see yourself, the good and the bad, and see the work of God within. Highly recommended.
July 26, 2017
3.5 stars
Reading this book felt like eating expensive ravioli. The pasta was al dente, the sauce was delicious, and the garlic bread side dish was amazing.
The general design of the dish however, was not my favourite. The chef had somehow seen fit to make the pasta dough too thick so that the ravioli tasted rather 'Deja vu-ey' each week before breaking into the content of the little pasta pockets.
Unfortunately there was also too much sauce and to few vegetables. The entire dish seemed to be roughly aimed towards a single tomato-esque tang and I would have liked to have seen a bit more contrast and culinary exploration whilst maintaining a unifying flavour.
The practicality of the garlic bread was the highlight for me. Very easy to eat and digest and it tasted great.
Eating this meal with other people certainly helped me appreciate it more and the discussion of it helped show bits I hadn't previously tasted.
Overall, the meal tasted good to me, but I don't think the manner in which it was served made me like it as much as it could have. At least it wasn't mushroom ravioli.
[Synopsis for those who (understandably) don't appreciate poorly constructed metaphorical reviews: I found this book quite hard to digest due to its repetitive nature, it didn't seem to flow particularly well, and I get distracted quite often. The content itself was quite solid and the practical application was very good.]
Reading this book felt like eating expensive ravioli. The pasta was al dente, the sauce was delicious, and the garlic bread side dish was amazing.
The general design of the dish however, was not my favourite. The chef had somehow seen fit to make the pasta dough too thick so that the ravioli tasted rather 'Deja vu-ey' each week before breaking into the content of the little pasta pockets.
Unfortunately there was also too much sauce and to few vegetables. The entire dish seemed to be roughly aimed towards a single tomato-esque tang and I would have liked to have seen a bit more contrast and culinary exploration whilst maintaining a unifying flavour.
The practicality of the garlic bread was the highlight for me. Very easy to eat and digest and it tasted great.
Eating this meal with other people certainly helped me appreciate it more and the discussion of it helped show bits I hadn't previously tasted.
Overall, the meal tasted good to me, but I don't think the manner in which it was served made me like it as much as it could have. At least it wasn't mushroom ravioli.
[Synopsis for those who (understandably) don't appreciate poorly constructed metaphorical reviews: I found this book quite hard to digest due to its repetitive nature, it didn't seem to flow particularly well, and I get distracted quite often. The content itself was quite solid and the practical application was very good.]
March 15, 2023
This is one of the most spiritually significant books that I have read, and I know that I will return to it in the days ahead. Each section had great questions that helped me get to the heart behind why I do what I do. It was such a refreshing reminder that, as Christians, our hope for change is not in systems or in techniques but that our hope is Christ in us. With Christ’s help, change is always possible, and God’s grace is sufficient for all circumstances.
May 15, 2013
One of the best books I have ever read that explains the gospel in context of the believer's life. Beautiful and simple biblical model of the believer as either a thorny shrub or fruitful tree and how the circumstances we go through will reveal which kind of plant we are. This book ties the gospel message to God's purpose for us, our identity and new nature in Him, God's ability to do what He promises, and the benefit of healthy church life. I have not only read this book, but have also taken the study class with DVDs and workbook that goes with this book. The book is enough, but the workbook did force me to really think through my circumstances and what was motivating my responses to them. Ouch, but at the same time...glorious! The Savior became so much more while I worked through this book examining MY heart as I did. Highly recommend to anyone who counsels and anyone who wants to challenge themselves to see God more gloriously and powerfully at work in their life. Would be a great book to work together in a discipleship situation too...but it should be worked through together, not teacher student.
October 2, 2012
How People Change is one of those books that you need to keep reading and re-reading to understand and...more importantly, to apply!
What I mean by this is not that Lane presents anything that is controversial or new or frankly unconventional. Rather, the material is so basic that we instinctively want to make it more complicated in order that we don't have to follow it.
Coming from a strong Reformed Christian perspective, Lane writes with passion and conviction. In his understanding (and mine) God is taking us somewhere...and that place is wonderful. But getting there...and the life we live in this world is so full with problems...of our own making.
Lane presents chapters so we can begin to understand our motivation and that of others. Not only this, but he pushes us towards actual change. Change does not happen on the surface, but at the deep level of the heart. We must work towards an examination of what happens down in the heart level.
I have high regard for this book.
What I mean by this is not that Lane presents anything that is controversial or new or frankly unconventional. Rather, the material is so basic that we instinctively want to make it more complicated in order that we don't have to follow it.
Coming from a strong Reformed Christian perspective, Lane writes with passion and conviction. In his understanding (and mine) God is taking us somewhere...and that place is wonderful. But getting there...and the life we live in this world is so full with problems...of our own making.
Lane presents chapters so we can begin to understand our motivation and that of others. Not only this, but he pushes us towards actual change. Change does not happen on the surface, but at the deep level of the heart. We must work towards an examination of what happens down in the heart level.
I have high regard for this book.
September 9, 2017
I honestly have so many different thoughts about this book, it's hard to organize them, or even decide how many starts to rate it. I fluctuate between 3 and 5 and everywhere in the middle.
I think it is a very good foundational book, one that deals with a lot of core doctrine and provides some basic starting points for making...changes. Sorry, I wanted another word but I couldn't find one. For daily life problems, the grind all of us go through and the sins we all commit, it hits the "reset" button on the way we think by default and helps focus us on the Cross.
My issue with the book is that there are points where I believe that it is too basic, too simplistic. Yes, everyone needs to go back to square one sometimes, because we get too full of ourselves and too ready to follow any instructions but the right ones. But this is a book for a regular problems of every day life. That's great, as far as it goes, and that is what it was intended for. But I feel like the book is much too "light" on more serious issues, such a mental health, serious abuse, etc. Those situations are touched on, but I feel like they're treated in the same way as "someone cut me off in traffic and I swore at them."
In many ways and for many problems, the understanding of our core issues and the Biblical way forward is essential, no argument. But the fact of the matter is, understanding our sin and God's grace doesn't cure bi-polar. It doesn't treat schizophrenia. You can't "pray away" mental illness, and an understanding that the Cross heals all wounds sounds nice but doesn't go far enough when you're counseling sexual assault survivors.
I don't think the book intends to say those things, by any stretch, nor do I think the authors believe that. They aren't specifically addressing more those deeper issues, so they touch on them briefly and then move on. I'm sure they attend for someone counseling someone with those deeper issues to go for something more specific to that area. The problem I had when reading is that I felt like they dismissed, say, clinical depression, as the same thing as not trusting God. They have a case study where one of those involved was sexually abused as a child, and they mention "it wasn't dealt with," but then move on. My fear is that someone well-meaning is going to give this to a person with serious issues, something more than the "Heat and Thorns" of normal life, and they are going to apply these otherwise very sound principles to a situation where they won't fix things, and then that person will get even more depressed because they still don't change. If this was the only book that my pastor used in counseling me, for example, or the only thing I was given by my church, I would feel even more marginalized by my church.
Again, I will stress that I do not believe that this is the intention or the actual belief of the authors. I just wish they had put in some kind of caveat or recommendation on where to go for further reading if you had a more difficult situation. (I would say nothing is a better work than Shame Interrupted: How God Lifts the Pain of Worthlessness and Rejection).
I think it is a very good foundational book, one that deals with a lot of core doctrine and provides some basic starting points for making...changes. Sorry, I wanted another word but I couldn't find one. For daily life problems, the grind all of us go through and the sins we all commit, it hits the "reset" button on the way we think by default and helps focus us on the Cross.
My issue with the book is that there are points where I believe that it is too basic, too simplistic. Yes, everyone needs to go back to square one sometimes, because we get too full of ourselves and too ready to follow any instructions but the right ones. But this is a book for a regular problems of every day life. That's great, as far as it goes, and that is what it was intended for. But I feel like the book is much too "light" on more serious issues, such a mental health, serious abuse, etc. Those situations are touched on, but I feel like they're treated in the same way as "someone cut me off in traffic and I swore at them."
In many ways and for many problems, the understanding of our core issues and the Biblical way forward is essential, no argument. But the fact of the matter is, understanding our sin and God's grace doesn't cure bi-polar. It doesn't treat schizophrenia. You can't "pray away" mental illness, and an understanding that the Cross heals all wounds sounds nice but doesn't go far enough when you're counseling sexual assault survivors.
I don't think the book intends to say those things, by any stretch, nor do I think the authors believe that. They aren't specifically addressing more those deeper issues, so they touch on them briefly and then move on. I'm sure they attend for someone counseling someone with those deeper issues to go for something more specific to that area. The problem I had when reading is that I felt like they dismissed, say, clinical depression, as the same thing as not trusting God. They have a case study where one of those involved was sexually abused as a child, and they mention "it wasn't dealt with," but then move on. My fear is that someone well-meaning is going to give this to a person with serious issues, something more than the "Heat and Thorns" of normal life, and they are going to apply these otherwise very sound principles to a situation where they won't fix things, and then that person will get even more depressed because they still don't change. If this was the only book that my pastor used in counseling me, for example, or the only thing I was given by my church, I would feel even more marginalized by my church.
Again, I will stress that I do not believe that this is the intention or the actual belief of the authors. I just wish they had put in some kind of caveat or recommendation on where to go for further reading if you had a more difficult situation. (I would say nothing is a better work than Shame Interrupted: How God Lifts the Pain of Worthlessness and Rejection).
January 29, 2015
I'm amazed by how much I need to change...
This was a wonderful introduction to the topic of change, particularly on how we need to uncover the thoughts and motives of our hearts and be changed by the Cross of Christ. The Gospel really should be central in all we do.
Update 2015: Still very helpful. And I still need to change.
This was a wonderful introduction to the topic of change, particularly on how we need to uncover the thoughts and motives of our hearts and be changed by the Cross of Christ. The Gospel really should be central in all we do.
Update 2015: Still very helpful. And I still need to change.
November 12, 2022
A book I heavily recommended for anyone involved in ministry or who simply wants to see their lives further transformed by the gospel. The purpose of this book is to get individuals and churches to think deeply, consistently and biblically about the gospel's significance for the everyday maters of life. The Christian life isn't just a past reality of being saved or a future hope of heaven, but a practical blessing for life now. A cross-centred lense which permeates the life of a church will not just bring about outward change, but genuine gospel renewal in the hearts of its members. This strategy for change ultimately begins with us, and then we can share it with others. That is how the gospel changes people.
September 21, 2011
Well developed approach to ministry/discipleship/counseling
There is a Gospel gap: many of us as Christians think that there are some things (many things?) that we can't trust Jesus to deliver us from (we need a professional). Actually, we have been given everything for life and godliness in the gospel. Therein is the GAP.
Our purpose is to glorify God
We will serve something/someone. Even as Christians, we are prone to idolatry --- willing to sin to get what we want that is more important to us than pleasing God.
HEAT: a person's situation in daily life, with difficulties, blessings, and temptations
THORNS: a person's ungodly response to his/her situation(s); it includes behavior, the heart motivation driving the behavior, and the consequences
CROSS: this focuses on the presence of God in His redemptive glory and love; through Christ, He brings comfort, cleansing, and the power to change.
FRUIT: this is the person's new godly response to the situation resulting from God's power at work in the heart; it includes behavior, the heart renewed by grace, and the harvest of consequences that follow.
There is a Gospel gap: many of us as Christians think that there are some things (many things?) that we can't trust Jesus to deliver us from (we need a professional). Actually, we have been given everything for life and godliness in the gospel. Therein is the GAP.
Our purpose is to glorify God
We will serve something/someone. Even as Christians, we are prone to idolatry --- willing to sin to get what we want that is more important to us than pleasing God.
HEAT: a person's situation in daily life, with difficulties, blessings, and temptations
THORNS: a person's ungodly response to his/her situation(s); it includes behavior, the heart motivation driving the behavior, and the consequences
CROSS: this focuses on the presence of God in His redemptive glory and love; through Christ, He brings comfort, cleansing, and the power to change.
FRUIT: this is the person's new godly response to the situation resulting from God's power at work in the heart; it includes behavior, the heart renewed by grace, and the harvest of consequences that follow.
August 7, 2023
Hands down, best book I have read on growing in Christian faith. Read this 10 years ago and revisited it for a class I’m auditing, and this just confirms that I have found no other extrabiblical book that can rival the Christ-centered, gospel-oriented perspective of this book. Everyone should read and re-read this. I could easily revisit this every couple of years! I feel convicted, encouraged, and pushed to grow in the relationships around me and ultimately my walk with the Lord. Would love to do the study portion of this too at some point.
“…God does more than deliver us from the Heat. He delivers us from ourselves so that we don’t simply survive the Heat, but bear good Fruit. Under the pressure of family difficulty, love can grow. Under the Heat of unappreciated sacrifice, perseverance can grow. In physical suffering, peace and sturdy faith can blossom. In the midst of want, giving can grow where Thorns of greed and selfishness once flourished. Peace can live in the middle of financial disappointment. Humility can thrive in times of personal success. Joy can live under the burning sun of rejection. Hope can even blossom in times of grief.”
“…God does more than deliver us from the Heat. He delivers us from ourselves so that we don’t simply survive the Heat, but bear good Fruit. Under the pressure of family difficulty, love can grow. Under the Heat of unappreciated sacrifice, perseverance can grow. In physical suffering, peace and sturdy faith can blossom. In the midst of want, giving can grow where Thorns of greed and selfishness once flourished. Peace can live in the middle of financial disappointment. Humility can thrive in times of personal success. Joy can live under the burning sun of rejection. Hope can even blossom in times of grief.”
February 3, 2021
This is a phenomenal book! I read it through with a young deacon in our church, chapter by chapter, meeting weekly. There are hundreds of practical, down to earth questions in this book that make you work to comprehend and apply. He is so biblical that there are large chunks of scripture throughout the book, and plenty of real life stories of ministry and counseling to give you an idea that this is not just theory. Read it slowly, with others and plan to come back to it often!
July 17, 2023
This book really surprised me- in a good way. Super helpful insights into sanctification and a simple framework of how to evaluate spiritual growth. Will really convict you but is also very hopeful. Loses one star for all the typos though.
January 27, 2023
Like taking a Tripp down gospel Lane.
July 12, 2023
This book is as complex and non-complex as the gospel (…how people change) itself. The non-complexity is in the beautiful simplicity of God’s strength and choice in changing us in the heat of life, the complexity is in the different stories of people and biblical illustrations used. Those were my favorite.
March 3, 2024
Excellent book. Lane and Tripp do a thorough and precise job establishing a foundation for a then developing out the process for change in the life of the Christian. There’s some heady, theological stuff at times to help build out the support system, followed by practical application with real life examples and experiences. Overall it’s very well written and put together and, most importantly, supremely helpful.
I would recommend this book not only to pastors and those in pastoral care and counseling, but also just anyone in need of encouragement that, with the grace and love of Jesus, you too can change.
I would recommend this book not only to pastors and those in pastoral care and counseling, but also just anyone in need of encouragement that, with the grace and love of Jesus, you too can change.
May 31, 2023
The book is good, but I would have liked to see more practicality. It is good to see the why/what behind the actions, but I don't think that is enough, so this book won't be a favourite.
March 31, 2023
I went into this book expecting a list of things to do and not do in order to change to the glory of God… instead we got a biblical and thoughtful philosophy of how a by-faith-through-grace and abiding relationship with Christ changes us. Change isn’t found in what we do differently — it comes from our intimate union with Jesus which affects all corners of our lives!
November 9, 2014
Lane and Tripp do a wonderful job of laying out what it looks like to apply the gospel to all areas of your life and experience the lasting change that comes with doing it well.
December 18, 2023
Excellent. I need to buy a paperback copy so that I can highlight all the important truths I need to remember.
May 11, 2020
I’m really thankful to have gone through this book in a group because talking through the “heat, thorns, cross, fruit” way of thinking was very helpful. The emphasis on how everything in our walk with Christ is meant to point us back to who Christ is and increase our love for Him really helped me in thinking about what true repentance looks like and the fruit that comes from what Jesus has done for us.
Overall, this book just really helped in being reminded that Jesus really is better than our sin and when we fight our sin, the best weapon is to look at the fullness of Jesus and all that He gives us in Himself. I hope to remember the things from this book and continue applying them in my walk with Christ and in the way I view others. Tripp and Lane testified to the fact that God is faithful, patient, and kind to His children and so we can come to Him with full confidence of forgiveness and hope in sanctification. Towards the end it got a little bit long winded and I was ready to finish it up, but overall very good!
Overall, this book just really helped in being reminded that Jesus really is better than our sin and when we fight our sin, the best weapon is to look at the fullness of Jesus and all that He gives us in Himself. I hope to remember the things from this book and continue applying them in my walk with Christ and in the way I view others. Tripp and Lane testified to the fact that God is faithful, patient, and kind to His children and so we can come to Him with full confidence of forgiveness and hope in sanctification. Towards the end it got a little bit long winded and I was ready to finish it up, but overall very good!
March 17, 2022
This was a really good read, both convicting and encouraging with many practical tools to apply first to my own life and then to others I might counsel. With so much focus on our sinful hearts and motives and how external circumstances do not cause us to respond sinfully, but bring out the sin that was already there, it is kind of hard to understand how Tripp has recently adopted some of the dangerous and erroneous views of the false social justice gospel. I really hope that he comes to see this clearly and turns away from such wrong theology and back to the solid foundation of biblical truth. I do feel I should mention that social justice was not brought up in this book. Rather, this is a vew Tripp has adopted somewhat recently and included in other things he has written.
March 23, 2022
How People Change was a solid book. Some chapters are phenomenal and make me want to make this a 5-star rating. Other chapters felt repetitive or not as "sticky."
The premise of this book is a simple, but complex one. How do people change? What is the real problem with people and what is the real solution? I thought his answers to those questions were simplified, but It's refreshing to read something that doesn't try to complicate everything. So overall I enjoyed reading this and found it a helpful resource for the body of Christ to build one another up to look more like our Lord Jesus Christ.
The premise of this book is a simple, but complex one. How do people change? What is the real problem with people and what is the real solution? I thought his answers to those questions were simplified, but It's refreshing to read something that doesn't try to complicate everything. So overall I enjoyed reading this and found it a helpful resource for the body of Christ to build one another up to look more like our Lord Jesus Christ.
July 24, 2022
This took a while to work through, but worth the effort. Not your typically 5-star “This book was amazing and so good and enjoyable!” However, I am hopeful this book will help me to grow in the grace of Christ daily and equip me to guide others in their own transformation and continued growth in Christ.
I imagine I will come back to it over the years as a resource to come back to and as a reminder of the hope we have in the transforming power of the grace of Jesus. May this grace and truth be central to all our days.
Also the paradigm of “heat, thorns, cross, fruit” is a helpful model in which to look at and analyze life.
I imagine I will come back to it over the years as a resource to come back to and as a reminder of the hope we have in the transforming power of the grace of Jesus. May this grace and truth be central to all our days.
Also the paradigm of “heat, thorns, cross, fruit” is a helpful model in which to look at and analyze life.
July 18, 2020
Profound and practical! How People Change employs a proper balance of theology and application. Much of the book details how we tend to respond to circumstances from our default setting of the sinful nature. Any circumstance, whether good or bad, can bring about a sinful response. Then Lane and Tripp show definitively how Christ redeems us from that, how we ought to respond (in repentance from sin and faith in Christ), and the evidence that we truly have been changed by faith in Christ. This book ought to be read and reread in order to understand and apply what it contains.
May 18, 2022
A thorough treatment of what it takes to change. Bottom line: long lasting, godly change can only come from Christ-centred hearts. Lots of helpful questions and examples of what it looks like to fully grasp the gospel and bridge that ‘gospel gap’ - understanding how we’ve been saved in the past and await a glorious future, and are also continually being transformed into Christ’s likeness now. You’re encouraged to apply these things to yourself first before seeking to help others - an often uncomfortable, but precious process. Will probably be dipping back into this one.
March 29, 2024
Reread. More of a 4.5. Such an edifying and helpful book — especially Chs. 11-12. My only quibbles are with how drawn out the first six chapters feel and with the figure the authors provide on how people change on pg. 86. On the former, the content in the first six chapters is hugely beneficial — and at many points essential — but I think it would benefit from more ruthless editing. On the latter, while I find the paradigm of heat, thorns, cross, and fruit to be helpful, I think the figure that accompanies it is more confusing than clarifying. All in all a worthwhile read!
May 30, 2020
I love reading after Biblical counselors! They just have this ability to pierce right to the heart of my sin issues.
November 16, 2021
A great book for understanding how true change can happen through biblical counselling.
January 27, 2022
I loved this book! So helpful to realize what is at the heart of our actions and how we should look to Christ to make true change!
January 27, 2024
Lives up to the hype. Such a helpful lens through which to analyze the centrality of Christ in your own life and your church’s life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews