Book Review: Among Wolves by Dhati Lewis

Dhati Lewis, in his book, Among Wolves: Disciple-Making In The City, writes that the church has "reduced Christianity into conferences, concerts, and church services. We have defined Christianity as mission trips, activities, or simply the events that we do for God." Is he right? In a broad sense, yes. I admit when I became a Christian during my teenage years, I was part of a large church that did a lot of things which included most of the stuff Lewis had listed.

Lewis goes on to say that we have turned the Great Commission into some big suggestion. The Great Commission is to make disciples. The church is called make followers of Jesus. Is the church called to evangelize? Yes, but we are to make disciples who follow Jesus. Lewis takes lessons from the gospel of Matthew by observing how Jesus approached disciple-making. Lewis advocates that Christians can be pursuing active discipleship in the context of your city whether you are in an urban area or a great metropolitan city.

Lewis writes about having a burden for those who are like sheep without a shepherd just as Jesus had on the people that came to him during his earthly ministry. He also writes about looking as the church as a family where God is our Father, Jesus as our Elder Brother, and all Christians as brothers and sisters in the Lord. Lewis continues on with ways of making discipleship a reality in your church and your city. While making disciples, we will encounter wolves that will seek to hinder the mission. Lewis reminds us not to fear them yet many Christians are not seeking the lost, they want them to come to the church where it is more comfortable.

The conclusion of the book deals with training disciples in the church, which is part of what the Great Commission is all about. We are teach disciples to observe all that Jesus commanded them to do. Then we are to unleash them for mission, which may require sending disciples to other lands to make disciples. This book is more about making disciples in the context of the city you are living in.

Lewis writes with conviction and as one who has done all the things he has written with his church. It would be worth your time, whether you are an elder or someone who has a passion to teach the word, to read this book.

Thanks B&H Publishing for letting me review this book.