The faith of Jesus was once considered a distinctive way of life rather than a complex theological system. PILGRIM HEART re-visions discipleship as—first and foremost—a particular way of life guided by a set of simple but powerful daily practices known to the earliest disciples and saints throughout the ages. These include friendship, Sabbath rest, hospitality, confession, forgiveness, listening, discerning, singing, creating and experiencing the arts, and telling stories.

Darryl Tippens—author, speaker, and professor of English literature for over three decades—is the Provost of Pepperdine University where he also serves as professor of English literature. His newest book, PILGRIM HEART: The Way of Jesus in Everyday Life (Leafwood Publishers),invites Christians to consider afresh the way of Jesus in light of thousands of practices that have proven to transform lives for two thousands years. Darryl communicates these insightful truths in a style that is both scholarly and accessible. The result has been recognized as a Christian classic in the making. “This incredible book belongs on the shelf right next to Richard Foster and Dallas Willard,” raves author and pastor Mike Cope.

People today are hungry for a holistic spirituality that involves heart, mind, and body. This important new book seeks to reconnect Christians to a dynamic, living tradition of spirituality. “A follower of Jesus is a pilgrim, literally one from a foreign land, an alien, a traveler. True spirituality is never sedentary. The language of pilgrimage permeates the literature of Christian spirituality,” Darryl states. “It’s a general theme of the Bible that people of faith are travelers at heart:Abraham and Sarah, of course, but also Moses, the people of Israel, and the followers of Jesus. Moving toward God requires pilgrimage.” Drawing from Biblical examples, church history, and the ideas of Christian thinkers including Augustine, C.S. Lewis, and Henri Nouwen, Darryl presents readers a compelling challenge to abandon their sedentary faith and pursue the literal process of following Jesus and learning his ways.

The inclusion of some unexpected spiritual disciplines (singing, hospitality, feasting, and storytelling, for example) is certain to inspire a fresh evaluation of current church practices. Darryl emphasizes, “A Christian community can inadvertently will its own death. No matter how well we might have ‘done church’ a generation ago, it matters little if we do not continually create the kind of compelling culture…that will ensure the propagation of communities of faith in our time as well. A community without the ability to regenerate is, by definition, terminal.”

Addressing a church shaped by the American ideals of individualism and self-reliance, Darryl presents a convincing case for the lost art of living the Christian life in community with others. “Following Jesus is not a solo enterprise,” he muses. “From the beginning, Jesus meant for us to go together, and church is a name for the group of people who follow Jesus together.” Darryl envisions the church radically changed when its members truly become companions on the Christian journey. PILGRIN HEART delivers a powerful message that will inspire Christians to live a life that accurately mirrors the lives of Jesus and his followers, a life that is completely transformed.