An intriguing story of the life, situations, and reactions of three kings--Saul, David, and Absalom. Using the Bible's account of David's choices as a framework, Gene Edwards lays out a very powerful case for the sovereign control of our God even in the most unimaginable situations. Edwards gives a delightfully human emotion to the struggles and thoughts that could have been floating around in David's head while his troubles with Saul and Absalom were in full swing. David is painted as having very humble responses in His encounters with insubordination, pride, and slander. His brokenness is portrayed perfectly. True leadership can only come through brokenness under God's control and power. The author paints God as in control, man as under His power, and every circumstance only as another opportunity to trust the All-sufficient. This book is a quick easy read (only 2-3 page chapters…100 pages in all.) Don't let the size fool you, though. It is solid. It should be noted that this book provides a beautiful variety to your reading. He has a mysteriously captivating style of story-telling that just draws you into what he is saying. It was refreshing.

Loved it. This book is a classic. Somehow, Edwards was able to bring me under deep conviction under the guise of sweeping me into a very intriguing, twisting story. I loved the fresh look at the narrative, but yet at the same time, by the end of each chapter, I kept getting whacked over the head with my own sinful reactions and my own pride in much easier trials. I still wanted to read more. I finished this book in 2 days; I was loving it. I didn't want it to end. I wanted more.

Each mini-chapter examines a different side of brokenness. Whether it is how to get good at dodging spears, or how important it is not to throw back those spears that are thrown at you, Edwards uses all the plunges in David's life to show off David's amazingly humble life. He describes David's pain as the news of his sons mutiny spreads to the palace, and yet in it all, David trusts. David trusts the God that delivered him from the power of a bear, the strength of a giant, even the snare of a deranged king Saul. He submits and submits and submits and submits and submits, no matter what.

The truth that is most evident in this book is that adversity is designed to break us into submission. David's difficulties, beginning with the days in the field as a shepherd boy and ending in the palace with a usurping son, only broke him to see and trust God. They taught him the submission that must come, and the leadership that is true. The leadership that only God can give.

[The days in the wilderness] were David's darkest hours. You know them as his pre-king days, but he didn't. He assumed this was his lot forever.

Suffering was giving birth. Humility was being born.

By earthly measures he was a shattered man; by heaven's measure, a broken one.

A philosophy through implementation plan for creating a disciple-centered training in the church. Based heavily on Jesus' training of the disciples, Bill Hull lays out a picture of a church that shows, teaches, walks with, leads, and unleashes disciples to the world. The solution to the churches problems, he says, is in discipleship. His plan is seemingly very elaborate. It involves heavy training and testing and guidance, but the end result is willing ministers to decentralize the ministry of the pastor. In other words, the Pastor is freed from the day-to-day ministry time-killers, and other people in the church are able to use their gifts to the fullest. The result is minister-members and a Pastor-coach to lead them. Bill Hull gives some great development of the Pastor as coach concept. He lays out the pastoral responsibility as a encourager, motivator, confronter, even a participator, but not the only player. Great. Long chapters make this one a little slow getting through, but the first 8 chapters are packed with solid stuff. Skip 9...It is not worth it. I promise.

I liked this one. Ever since my leadership training and discipleship group at Northland the last two summers, I have been burdened for this kind of discipleship--One-on-one and small group training to impress the burdens and heart of a ministry on other eager disciples. This book lays out why discipleship-centered ministry is so important, who is to be involved, what difficulties you will face in implementing it, when to start, and how to go about laying it out. I think Hull's strongest sections are the first four. The implementation of it is a little weak. He describes the end result merely as training a disciple to go out and join a rec league and help out at the rescue mission. That's great, but I see a disciple as one who takes up discipling others…evangelizing and discipling.

Bill Hull's ministry experience shines a little to glaringly at a couple of points as he rants on about church's inability to change, petty arguing, and other pad church problems.

All in all, a solid foundation for starting this type of ministry in a church. Good philosophy, good tips . . . Not perfect, but I guess it drives you back to the True Discipler . . . our Savior. Worth the cost for the thoughts it provokes, and for bringing the importance of disciple-making back to the forefront of our ministry.