Chazown Hardcover – 2006

it's good. going through this book with a group. It has a lot to say, first printed versions are considerably different than later versions. I would add here that there is a lot more to the experience once one adds in the website and does the exercises.

Great condition and so far is a great read as well.

Chazown might seem like a strange title for a book until one understands the title's meaning. Though used in the Bible to mean a vision in the sense of receiving a dream or revelation from God, such as the Old Testament prophets, Groeschel takes the ancient Hebrew word and places it in the modern meaning of vision--a plan, passion, and purpose for the future. In other words, Chazown is about finding one's calling in life, the very reason why one was placed on the earth.After a short introduction discussing the need for vision, Groeschel quickly gets down to work helping readers discover where to find it. Spinning together anecdotes, honest stories, and Biblical principles, he draws out the Three Circles of Chazown--core values, spiritual gifts, and past experiences. Groeschel's point is that our calling will be something important to us--it'll identify with our core values--something we've been gifted at doing--it'll involve our spiritual gifts--and something we've been prepared for--experiences in our past led us to it now. Any three of these could have easily filled a book in and of itself, but Groeschel manages to distill it all into a nice overview, giving the reader just enough of a taste to make him want to dig deeper.From there, Groeschel discusses what to do when you've discovered your Chazown. This section discusses the planning part of the vision. Dreams aren't accomplished overnight, and God's will for your life will only happen if you plan on effecting it. Groeschel also gives what he calls the five spokes of Chazown--the little things that make one's vision work. First, one's relationship with God; second, one's relationship with others; third, finances; fourth, health and fitness; and fifth, work. The first two might seem obvious, but Groeschel makes a great case for why the Christian shouldn't laugh off lack of exercise, poor money management, and workaholism. Chazown closes out with a discussion of why you can't achieve our vision alone and lays out a rationale for why and how to be accountable to and responsible for others.Chazown fills a much-needed void in the area of Christian discipleship. Too many Christians spend their lives living rather than living out their purpose on Earth. God has adopted us as His children to be His ambassadors to fallen man. Christians are portrayed as light amidst darkness, yet many Christians today haven't seem to have found that switch. It's not just professional ministers that are called to serve; all Christians are members of the holy priesthood for the glory of God Himself lives in us! For the other side, for those that have the light on but are waiting on God to do it all, Groeschel reminds us that God works through us not for us and calls us to begin actively working out our vision.Written like a practical manual, Chazown ends many of its chapters by asking discussion questions or offering a checklist that applies to the chapters' contents. This style makes the book a how-to for formulating and implementing one's own Chazown. The majority of Christians seem to be content with salvation, they think that all they have to do is live until they die and go to Heaven. Groeschel masterfully destroys this illusion and calls all Christians to live called-out, purpose-filled, chazown-driven lives for Christ. The Master created you for a purpose. Now go and fulfill the Master's plan! With honest and insightful works like The Christian Atheist, Dare to Drop the Pose, and Chazown, Groeschel is quickly becoming one of my favorite voices calling out for Christian discipleship.