This book by Jan Johnson (NavPress 2008) is a welcome addition to the material available for learning and practicing the Spiritual Disciplines. Her main purpose in writing it is to counter the question “what would Jesus do” with the question “how would Jesus respond in this situation.” None of us can do what Jesus did but we can all be conduits for the Holy Spirit to work through in ways that are consistent with the manner Jesus would have approached a situation had he still been physically present here on earth.

Jan goes through four sections and 17 chapters outlining what she calls a “curriculum for soul school.” At the end of each chapter, there is a long list of specific exercises she suggests for helping you engage further with the material in the chapter. She doesn’t call her curriculum “spiritual disciplines,” in the tradition of Richard Foster’s “Celebration of Discipline,” but what she is talking about is developing “holy habits” and putting ourselves in a position where God can do God’s transforming work in our lives.

She has studied Scriptures thoroughly and offers some new insights into Biblical truths. She also gives a glossary of terms and a chapter on how to use the book with a group. If you are looking for a new focus for your Bible study group or Sunday school class, I would invite you to look at Jan’s book. It will also work well for an individual to study on their own. Anyone wanting to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ could benefit from this soul school curriculum.