Following Jesus

Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety

Henri Nouwen

At one of the lowest points in Henri Nouwen’s life, he gave a series of lectures on the importance of following Jesus in an age of anxiety. Drawn from those talks, Following Jesus reveals the deep turmoil and sometimes turbulent inner life of a man who has become an icon of compassion and vulnerability for Christians and non-Christians alike. He writes eloquently about calling and purpose, fear and hope, and he explains why, with so many choices available to the twenty-first-century seeker, including atheism and secularism, the greatest reward for those looking for fulfillment is to choose belief in God. Along the way he offers warm, insightful, and practical spiritual habits to help readers navigate the narrow, sometimes arduous, but ultimately gratifying road of conviction and faith.

Praise for Following Jesus

“Few writers have influenced me more than Henri Nouwen. These newly published lectures offer fresh and timely insights amid the familiar cadences of Nouwen’s prose, written from a place of deep anxiety but even deeper hope.”—John Inazu, professor of political science, Washington University in St. Louis, author of Confident Pluralism

“In Following Jesus, beloved pastor and spiritual mentor Henri Nouwen guides the reader on the journey he has traveled as a follower of Jesus. Without minimizing the anxieties, fears, and brokenness that touch down in every reader’s story, Nouwen gently leads the way into a life that centers on Jesus and engulfs the follower with God’s love, a sense of belonging, and a purpose that endures. Truly a wise and welcome word for anyone in this age of anxiety.”—Carolyn Custis James, author of Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women and Finding God in the Margins

This study will be available on the app soon!

$48 for leaders (lifetime use)   |   $18 for participants (one-time use)

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About the Author

Henri J.M. Nouwen

Henri J.M. Nouwen was a Dutch-born Catholic priest, professor, and pastor, who gained international renown as the author of over 30 books on the spiritual life, including such classics as The Wounded HealerThe Inner Voice of Love, and Reaching Out. Nouwen’s books have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold upwards of seven million copies worldwide, resonating with people across the religious, spiritual, cultural, and political spectrum. Since his death in 1996, ever-increasing numbers of readers, writers, teachers, and seekers have been guided by his literary legacy.

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What's included?

This version of Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety contains all content from the book, including forward by Richard Rohr and group discussion questions, in a digital format. All content is accessible via the state-of-the-art BeADisciple Study App, entirely accessible on your smart phone, tablet, or computer. You won’t have any physical study materials to keep track of!

The six-session study covers one chapter of the book each week. With the required orientation, your group will meet seven times. 

The content contains everything needed to guide a group through the six-week study, including session plans, activities, and discussion questions. An orientation meeting before the study begins gives participants all the tools and confidence they need to participate in this app-based study.

Session overviews:

The Invitation
Come and See
What is Jesus calling you to discover?
The Call
Come Follow Me
Leaving behind what holds us back.
The Challenge
Love Your Enemies
The hardest — and most freeing — command.
The Cost
Take Up Your Cross
What surrender looks like in everyday life.
The Reward
My Joy Will Be Yours
The unexpected fruit of faithful following.
The Promise
I Will Be with You Always
The assurance that anchors everything.

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