How People Change Study Guide

Very helpful biblical counseling tools. Would recommend it!

It’s like the gospel message specifically applied to counseling in today’s world. A clinic and very applicable to every day life.

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to this helped book about how to grow in the Christian life by reacting to problems and problematic people in Christlike ways. I have been asked to use this book to lead a discussion group, so I decided to listen to it to get the overall thrust of the book. I’ll now go back and study it in print form to get the details. Already I’ve seen benefit in my own life, so I’m looking forward to digging deeper. I’ll add to this review as I do.

We read this book in my biblical counseling class and it was so good. We first started with the book, unstuck and then read, how people change. It was so eye-opening and wonderful. I will refer back to this book a lot.

Lane and Tripp wrote this book to help readers see how they should live their lives now within the greater narrative of God's story. The authors address common issues that each believer faces externally and internally, then offer practical advice on turning attention towards Christ rather than inwardly.

One on my to be purchased list. A lot of application and heart reflection in this book. Definitely a book that will challenge you in who you are as a Christian to re-evaluate relationships in your life.

I really like the framework it provided to think through counseling issues and it was accessible. But a bit repetitive and oversimplified at times

"What does it take for lasting change to take root in your life?" This is the question Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp set out to answer in How People Change. This book has many strengths.

First, it is filled with illustrations and examples of real people with real struggles and how the principles laid out in the book could or did effect real change in their lives.

Second, it is very practical. From the beginning the authors make it clear that real gospel change comes through God's grace in a Christian's life. But that grace means that people can work toward seeing real and lasting Christ-honoring change happen. Using Jeremiah 17:5-10 as the foundation, Lane and Tripp lay out the principles of Heat (situations), Thorns (sinful responses), Cross (gospel realities), and Fruit (godly responses). The principles they describe and questions they pose are helpful for the reader and for the counselor looking to help others.

Third, they tie all of their principles to the Bible. In every chapter, Lane and Tripp use the Bible as the foundation for a principle or as a case study for the principle being worked out. Since their premise is that real change only occurs through God's grace in the gospel, they rightly let the Bible speak into their principles and exhortations.

Fourth, it is easily readable. Whether you want to read it from cover-to-cover or use it more a resources guide, the book is clear, simple, yet deep. The new Christian, mature Christian, and non-Christian can all approach the book with confidence that they will gain something from the material.

The structure of the book is simple and helpful:
1. The Problem (chapters 1 & 2): there exists a gap in understanding of the gospel for most Christians that leads to a reliance on counterfeit hopes to give meaning and satisfaction in this life as they wait for Christ to return.
2. The Solution (chapters 3-5): Christians need to have a right understanding of their "final destination" in order to rightly understand life in the here and now. Eternity defines and explains the present. And where the Christian is going is to be with their Groom, Jesus Christ. Real and lasting change comes by a Person not a program or performance. And the Bride of Christ needs the community of Christ to help bring about real and lasting change. God's grace in Christ often pours through the church.
3. Practical Application (chapters 6-14): Here the authors lay out the formula of Jeremiah 17 and then give ample detail and explanation of what each element means and how it is rightly applied in daily life.
4. Illustrations (chapters 15-16): the authors provide illustrations of how a marriage and a church applied the principles of the book that brought about real and lasting change.

Overall, this is a good book for all to read (Christians in particular). It has been both a challenging and an encouraging read for me. It has provided me with ways to evaluate the way and reasons why I respond to particular situations the way I do. It has also given me tools and resources to be a better friend, counselor, and discipler.

I enjoyed the core content of this book, but it was far too long winded in my opinion. Sometimes, less is more.

4.5 _. Heat. Thorns. Cross. Fruit.

I only read this partially for counseling before we switched to something else. Honestly, I doubt I'll return to reading it in full. But, I've read other stuff by Paul Tripp and it is soooo good! He gets right to the heart of things with such grace and tact.

Very practical and biblical insight into how people change by the power of the Gospel.

Overall this was a very helpful book. I was challenged and also comforted by much of what was written here. This is a very gospel rich book and for that, I am very thankful. As a general overview of how change comes about in the Christian life, this book is definitely worth reading.

Great insights into how the Spirit of God works in people's lives and what we can to cooperate with Him.

i went through with dgroup in may and it was very helpful because it explained the biblical pattern for change that i found very applicable.

Outside of the Bible, probably the most helpful Christian book I’ve ever read - and this was my second time through it

Really helpful, bare-bones, practical tools for thinking about the Christian life. A good reminder for any Christian struggling with obedience and sanctification in their walk.

Easily one of the best books I have ever read— I might make reading this book a yearly occurrence! It was so deeply encouraging to me, and I know it will be to any Christian who is struggling in their walk with the Lord. Please, please read!