The Dallas Willard Podcast
Join us each week as we go back to the archives and share all of Dallas Willard's original, long-form teaching. Hosted by his daughter, Rebecca Willard Heatley.
93. How to Become a Disciple (1990)
How to Become a Disciple
A Series on What Jesus Believed and Taught—and Lived, Part 7
First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood
March 11, 1990
DIG DEEPER:
Handouts: https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com /Series_on_What_Jesus_Believed-Taught-Lived.pdf
Article: Why Bother with Discipleship? https://dwillard.org/resources/articles/why-bother-with-discipleship
The Divine Conspiracy: www.dwillard.org/resources/books/divine-conspiracy
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the...
92. The Power of “the Word of the Kingdom” (1990)
The Power of “the Word of the Kingdom”
A Series on What Jesus Believed and Taught—and Lived, Part 6
First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood
March 4, 1990
Handouts:
https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com /Series_on_What_Jesus_Believed-Taught-Lived.pdf
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, tr...
91. Beyond “the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees” – Part 2 (1990)
Beyond “the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees” – Part 2
A Series on What Jesus Believed and Taught—and Lived, Part 5
First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood
February 25, 1990
Handouts:
https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Series_on_What_Jesus_Believed-Taught-Lived.pdf
The book excerpt Dallas mentioned called “Peculiar People” is by Stanley Hauerwas and William H. Willimon. Christianity Today, Vol 34, No 4, March 5, 1990, 16. Available for Christianity Today subscribers at https://www.christianitytoday.com/1990/03/book-expert-peculiar-people
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to...
90. Beyond “the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees” – Part 1 (1990)
Beyond “the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees” – Part 1
A Series on What Jesus Believed and Taught—and Lived, Part 4
First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood
February 18, 1990
Handouts:
https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Series_on_What_Jesus_Believed-Taught-Lived.pdf
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the l...
89. The Beatitudes as Gospel. The MANNER of Jesus' Teaching (1990)
The Beatitudes as Gospel. The MANNER of Jesus' Teaching
A Series on What Jesus Believed and Taught—and Lived, Part 3
First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood
February 11, 1990
Handouts:
https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Series_on_What_Jesus_Believed-Taught-Lived.pdf
The Divine Conspiracy for Young Adults Online Course: https://dwillard.org/resources/events/divine-conspiracy-course
Sundays, July 5-26, 2026
5:00 pm Pacific Time
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in t...
88. The Rule of Heaven in the Old Testament –– in Israel (1990)
The Rule of Heaven in the Old Testament –– in Israel
A Series on What Jesus Believed and Taught—and Lived, Part 2
First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood
February 4, 1990
The Divine Conspiracy for Young Adults Online Course
https://dwillard.org/resources/events/divine-conspiracy-course
Sundays, July 5-26, 2026
5:00 pm Pacific Time
Handouts:
https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Series_on_What_Jesus_Believed-Taught-Lived.pdf
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help y...
87. Jesus’ Gospel and Ours (The Meaning of the "Rule of Heaven") (1990)
Jesus’ Gospel and Ours (The Meaning of the "Rule of Heaven")
A Series on What Jesus Believed and Taught—and Lived, Part 1
First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood
January 28, 1990
Handouts:
https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Series_on_What_Jesus_Believed-Taught-Lived.pdf
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manif...
86. Beyond Personality (2003)
Beyond Personality
C.S. Lewis Summer Conference
Theme: A celebration of Mere Christianity
University of San Diego
June 21, 2003
Learn more about the CS Lewis Foundation.
Learn more about Mere Christianity.
The book about naturalism Dallas recommended in this talk is Naturalism and the Human Spirit by Yervant Krikorian.
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior...
85. Exactly Why the Local Church is the Hope of the World (2006)
Exactly Why the Local Church is the Hope of the World
Christ Community Evangelical Free Church
Kansas City, MO
October 1, 2006
Key Sermon Texts:
Ephesians 3:8-12
Ephesians 4:14-16
Philippians 2:3-11
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love...
84. Everything in Common (2002)
Everything in Common
All Souls, Langham Place
May 26, 2002 (Trinity Sunday)
Sermon Texts
Acts 2:42-47
Genesis 11:1-9
https://www.allsouls.org
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transf...
83. Preparation for Pentecost (1972)
Preparation for Pentecost
Calvary Baptist Church in Nevada, MO
Summer, 1972
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by praying for our ministry team, praying for the students in the Schoo...
82. Living in a Vision of the Greatness of Jesus Christ (2003)
Living in a Vision of the Greatness of Jesus Christ
The Navigators International Council May 6, 2003
Learn more about The Navigators at https://www.navigators.org/who-we-are
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love, truth and transforming power of Christ and the Kingdom of God. We invite you to partner with us by...
81. The Passion to Know, Love, and Become Like Jesus Christ (2003)
The Passion to Know, Love, and Become Like Jesus Christ
The Navigators International Council
May 6, 2003
FOR FURTHER STUDY:
Diagram About the Self: https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Infinite-Environment.jpg
Learn more about spiritual transformation in Dallas’s book, Renovation of the Heart.
Learn more about The Navigators at https://www.navigators.org/who-we-are
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace...
80. The Passion to Know, Love, and Become Like Jesus Christ (2003)
The Passion to Know, Love, and Become Like Jesus Christ
The Navigators International Council
May 5, 2003
Learn more about The Navigators at https://www.navigators.org
Clarification of Terms:
A Value: Something you aspire to have; a goal, an objective that is chosen.
A Goal: Something that you want to bring about.
A Passion: Something that can’t be chosen directly; it lays hold of you and primarily comes from a vision.
A Vi...
79. What Your U Won’t Teach U, But U Are Apt to Catch Anyway (2008)
What Your U Won’t Teach U, But U Are Apt to Catch Anyway
Veritas Forum
Louisiana State University
February 18, 2008
What is it that “your U won’t teach U but U are apt to catch anyway”? Dallas argues that it is shallow and dangerous morality.
PowerPoint Slides: https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/2008-LSU-Veritas-What-Your-U-Wont-Teach-U.pdf
Recommended Reading:
The Making of the Modern University: Intellectual Transformation and the Marginalization of Morality, by...
78. The Value of Truth and What Happens When U Don't Have It (2008)
The Value of Truth and What Happens When U Don't Have It
Veritas Forum at
Louisiana State University
February 17, 2008
Why is truth so valuable? It enables you to deal with reality successfully. Reality is what you run into when you’re wrong. Simply believing something doesn’t make it true or false. Truth is accuracy of representation. You know something if you’re able to represent it as it is on an appropriate basis of thought and experience.
PowerPoi...
77. Eating the Flesh and Drinking the Blood of Jesus (2011)
Eating the Flesh and Drinking the Blood of Jesus: The Substance of Jesus Through His Word
August 7, 2011
St. Peter’s Anglican Church
Birmingham, AL
For Further Study
Compare Matthew 26:26-28 and John 6 verses 32-35 and 47-63.
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Dallas Willard Ministries exists to proclaim, teach and manifest the love...
76. Celebration and Worship (1981)
Celebration and Worship
March 25, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #11 of an 11-part series called “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
A celebration is a joyous occasion engaged in “in honor” of something.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Listen to episode 16 of this podcast: “Celebration: The Recollection of God”
Celebration of Discipline (1978) by Richard Foster
The Spirit of the Disciplines (1988) by Dallas Willard
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resour...
75. Fellowship and Submission (1981)
Fellowship and Submission
March 23, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #10 of an 11-part series called “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
Fellowship – Putting ourselves on the same plane with another person. We identify with them.
Submission - Putting our own interest under the interest of another person.
Dallas gives three words to help us relate to other people in fellowship and in submission:
1. Accept
2. Listen
3. Understand
The book Dallas mentioned w...
74. Prayer as Service of Love (1981)
Prayer as Service of Love
March 11, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #9 of an 11-part series called “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
Prayer is communication with God for the purpose of accomplishing His goals in our lives and in the world.
Helpful Resources Becoming a Person of Prayer
“Hearing the Voice of God” conference, episodes 21-28 of this podcast.
“Hearing God” Small Group Curriculum with Dallas Willard, Richard Foster and John Ortberg.
Pr...
73. Service and Sacrifice (1981)
Service and Sacrifice
March 4, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #8 of an 11-part series called “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Celebration of Discipline (1978) by Richard Foster
The Spirit of the Disciplines (1988) by Dallas Willard
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Dallas Willa...
72. Study and Meditation (1981)
Study and Meditation
February 25, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #7 of an 11-part series called “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
Terms:
Study is the direction of our thoughts in ways that enlarge the range and number of our ideas.
Meditation is the direction of our thoughts in ways that help us come to understand the things we already know.
Book recommendations
Study Martin Luther, St. Augustine (The Confessio...
71. Celibacy, Chastity and Purity (1981)
Celibacy, Chastity and Purity
February 18, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #6 of an 11-part series called “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
Clarification of Terms:
Celibacy, chastity, and purity are three dimensions of the same topic.
Celibacy is the choice of a single life; the choice of a state without sexual relationships.
Chastity refers to restraining oneself within the bounds of proper sexual relations; mainly referring to external behavior.
Pu...
70. Simplicity, Frugality and Poverty (1981)
Simplicity, Frugality and Poverty
February 11, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #5 of an 11-part series called “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
Tim, I’m working on recreating the handout. I think it’s just the list of session topics with the scriptures for study.
DEFINITIONS
Simplicity: A lack of disjointed complexity in intention and will.
Frugality: Consuming only what is necessary.
Poverty: Absence of resources.
Simplicity and frugality ar...
69. Solitude and Silence and the Tongue (1981)
Solitude and Silence and the Tongue
February 4, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #4 of an 11-part series called “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
Tim, I’m working on recreating the handout. I think it’s just the list of session topics with the scriptures for study.
FOR FURTHER STUDY:
Celebration of Discipline (1978) by Richard Foster
John Wesley's Extract of The Christian's Pattern
The Spirit of the Disciplines (1988) by Dallas Willard
Visit https...
68. Fasting: The Paradigm of the Disciplines (1981)
Fasting: The Paradigm of the Disciplines
January 28, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #3 of an 11-part series called “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
FOR FURTHER STUDY:
Celebration of Discipline (1978) by Richard Foster
The Didache (There are many editions)
The Spirit of the Disciplines (1988) by Dallas Willard
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lor...
67. Presentation of the Body through the Consecration of its “Members” (1981)
Presentation of the Body through the Consecration of its “Members”
January 21, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #2 of “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
DEFINITIONS:
The Disciple is a person for whom the most important thing in the world is to be a disciple of Christ.
A discipline is a chosen activity wherein we learn to live by the power of God and in the character of God and by the grace of God.
...
66. “Adding to Your Faith” by Sowing to the Spirit and Exercising unto Godliness (1981)
“Adding to Your Faith” by Sowing to the Spirit and Exercising unto Godliness
January 14, 1981
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
This is session #1 of an 11-part series called “The Disciple, the Disciplines and the Triumphant Life.”
DEFINITIONS
The Disciple: A person for whom the most important thing in the world is to be a disciple of Christ.
The Disciplines: Chosen or purposeful activities wherein we learn to live by the power of God and in the character of God by the grac...
65. Planning for Spiritual Formation in the Local Church (2012)
Planning for Spiritual Formation in the Local Church
January 24, 2012
Rolling Hills Covenant Church
With this teaching, Dallas offers very practical instruction for creating a vision to bring a culture of spiritual formation into our churches.
Slides: https://dwillard.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/2012+Rolling+Hills+Covenant.pdf
Video: https://youtu.be/5mhL3vY0YuY
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Da...
64. Pornography and Spiritual Formation (2008)
Pornography and Spiritual Formation
September 23, 2008
Christian Spirituality and Soul Care Lecture Series
Biola University
Dallas’s Handout: https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Beyond-Pornography-Handout.pdf
Q&A (with the last part of this talk): https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Talks/2008-Pornography-and-Spiritual-Formation/2-of-2-Pornography-and-Spiritual-Formation-Part-2/02-Pornography-and-Spiritual-Formation-2.mp3
Dallas’s Additional Presentation:
Sexual Desire and Spiritual Formation with a Special Reference to Pornography: https://dwillard.org/resources/audio/sexual-desire-and-spiritual-formation
Somebody’s Daughter video: https://www.musicforthesoul.org/resources/somebodys-d...
63. Incarnation and Celebration (2007)
Episode 63
Incarnation and Celebration
December 30, 2007
Valley Vineyard Christian Fellowship
Reseda, CA
This is the only recording we have of Dallas preaching a Christmas sermon.
Sermon Notes: https://dwillard.s3.amazonaws.com/Incarnation-and-Celebration-Notes.pdf
Incarnation and Celebration is also available in video format on the DWM YouTube channel.
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help you “grow in the grace an...
62. How Eternal Livers Bring Knowledge of Eternal Living to Those Without It (2010)
Episode 62
How Eternal Livers Bring Knowledge of Eternal Living to Those Without It
February 20, 2010
Church of the Apostles
Fairfax, Virginia
This is the final session of the “Living the Eternal Live Now” series. Dallas explains the importance of understanding that the Christian faith is a kind of knowledge that can be tested and proven. This teaching includes the four great questions of life: 1) What is the nature of reality? 2) Who is well-off? 3) Who is a “really good” person? 4) How do I become a r...
61. Being a Disciple of Jesus, not Just a Christian (2010)
Episode 61
Being a Disciple of Jesus, not Just a Christian
February 20, 2010
Church of the Apostles
Fairfax, Virginia
This is session #8 of the “Living the Eternal Live Now” series. Dallas goes over the specifics of many of the more commonly practiced disciplines, and explains how to be a disciple and how to make a disciple.
Conference Handout
Session Eight Slides
Session Eight Video
To study the topics in this session more deep...
60. Disciplines for Eternal (Spiritual) Living (2010)
Episode 60
Disciplines for Eternal (Spiritual) Living
February 20, 2010
Church of the Apostles
Fairfax, Virginia
This is session #7 of the “Living the Eternal Live Now” series.
Conference Handout
Session Seven Slides
Session Seven Video
To study the topics in this session more deeply, see Dallas's book, The Spirit of the Disciplines.
For more on character formation, listen to episodes 33-36 of The Dallas Willard Podcast.
Visit https://DWillard.o...
59. The Role of the Body in Spiritual and Unspiritual Life (2010)
Episode 59
The Role of the Body in Spiritual and Unspiritual Life
February 19, 2010
Church of the Apostles
Fairfax, Virginia
This is session #6 of the “Living the Eternal Live Now” series. After a study of Paul's teaching about the body, Dallas discusses what our body is to our personality, how we live from our body, and how to follow Paul’s instructions to “mortify” the body.
Conference Handout
Session Six Slides
Session Six Video
To study the...
58. More Barriers to Eternal Living Now: Strongholds of Thought and Feeling (2010)
Episode 58
More Barriers to Eternal Living Now: Strongholds of Thought and Feeling
February 19, 2010
Church of the Apostles
Fairfax, Virginia
This is session #5 of the “Living the Eternal Live Now” series. Dallas discusses strongholds of thought and feeling that can be barriers to living the eternal life now.
Conference Handout
Session Five Slides
Session Five Video
To study the topics in sessions 4, 5 and 6 more deeply, see Dallas's book, "Renovation of the Heart" and the video series "Healing the Heart and Life by W...
57. Some Barriers to Eternal Living Now: The Unsurrendered Will (2010)
Episode 57
Some Barriers to Eternal Living Now: The Unsurrendered Will
February 19, 2010
Church of the Apostles
Fairfax, Virginia
This is session #4 of the “Living the Eternal Live Now” series. Dallas teaches about the functionality of all the fundamental parts of the human person based on his diagram of Mark 12:30-31, and explains barriers that inhabit us and inhibit us through the various dimensions of human personality.
Conference Handout
Session Four Slides
Session Four Video
(this li...
56. Grace as Day-to-Day Reality: How to Grow in Grace (2010)
Grace as Day-to-Day Reality: How to Grow in Grace
February 19, 2010
Church of the Apostles
Fairfax, Virginia
This is session #3 of the “Living the Eternal Live Now” series. Dallas explains various types of life, including our life as a spiritual being, and outlines the two landscapes of the flesh and the spirit.
Conference Handout
Session Three Slides
Session Three Video
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and opportunities that can serve as a means to help...
55. What is Spiritual Life? Who is a Spiritual Person? (2010)
What is Spiritual Life? Who is a Spiritual Person?
February 19, 2010
Church of the Apostles
Fairfax, Virginia
This is session #2 of the “Living the Eternal Live Now” series. Dallas explains various types of life, including our life as a spiritual being, and outlines the two landscapes of the flesh and the spirit.
The poem Dallas quotes is “The Chambered Nautilus,” by Oliver Wendell Holmes.
Conference Handout
Session Two Slides
Session Two Video
Visit https://DWillard.org for a wide variety of resources and oppo...
54. Your Kingdom and God’s Kingdom (2010)
Episode 54
Your Kingdom and God’s Kingdom
February 18, 2010
Church of the Apostles
Fairfax, Virginia
This is session #1 of the “Living the Eternal Live Now” series. Dallas explains what a human kingdom is, what God's kingdom is, and how we are “training for reigning” as we begin living our eternal life with God now.
Four Guiding Texts for the Series
1. Matthew 6:33 and 4:17 (“Seek first the kingdom …”) and (“… the kingdom of the heavens is at hand.”)
2. Romans 5:17 “… th...
