Dying To Live - by Clive Calver

"Dying to Live," Senior Pastor Clive Calver's 21st book, is hitting bookshelves on five continents - from America and the UK, India and the Philippines, to Rwanda, Kenya and Australia - on March 15.

The book - which turns the common understanding of Christianity on its head -- will be available here at Walnut Hill the same weekend, at steeply discounted prices.

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A synopsis: The heartbeat of Christianity is not to receive salvation and try harder. It is not a life changed by renewed effort. The secret of Christianity is not a "changed" life but an "exchanged" one. We give our lives to Jesus, and He gives His life to us and lives it through us. That is what it means to be 'Dying to Live' ...we do the dying so that Jesus can do the living - not the other way around. How did we forget that this is the central truth of our faith? For as the Apostle Paul wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20), that means that I do not try harder to live an old life, instead he is released to live his new life through me!

A Brief Interview with the Author

So, Clive, where did the idea for this book come from?

Clive: When I was in my 20s, I really wanted to serve Jesus and I knew that I couldn't because I failed Him so often. He had reached out to me, but I couldn't seem to be the person I wanted to become.

Paul had it right when he said "I do what I don't want to do, and what I don't want to do, I end up doing." It's a cry of exasperation when he violently expresses the heart-cry: "Who can deliver me?!?"

I thought it was an unanswerable question, until that day on Clingford Plains, a forested scrubland adjacent to London. Finally, I knew I'd got it! I could never be any better than I was. But could He not live - in and through me - a life that I could not live for myself?!?!

If my life - in me - could never be different, and if that is the Great Disaster, then perhaps Jesus' life - lived through mine - could be the Great Reposte. To all the people who would suggest there was no hope for me, all I had to do was stop trying to live for Jesus and just let Jesus live His life through me!

Any other influences?

Clive: It was a lesson I learned first from A.W. Tozer - he first wrote about this subject 46 years ago in "The Pursuit of Man" - and then from Graham Kendrick. Graham wrote a song with this lyric:

"I'm just being myself in Jesus and He's just being Himself in me/And the life that I live is the life that He gives/and I'm living it naturally."

The only response I can make to that is 'phew! What a relief!"

What will this book mean to folks in the Walnut Hill church family?

Clive: I've been preaching this here at Walnut Hill for a long time, so it will be familiar and therefore comfortable for our people - although they won't have seen it argued so closely. However it will be shocking and slightly dangerous for those who haven't heard it like this. How can a life be crucified? I think the question is: How can a Christian remain un-crucified and still live the Christian life?

Special Discount
The Walnut Hill Church family will receive great discounts on the book!

Cover Price: $16.99
Walnut Hill Prices
1 for $12 + $2.50 S/H
3 for $30 + $3.00 S/H
5 for $40 + $3.00 S/H

Buy Online
See above for pricing

Shipping: You must select "Standard Shipping" as your shipping choice when you complete your checkout.
Thank you

All proceeds from the book go to Walnut Hill International Ministries. Not a penny goes to Clive or to Walnut Hill's general fund.

Special Prizes
Here's the fun part: Win a "Golden Invitation" to "Curry Night with Clive."

Hidden in 15 of the first 500 books, will be "invitations for two" to a 'Curry Night' at the Calver's home. Clive will personally prepare a 20-dish Indian dinner for up to 30 people; those who find the tickets in their books will be invited to the Curry Night!

What is WHIM?
Not a penny from the sales of "Dying to Live" will end up in Clive Calver's pocket.

Instead, all proceeds and all royalties from books sold here and ones sold around the world, will go to Walnut Hill International Ministries. WHIM was set up as a fund (separate from our Operating Fund) to support ministry outside our traditional areas - specifically when our pastors are called upon to employ their gifts, knowledge and talents in representing our church regionally or even internationally. In other words, when pastors from Walnut Hill receive royalties from books or fees from speaking engagements, the money they receive goes into not into their pockets, but to WHIM. And that money is then used to fund expenses associated with those trips.

This allows Walnut Hill to meet God's calling to be a resource church to others in the area and even in the world.

What readers are saying:

If living a crucified life is a paradox among Christians, I found reading the book nearly equally so. The writing was stylistically an easy read, but the message was not. I did not have a hard time putting it down. I found I often had to put it down feeling so convicted by its message. Words & terms such as "subtract my intrusive will, surrender, unqualified devotion, the cross of obedience" were not easily, or at all, swallowed. How far I fall short rang often throughout the book. I found myself often thinking... how can a 42 year old woman with 3 boys & a husband live a truly crucified life? What would the picture of who I know myself as look like then? Could crucifying myself really result in a more fulfilled me?

Frankly, I was pretty much overwhelmed throughout reading the book. However, as I neared the end, I suppose I adjusted to the intensity of the message & I found I was consciously making decisions (mostly little ones, but with bigger ramifications) with a viewpoint of less self-interest. I felt encouraged that I could achieve some semblance of crucified life, if not immediately, a bit at a time. I was moving forward. The book motivated me to grow deeper in my prayer life to ask God to reveal His picture of my crucified life in Him. On a somewhat lighter note, I delighted in reading some of my favorites sayings I hear from Clive's voice at the pulpit, & found the prayers at the end of the chapter an excellent wrap up. I'm very glad I read the book, but wouldn't recommend at to a newbee Christian.

Hope this helps,
Elizabeth

The book is so revealing as to who Jesus really is; it took us to another level! We all have the same Father and He speaks to us in so many languages. When we're totally surrendered to Him, we can really hear Him. The book also revealed to me that Jesus walks in my shoes - He is so involved in my daily life.
- Donna Budd

I had the privilege of reading the first draft (of "Dying to Live") and offering minor suggestions on one chapter out of the original seventeen Clive had written. I do not know what I did wrong; Clay Norman had me read the remaining sixteen chapters. This was almost a year ago and I have been dying to read Clive's book in print for so long. What a book to read and share with anyone whose soul needs to be awakened! I did not want to put it down. Clive's writing reads like a suspense-filled movie script with no two chapters using the same style of story telling; each one of us can relate to every one of these metaphors or similes so intimately, that we can say in our hearts "I had something so similar to this happened to me when I was...."

Clive's book is packed with such practical advice for every Christian to ask for the first time "how did I manage without these lessons?"
- Dr. Jey K. Jeyapalan

My prayer at the beginning of this year was to see a greater anointing of the Holy Spirit on my life, and to serve not in my own strength but in the power and strength of the Lord. "Dying to Live" is a blueprint for the answer to this prayer in my life. Thank you Clive for walking in obedience and writing this book!
- Karen Sergey

I really did get a clearer understanding about actually dying to self to allow Jesus to live a LIFE through me. I thought I'd figured out what that really means but God intends to take me even deeper into that experience with Him. I'm not thrilled about this...just thankful.
- Vicki Nowicki

First of all, I couldn't put the book down. It's like I always understood about dying to myself but I never understood how to put it into practice. Whatever life throws at you, you have a daily choice to make - do I live only for myself or do I live a more powerful life with the King of Kings living right inside me, guiding me through life's ups and downs? It never occurred to me that Jesus doesn't need me to live for Him - He can live it much better if I allow Him to live it through me.
- Leslie Turco

It brought me to tears, but also reminded me that my biggest victories in the Lord came about only when I died to myself. I didn't realize how much I have taken over control of areas of my life that need Him. What many don't know about me is I lost 220 pounds. It wasn't that hard because He was in control of everything. I gained only 8 pounds...but losing more of the weight I need to lose has become so hard. After reading the book I became convinced that I took control back and need to die again and give it back to the Lord.
- Linda Zoppa

On my shelf there are two classic Christian books that are well marked from many years of pondering. As I began reading Dying to Live, my yellow highlighter took on a life of its own. Clive hits the mark on each and every page as he carefully and succinctly, through personal experiences, challenges us to live an authentic life of loving surrender to the Savior. I am thrilled to finally have a more contemporary book that I can comfortably recommend to anyone seeking to live a life that radiates Jesus.
- Karen Amendola

Clive's passion for Christ is the rocket fuel used to launch this book. Dying to Live is a radical invitation to the very dangerous crucified life ... and I like it.
- Rob Strong

I couldn't put it down. I had to put it down for five minutes to put my children to bed, and they were like 'Mom, can we talk to you now?' and I said, 'No, I'm reading this book.' I read it basically non-stop. I had to stop around 10:30 at night for about half an hour because I was getting bleary-eyed.

It brought a lot of the pieces of a puzzle together. It made things I've been reading and hearing about make sense. I read it in about one and a half days, and now I'm reading it again, underlining and making notes. You've got to get this book!
- Cynthia Henke

Clive's book was given to me at a perfect time, not only am I new to his congregation, I am new to Christianity. It's been many years that I have been searching for my old relationship with God. In this book I found the language and clear explanations beyond helpful to help answer the very hard questions about fully giving your life to Jesus. Not only were questions answered, the prayers at the end of each chapter are heartfelt tools that can be used daily to help you fall further into God's arms and die to live. I have reread chapters and have cried as I finally understood where I have been going 'wrong' in my faith. I didn't let God into my heart because I didn't think I was worthy. Clive's book and his "chapter prayers" showed me how very wrong I was and how glorious our King really is.
- Lisa Goulart