Dallas Willard Dallas Willard Ministries
First-Time Visitor
About Dallas
Contact

Reigning in Life through One Christ Jesus

August 4-6, 2009
Okoboji Bible Conference - Okoboji, IA

Kingdom of God Spiritual Formation Discipleship Conference Audio

At the heart of this 3-part conference series is Dallas’s enduring conviction that the Christian life is not merely about believing the right things or securing a place in heaven, but about participating now in the eternal kind of life available in Jesus Christ. Rooted in Romans 5:17—“those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ”—Dallas speaks with unusual clarity and warmth to everyday believers, helping them see their divine calling and purpose. His first message, Who You Are and Why You Are Here, explores how our identity in Christ is both the starting point and the anchor for our journey of discipleship.

In the following talks, Entering and Living in the Kingdom of God and How We Learn to Do What Jesus Said, Dallas walks through what it means to actually step into the reign of God and live from its resources. He articulates a vision for discipleship that is intelligent, practical, and deeply hopeful. These sessions offer a path forward for those weary of surface-level Christianity and hungry for the abundant life Jesus promised. 
 

Resources

1: Who You Are and Why You Are Here

Dallas invites us to rediscover our identity and purpose as beings made in the image of God. Drawing from Scripture, philosophy, and everyday life, he offers a compelling vision of human destiny—not merely survival or success, but reigning with God in eternity. Dallas gently dismantles false narratives about the self and anchors our understanding in grace, love, and divine calling. 

2: Entering and Living in the Kingdom of God

Dallas invites us into the reality of the Kingdom of God—not as a future hope, but as a life we can live now under the reign of Christ. Dallas explains how grace empowers us, how discipleship transforms us, and how God’s intent from the beginning was that we would reign with Him. This talk is a compelling call to take Jesus seriously as our present Teacher and King.

3: How We Learn to Do What Jesus Said

Dallas unpacks what it really means to learn how to do what Jesus said. Moving beyond mere belief or moral striving, Dallas invites us into a life of interactive apprenticeship—where transformation happens through training, practice, and deep relational trust. 

Photography by Okoboji Bible Conference

The resources on this website are freely available here because of the generous gifts of our supporters.

Give

Related Resources

You may also like...

Training for Reigning

Audio

The Divine Conspiracy

Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God

The Divine Conspiracy

Books

Divine Conspiracy Teaching Series

Video

Looking Like Jesus

Articles
Download & Listen Offline
Download & Listen Offline
Download & Listen Offline

Who You Are and Why You Are Here

Highlights:

  • Philosophers and Faith:  Dallas opens with humor about being introduced as a philosopher, acknowledging how people often expect abstract or impractical thoughts. But he makes clear that true philosophy can serve faith, especially when rooted in the reality of Jesus Christ.
  • Faith in the Living Christ: Dallas emphasizes the importance of placing our trust not only in the historical Jesus but also in the ever-present and future Christ. He sets the stage for the rest of his talk by highlighting Jesus as the one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
  • The Overflow of Grace: He unpacks the promise that God’s grace is always sufficient—not just occasionally or partially, but for every situation. Dallas underscores how our lives should be marked by an abundance of grace that fuels all good deeds.
  • Genesis and Our Purpose: Dallas turns to Genesis 1:26 to answer the big question of why we are here. He reminds us that being made in God's image means we are called to live a life that reflects God's character and participates in His work.
  • Made to Rule: Reflecting on Psalm 8, Dallas shows how human beings are crowned with glory and majesty and given authority to care for creation. He paints a picture of human life as noble, entrusted with real responsibility.
  • Eternal Destiny: Dallas closes by reminding us that we are spiritual beings with an eternal future. Our destiny is to reign with God, not just for 10,000 years, but forever—a vision meant to profoundly shape how we live today.

Entering and Living in the Kingdom of God

Highlights:

  • Reigning in Life by Christ Jesus: Dallas opens with Romans 5:17, emphasizing that through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, we are meant to reign in life through Christ. This is not a distant ideal but a present possibility grounded in God’s intention for humanity.
  • Created to Rule Under God: Referencing Genesis 1:26, Dallas explains that human beings were created to reign—not in domination, but in divine partnership. Our role is to exercise influence under God’s authority, not apart from it.
  • Living in the Kingdom Now: Dallas clarifies that the Kingdom of God is not just something we enter after death. Instead, it's a present reality we can step into by trusting Jesus and doing what He says.
  • Apprenticeship to Jesus is Central: To live in the Kingdom, we must become disciples—apprentices of Jesus. Dallas insists that this is the normal Christian life, not a special calling for a few.
  • Grace Is Power, Not Just Pardon: Grace, as Dallas teaches, is not merely about the forgiveness of sins. It’s the active presence of God in our lives that empowers us to live differently.
  • The Kingdom Life is Practical: Dallas closes by showing how Kingdom living affects daily actions—relationships, work, and inner life. It’s not abstract; it’s a concrete, lived experience in the presence of God.

How We Learn to Do What Jesus Said

Highlights:

  • Nothing Good is Lost in Christ: Dallas begins with a word of deep comfort—assuring listeners that in Christ, all good things are preserved. This frames the entire talk as an exploration of how to live meaningfully and joyfully with Jesus at the center.
  • Jesus is the Constant in a Changing World: Drawing from Hebrews 13, Dallas emphasizes the unchanging nature of Jesus. This anchors our learning and obedience not in fleeting experiences, but in the enduring presence of Christ.
  • Reigning in Life Through Practice: Dallas shifts into the practical, inviting us to learn how to "reign in life" by actually doing what Jesus said. Discipleship is not theoretical—it’s embodied, practiced, and learned over time.
  • We Learn by Doing, Not Just Knowing: He stresses that spiritual growth doesn’t happen merely through information. It requires a life of active engagement, trial, correction, and grace-filled effort.
  • Apprenticeship Requires Training, Not Just Trying: Dallas makes a crucial distinction between trying to be like Jesus and training to be like Him. Real transformation involves structured, Spirit-empowered formation, not mere willpower.
  • Living with Jesus is the Goal, Not Just Morality: Dallas brings us back to the heart of discipleship: life with Jesus. Our aim is not merely to become moral people, but to live interactively with Christ in every aspect of life.