The Master Level

THE MASTER LEVEL

By Dr. Carl C. Liggin
Foreword by Dr. Larry D. George, Ph.D.

What does it really mean to reach the "Master Level" in the Christian life?

It is not about titles, status, wealth, religious prestige, or standing above other people. There is only one Master, Jesus Christ. And when Jesus accepted the titles "Master" and "Lord," He did so while holding a towel and washing His disciples' feet.

In The Master Level: A Scriptural Journey into Spiritual Maturity and Kingdom Living, veteran pastor, teacher, and African Methodist Episcopal elder Dr. Carl C. Liggin draws upon more than seven decades of Christian ministry to challenge believers to move beyond passive religion toward mature, disciplined, Christ-centered living.

At the heart of the book is a life-changing question:

What good thing has God planned for you?

But Dr. Liggin refuses to leave the reader with inspiration alone. His answer is accompanied by another word:

Build.

Drawing deeply from Scripture, Dr. Liggin presents the Master Level as a journey of authentic discipleship, servanthood, spiritual maturity, wisdom, resilience, stewardship, healing, discernment, and Kingdom authority.

Readers are invited to examine some of the most important questions of the Christian life: What does it mean to call Jesus Master? Can spiritual authority exist without humility? What does the towel and basin teach us about leadership? How should Christians understand miracles and healing? What does Scripture really teach about sowing and reaping? How do believers remain faithful through suffering, disappointment, and loss? What does it mean to overcome? How should Christians understand prosperity, provision, and stewardship? And how can the Church exercise Kingdom authority without becoming authoritarian?

The book is especially valuable for pastors, ministers, Bible teachers, Christian educators, church leaders, seminary students, Sunday school classes, small groups, and individual believers seeking deeper spiritual formation.

More than a book to be read, The Master Level is designed to be experienced.

Each major section combines biblical teaching with searching questions for reflection and formation. Readers are encouraged to bring their lives into conversation with Scripture and to consider how the Word of God should shape their conduct, relationships, stewardship, leadership, and service.

The volume also includes a comprehensive 90-Day Master Level Curriculum, providing readers with a structured journey through thirteen weeks of spiritual development. Themes include following Jesus as Master, the shepherd's cross, servanthood, miracles, spiritual fruitfulness, wisdom, overcoming adversity, Kingdom authority, and building what God has entrusted to us.

Readers can go even deeper through The Master's Examination, a self-assessment instrument organized around six areas of spiritual maturity:

Christological Grounding
Servanthood and the Towel
Fruitfulness and Stewardship
Endurance and Overcoming
Wisdom and Discernment
Kingdom Authority and Accountability

For churches and educational settings, the book also provides a Facilitator's Guide for Congregations, Classes, and Small Groups, including course structures suitable for a four-week intensive, a nine-week adult Sunday school term, or a sixteen-week seminary or Bible institute experience.