Core Thesis (John 14:12, Taken Seriously)
At the heart of Do Greater Things is a bold and simple conviction: Jesus meant exactly what He said in John 14:12 when He promised that believers would do the works He did—and even greater ones. Dawkins repeatedly pushes back against the quiet skepticism many Christians carry, insisting that if God says something, He intends to do it.
“It’s amazing to me that some people are surprised when God does the things He said He’d do” (16).
The book is not primarily theoretical. Its stated goal is practical and pastoral:
“To show you how to activate your faith so you can do even greater things… things that will change your community and the world” (17).
What follows is a fast-moving blend of biblical exhortation, personal testimony, and street-level ministry stories, all aimed at awakening faith and courage.
Top 3 Lessons from the Book
1. God’s Power Is Real—and It’s for Ordinary Believers
One of the most striking features of the book is the sheer number of stories: healings, deliverance, prophetic insight, and dramatic conversions. These accounts aren’t presented as exceptional moments for elite Christians, but as what can happen when ordinary believers take Jesus at His word.
Dawkins repeatedly returns to a haunting question:
“Does it make sense… that the Church He brought into the world through such an amazing display of His power should become little more than a Sunday morning hangout?” (34)
The stories function as faith catalysts. They confront the reader with the uncomfortable possibility that many Christians live powerless lives not because God is absent—but because His authority is rarely activated.
2. Faith Is Spelled R-I-S-K
A central theme is that faith requires action, often before certainty or comfort.
“Surely it’s worth risking a little abuse now and then to see lives won for God’s Kingdom” (71).
Dawkins is refreshingly clear: results belong to God, not to us.
“You don’t have to worry about the results. The results are for Him and not us!” (66)
This frees believers from outcome-based pressure. Obedience matters more than visible success. Faith is not passive belief—it is stepping out, praying, speaking, and trusting God with whatever follows.
3. “The Meat Is in the Street”
Echoing John Wimber, Dawkins insists that the primary arena for God’s power is outside church walls.
Too much ministry, he argues, is inward-focused—“preaching to the choir”—while the lost remain unreached. Healing, miracles, and words of knowledge are presented not as ends in themselves, but as signposts pointing to salvation.
“There is something more exciting than healing the sick… and that is rescuing people from hell so they can live with Jesus for eternity” (119).
Healing opens hearts. Miracles invite relationship. Every sign points beyond itself to Christ.
Key Emphases Worth Noting
- Activation through prayer and expectation: daily thanksgiving for the Holy Spirit and active expectancy (44).
- Authority exercised by speaking: prayer that commands transformation, rooted in the Cross (59).
- Childlike faith: Dawkins often invites children to pray publicly to demonstrate that authority comes from identity, not maturity.
- Sonship vs. orphan mentality: believers act freely because they know who they are in Christ.
- Perseverance: healing ministry is warfare, and breakthrough often follows long obedience.
- Salvation as the ultimate goal: signs and wonders exist to reveal God’s love and invite eternal life.
Review & Recommendation
Do Greater Things is not a systematic theology of healing. It is a faith-stirring, story-driven call to action. Readers looking for academic balance or extensive cautionary nuance may find it one-sided. But that is precisely its strength.
This book is best read as:
- A spark for dormant faith
- A challenge to spiritual passivity
- An invitation to step out in love for the lost
If you want carefully footnoted debates, this isn’t that book.
If you want to be inspired, unsettled, and reminded that God still acts today, it’s well worth your time.
Recommendation: Read it for the stories. Let them stretch your expectations. Then pray—and step out.
Prodigal Catholic 
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