Dr. Bud Ford shares with us his readers of his heart and experiences with seeing personal lives, workplace environments, churches and cities changing for the better.  Dr. Ford believes that the only true way for all of us to be truly transformed is by God’s presence in our lives.  According to this book, this can be experienced in individual and in group sittings, scared and secular. 

            This volume has been divided up into four parts.  Part One- The Model gives the story of a men’s prison, Marion Correctional Institute.   Dr. Ford gives the testimony of how this Institution was changed over a period of time.  He also includes the personal stories of some of the inmates.  This part of the book was very informative as well as inspirational.  The author states that one could follow these same steps in other sittings, even prisons and get different or no results that the missing part that transforms, brings change is God and His presence.  He takes the missing piece future by going into more detail and makes a list of things he feels needs to be added into the equation of transformation. 

            Part Two: The Pattern discusses the patterns that God has for coming into His presence and remaining there.  The author states that until we discover God’s true pattern, we will not have success and our cities, homes, churches and lives will not be transformed.  Within these chapters the author lays out for the reader, God’s pattern for transformation and change through the Old Testament Tabernacle model, scriptures in Ephesians that deal with the body of Christ and our position in Christ and in relationship to others, and the test, power, struggle and rewards of faith.

            The next section of this book deals with various issues in being involved and working within the context of seeing your city, etc revived.  Leadership issues as well as personal issues, ideals, thought patters that can be positive or negative are discussed.   The author makes a statement that even though much has been done to turn our cities, etc into better places, that we as a nation have not done a very good job, and have quite a ways to go.

            In the final part of this volume the author deals with the state of the church, and gives a word to Christians, especially the clergy of our responsibility.  One thing among many that the author addresses in this chapter is the need for repentance.  The closing two chapters give a summary of the book as well as some suggestions of digging deeper into this subject matter if we are to see a true spiritual transformation in our midst.

This book is a must read for anyone desiring spiritual revival, reformation in the life and sphere of influence.  It will also serve as an excellent resource for those involved in Christian leadership and have a passion for experiencing God’s presence in personal and corporate ways.  Transformation: The Missing Piece  also contains four appendices, a suggested reading list and index.  This text can be used for personal reading, as well group presentations.