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Spiritual Discipleship: Principles of Following Christ for Every Believer (Sanders Spiritual Growth Series)
by J. Oswald Sanders&“Take time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.&” — 1 Tim. 4:7, J. B. Phillips TranslationAs J. Oswald Sanders points out, true discipleship is more than intellectual assent to a belief in Christ; it involves the whole person and lifestyle.True disciples pursue their Master. They know that God is watching over their faith, but they also take Scripture&’s command seriously: &“work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you.&” They take pains, by His power, to look more and more like Jesus. This book will help you to be such a disciple. It examines Jesus&’ teaching on what it means to follow Him, helping you become the kind of Christian Jesus wants you to be—not one devised by man or even other Christians. You&’ll learn:The profile of an ideal discipleConditions for discipleshipThe tests that disciples endureHow disciples pray and growThe posture and practices of a discipleAnd moreFor anyone who wants to be not just a believer in Christ, but an imitator of Him, this book is a treasured resource. Includes questions for reflection, ideal for both individual and group study.
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us
by Adele Ahlberg CalhounAdele Calhoun gives us directions for our journey toward intimacy with Christ and shows how desires and discipline work together to lead us to the transformation we're longing for--the transformation only Christ can bring. This Handbook is full of practical, accessible guidance that helps you actually do them.
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us (Transforming Resources Ser.)
by Adele Ahlberg Calhounvisio divinaSpiritual Disciplines Handbookdisciplineaboutpractice
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
by J. I. Packer Donald S. WhitneyDrawn from a rich heritage, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life will guide you through a carefully selected array of disciplines. By illustrating why the disciplines are important, showing how each one will help you grow in godliness, and offering practical suggestions for cultivating them, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life will provide you with a refreshing opportunity to become more like Christ and grow in character and maturity. Now updated and revised to equip a new generation of readers, this anniversary edition features in-depth discussions on each of the key disciplines.
Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ
by Donald S. Whitney'You're worth it.' 'You deserve a break today.' 'Do something nice for yourself.' Commonly heard phrases in this society committed to self-gratification and individual rights. Doing things for other people is a waste of precious time, and asking for help, weak. So how do we build the church described in the Scriptures? In this day and age, how can we be a genuine community based on self-sacrifice and mutual commitment? In Spiritual Disciplines Within the Church, seminary professor, author, and former pastor Don Whitney shows us how to build a sense of community and be active participants instead of passive attendees. Whitney looks at such frequently asked questions as: Why can't I get by on my own? Why should I go to church? Why should I give of myself to the church? Why do I need to worship in church? Couldn't I just worship in nature? Why does it matter whether I become a member of the church?Committed love must mark the local expression of the body of Christ. By putting spiritual disciplines into practice in the church, congregations can return to the depth of community present in the New Testament church, where they 'devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.'
Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ
by Donald S. Whitney'You're worth it.' 'You deserve a break today.' 'Do something nice for yourself.' Commonly heard phrases in this society committed to self-gratification and individual rights. Doing things for other people is a waste of precious time, and asking for help, weak. So how do we build the church described in the Scriptures? In this day and age, how can we be a genuine community based on self-sacrifice and mutual commitment? In Spiritual Disciplines Within the Church, seminary professor, author, and former pastor Don Whitney shows us how to build a sense of community and be active participants instead of passive attendees. Whitney looks at such frequently asked questions as: Why can't I get by on my own? Why should I go to church? Why should I give of myself to the church? Why do I need to worship in church? Couldn't I just worship in nature? Why does it matter whether I become a member of the church?Committed love must mark the local expression of the body of Christ. By putting spiritual disciplines into practice in the church, congregations can return to the depth of community present in the New Testament church, where they 'devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.'
Spiritual Disciplines: Exploring the Classic Disciplines of the Faith
by Rose PublishingThe Spiritual Disciplines Pamphlet explains the classic spiritual disciplines that help us follow Jesus: Scripture reading, prayer, fasting, worship, solitude, and evangelism. The Spiritual Disciplines Pamphlet makes an excellent handout or Bible study on Christian maturity for a small group or Sunday school class. It addresses questions such as: What does it mean to be Jesus' disciples in the twenty-first century? Do spiritual disciplines look different in an electronic age? How can spiritual disciplines be a joy, not a legalistic burden?Includes an explaination and advice on these Spiritual Disciplines:* Bible Reading/Study* Prayer* Fasting* Worship* Service* Solitutude* Discernment* EvangelismEach Spiritual Discipline includes:* Examples from people in the Bible* Tips for getting started* How each discipline helps us to have a Christ-focused lifeDiscussion Questions* Scripture Reading: Read two of the Bible passages from the list on page 5. In your opinion, what is the message of these passages? Read the section on "The Disciplines Today." Some people love to read the Bible; others see it as a challenge. What ideas might work for those who struggle?* Prayer: Read one of the Psalms listed at the top of page 6 and pick one other Bible passage in that section. What is the writer of the Psalms expressing in his prayer? Is he being honest with God about his emotions and problems? In what way does this change your view of prayer? What attitude should we have? What kinds of prayers should we avoid? Pick one of the ideas in "The Disciplines Today" and share how you might apply it.* Fasting: Choose two of the passages at the top of page 8 to read. Why did these people choose to fast? Now look at the quote. How can we keep our focus on the right thing? Fasting is one of the most neglected of the Spiritual Disciplines, but it is excellent for teaching us self-control. Look at the tips. How might you practice the discipline of fasting? * Worship: People worship in many ways as we can see from the biblical examples at the top of page 9. Which of these suit your personality and circumstances the most? Look at the first point under "The Disciplines Today." In practical ways, how can we develop the right attitudes? When we worship in a group, the experience is often different from our private times of worship. What are the benefits of each? * Service: Jesus could have forced and bullied everyone into obeying him. Yet he did not. He chose to be a servant. Pick one of the passages from the Biblical Basis section at the top of page 10, and explain how Jesus' leadership is different from the kind of leadership found in the world today. Read the tips on page 10. How will you serve others in a way that imitates Jesus?* Solitude: Many biblical leaders sought to be alone with God. Pick one of the examples on page 11 and note anything of interest to you. If you are the type of person who likes having a lot of noise in your life, how do you practice solitude? What are the benefits of going off by yourself and praying and resting?* Discernment: Look at the examples of biblical discernment at the top of page 12. Read both of the last two bullet points in the Biblical Basis section. What does discernment mean and how does it look today? Some people seem to have the spiritual gift of discernment, but all believers can be more discerning in general. Why is it important to discuss issues with other believers?* Evangelism: Read all of the points at the top of page 13. What did Jesus teach? Look at the tips. What do you see as the most important? It is often easiest and most natural to share your own story with close friends. Do you ever sense an opportunity to discuss spiritual matters? Perfect for discipleship or small groups.
Spiritual Disciplines: The Tasks of a Joyful Life (Fisherman Bible Studyguide Series)
by Larry SibleyPractices such as prayer, worship, fasting, and solitude will take on new dimensions of richness as readers discover how these things can draw them into a deeper delight in God.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Spiritual Diversity In Social Work Practice: The Heart Of Helping
by Edward R. Canda Leola Dyrud FurmanMany of the people served by social workers draw upon spirituality, by whatever names they call it, to help them thrive, to succeed at challenges, and to infuse their resources and relationships with meaning beyond mere survival value. This revised and expanded edition of a classic provides a comprehensive framework of values, knowledge, skills, and evidence for spiritually sensitive practice with diverse clients. Weaving together interdisciplinary theory and research, as well as the results from a national survey of practitioners, the authors describe a spiritually oriented model for practice that places clients' challenges and goals within the context of their deepest meanings and highest aspirations. Using richly detailed case examples and thought-provoking activities, this highly accessible text illustrates the professional values and ethical principles that guide spiritually sensitive practice.
Spiritual Diversity In Social Work Practice: The Heart Of Helping
by Edward R. Canda Leola Dyrud Furman Hwi-Ja CandaSocial workers and helping professionals serve many people who draw upon religion and spirituality to find meaning, thrive, and overcome oppression and obstacles in their lives. The third edition of Spiritual Diversity in Social Work Practice provides a comprehensive framework of values, knowledge, and skills for spiritually sensitive and culturally appropriate practice with diverse religious and non-religious clients. This classic text contains forty different case examples and stories that vividly illustrate the professional values and ethical principles that guide spiritually sensitive practice. Learning activities at the end of each chapter encourage readers' personal and professional development through self-reflection, dialogue, creative expression, outreach to the community, and skill application. The book also draws connections between spiritual and cultural diversity, gender, and LGBTQI issues. It introduces beliefs, values, and social welfare applications of Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Indigenous spiritual perspectives, Islam, Judaism, Existentialism, and Transpersonal and Deep Ecological Theories. Skills for spiritual assessment and spiritually sensitive practices include mindfulness, meditation, ritual and ceremony, forgiveness, spiritually sensitive administration, and engagement with community-based spiritual support systems. For social workers and other professional helpers committed to supporting the spiritual care of individuals, families, and communities, this definitive guide offers state-of-the-art interdisciplinary and international insights as well as practical tools that students and practitioners alike can put to immediate use.
Spiritual Ecology: 10 Practices to Reawaken the Sacred in Everyday Life
by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee Hilary Hart<i>Spiritual Ecology: 10 Practices to Reawaken the Sacred in Everyday Life</i> offers inspiring and practical guidance for reconnecting to the sacred in every day life and transforming our relationship with the Earth. Describing the power of simple, daily practices such as Walking, Gardening, Cooking with Love, and Prayer, this small book supports profound changes in how we think about and respond to the ecological crisis of our times.
Spiritual Ecology: 10 Practices to Reawaken the Sacred in Everyday Life
by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee Hilary HartSpiritual Ecology: 10 Practices to Reawaken the Sacred in Everyday Life offers inspiring and practical guidance for reconnecting to the sacred in every day life and transforming our relationship with the Earth. Describing the power of simple, daily practices such as Walking, Gardening, Cooking with Love, and Prayer, this small book supports profound changes in how we think about and respond to the ecological crisis of our times.Spiritual Ecology: 10 Practices to Reawaken the Sacred in Everyday Life follows our groundbreaking Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth, now in its second edition, which included spiritual perspectives on climate change, species loss, deforestation, and other aspects of our present environmental crises from renowned spiritual teachers, scientists, and indigenous leaders. That book drew an overwhelmingly positive reaction from readers, many of whom are asking: "What can I do?"Spiritual Ecology: 10 Practices to Reawaken the Sacred in Everyday Life answers that question with inspiring, personal anecdotes from the author – Sufi teacher Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee – and simple practices we all can do. Rooted in the mystical foundation of the world's great spiritual traditions, with a particular connection to Sufism, these timeless practices remind readers of our deep connections to life, each other, and the Earth, and invite a return of meaning to our desecrated world.As Rumi says, "there are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground," and it is this sacred ground that is calling to us, that needs our living presence, our attentiveness. This small book offers simple ways to reconnect so that we can once again feel the music, the song of our living connection with the Earth.
Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth
by Thich Nhat Hanh Wendell Berry Vandana Shiva Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee Sandra Ingerman Joanna Macy Mary Evelyn Tucker Brian Swimme Bill Plotkin Father Richard RohrThe first edition of this book fostered the emergence of the "Spiritual Ecology Movement," which recognizes the need for a spiritual response to our present ecological crisis. It drew an overwhelmingly positive response from readers, many of whom are asking the simple question, "What can I do?" This second expanded edition offers new chapters, including two from younger authors who are putting the principles of spiritual ecology into action, working with their hands as well as their hearts. It also includes a new preface and revised chapter by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, that reference two major recent events: the publication of Pope Francis's encyclical, "On Care for Our Common Home," which brought into the mainstream the idea that "the ecological crisis is essentially a spiritual problem"; and the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference, which saw representatives from nearly 200 countries come together to address global warming, including faith leaders from many traditions. Bringing together voices from Buddhism, Sufism, Christianity, and Native American traditions, as well as from physics, deep psychology, and other environmental disciplines, this book calls on us to reassess our underlying attitudes and beliefs about the Earth and wake up to our spiritual as well as physical responsibilities toward the planet.
Spiritual Economies: Female Monasticism in Later Medieval England (The Middle Ages Series)
by Nancy Bradley WarrenFrom its creation in the early fourteenth century to its dissolution in the sixteenth, the nunnery at Dartford was among the richest in England. Although obliged to support not only its own community but also a priory of Dominican friars at King's Langley, Dartford prospered. Records attest to the business skill of the Dartford nuns, as they managed the house's numerous holdings of land and property, together with the rents and services owed them. That the Dartford nuns were capable businesswomen is not surprising, since the house was also a center of female education.For Nancy Bradley Warren, the story of Dartford exemplifies the vibrancy of nuns' material and spiritual lives in later medieval England. Revising the long-held view that fourteenth- and fifteenth-century English nunneries were impoverished both financially and religiously, Warren clarifies that the women in female monastic communities like Dartford were not woefully incompetent at managing their affairs. Instead, she reveals the complex role of female monasticism in diverse systems of production and exchange. Like the nuns at Dartford, women religious in late medieval England were enmeshed in material, symbolic, political, and spiritual economies that were at times in harmony and at other times in conflict with each other.Building on emerging cross-disciplinary trends in feminist scholarship on medieval religion, Warren extends ongoing debates about textual and economic constructions of women's identities to the rarely considered evidence of monastic theory and practice. To this end, Spiritual Economies emphasizes that the cloister was not impermeable. As worldly forces such as economic trends and political conflicts affected life in the nunneries, so too did religious practices have political impact. In breaking down the convent wall, Warren also succeeds in breaching the boundaries separating the material and the symbolic, the religious and the secular, the literary and the historical. She turns to a wide range of sources—from legislative texts, court records, and financial accounts to devotional treatises and political propaganda—to explore the centrality of female monasticism to the flowering of female spirituality and to the later Middle Ages at large.
Spiritual Emergency: When Personal Transformation Becomes A Crisis
by Stanislav Grof Christina GrofFrom Spiritual Emergency to Healing and Rebirth Increasing numbers of people involved in personal transformation are experiencing spiritual emergencies -- crises when the process of growth and change becomes chaotic and overwhelming. Individuals experiencing such episodes may feel that their sense of identity is breaking down, that their old values no longer hold true, and that the very ground beneath their personal realities is radically shifting. In many cases, new realms of mystical and spiritual experience enter their lives suddenly and dramatically, resulting in fear and confusion. They may feel tremendous anxiety, have difficulty coping with their daily lives, jobs, and relationships, and may even fear for their own sanity. Unfortunately, much of modern psychiatry has failed to distinguish these episodes from mental illness. As a result, transformational crises are often suppressed by routine psychiatric care, medication, and even institutionalization. However, there is a new perspective developing among many mental health professionals and those studying spiritual development that views such crises as transformative breakthroughs that can hold tremendous potential for physical and emotional healing. When understood and treated in a supportive manner, spiritual emergencies can become gateways to higher levels of functioning and new ways of being. In this book, foremost psychologists, psychiatrists, and spiritual teachers address the following questions: What is spiritual emergency? What is the relationship between spirituality, "madness," and healing? What forms does spiritual emergency take? What are the pitfalls -- and promises -- of spiritual practice? How can people in spiritual emergency be assisted by family, friends, and professionals? This groundbreaking work reveals that within the crisis of spiritual emergency lies the promise of spiritual emergence and renewal.
Spiritual Empires in Europe and India: Cosmopolitan Religious Movements from 1875 to the Interwar Era
by Perry MyersThis book provides a comparative analysis of cosmopolitan (esoteric) religious movements, such as Theosophy, Groupe Independent des Études Ésotériques, Anthroposophy, and Monism, in England, France, Germany, and India during the late nineteenth-century to the interwar years. Despite their diversity, these factions manifested a set of common features—anti-materialism, embrace of Darwinian evolution, and a belief in universal spirituality—that coalesced in a transnational field of analogous cosmopolitan spiritual affinities. Yet, in each of their geopolitical locations these groups developed vastly different interpretations and applications of their common spiritual tenets. This book explores how such religious innovation intersected with the social (labor and economic renewal), cultural (education and religious innovation) and political (Empire and anti-colonial) dynamics in these vastly different national domains. Ultimately, it illustrates how an innovative religious discourse converged with the secular world and became applied to envision a new social order—to spiritually re-engineer the world.
Spiritual Ends: Religion and the Heart of Dying in Japan (New Interventions in Japanese Studies #4)
by Timothy O. BenedictA free open access ebook is available upon publication. Learn more at www.luminosoa.org. What role does religion play at the end of life in Japan? Spiritual Ends draws on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews with hospice patients, chaplains, and medical workers to provide an intimate portrayal of how spiritual care is provided to the dying in Japan. Timothy O. Benedict uses both local and cross-cultural perspectives to show how hospice caregivers in Japan are appropriating and reinterpreting global ideas about spirituality and the practice of spiritual care. Benedict relates these findings to a longer story of how Japanese religious groups have pursued vocational roles in medical institutions as a means to demonstrate a so-called "healthy" role in society. By paying attention to how care for the kokoro (heart or mind) is key to the practice of spiritual care, this book enriches conventional understandings of religious identity in Japan while offering a valuable East Asian perspective to global conversations on the ways religion, spirituality, and medicine intersect at death.
Spiritual Entrepreneurs: 6 Principles for Risking Renewal (Innovators in Ministry Series) (Innovators In Ministry Ser.)
by Mike SlaughterSpiritual Entrepreneurs tells the story of an innovative pastor and leadership team who intentionally led their church to take spiritual risks. By using six principles, renewal can come to any church. These six principles are focus on: (1) Jesus Christ, (2) the Bible, (3) new forms of worship, (4) a commitment to membership, (5) equipping lay people for ministry, and (6) spiritual leadership. Slaughter belives that church leaders are inspired to work tirelessly when they hear or learn of good-news stories. He also believes that covenants, Christianity training, and an innovative small-group structure are vital in producing high-commitment members.
Spiritual Entrepreneurs: Florida's Faith-Based Prisons and the American Carceral State (Where Religion Lives)
by Brad StoddardThe overall rate of incarceration in the United States has been on the rise since 1970s, skyrocketing during Ronald Reagan's presidency, and recently reaching unprecedented highs. Looking for innovative solutions to the crises produced by gigantic prison populations, Florida's Department of Corrections claims to have found a partial remedy in the form of faith and character-based correctional institutions (FCBIs). While claiming to be open to all religious traditions, FCBIs are almost always run by Protestants situated within the politics of the Christian right. The religious programming is typically run by the incarcerated along with volunteers from outside the prison. Stoddard takes the reader deep inside FCBIs, analyzing the subtle meanings and difficult choices with which the incarcerated, prison administrators, staff, and chaplains grapple every day. Drawing on extensive ethnographic research and historical analysis, Brad Stoddard argues that FCBIs build on and demonstrate the compatibility of conservative Christian politics and neoliberal economics.Even without authoritative data on whether FCBIs are assisting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism rates, similar programs are appearing across the nation—only Iowa has declared them illegal under non-establishment-of-religion statutes. Exposing the intricate connections among incarceration, neoliberal economics, and religious freedom, Stoddard makes a timely contribution to debates about religion's role in American society.
Spiritual Entrepreneurship: Fulfilling Your God-Ordained Destiny
by Mary Harrison Bill HarrisonHaving enjoyed succesful careers in three different industries (manufacturing, construction and commercial real estate) I have learned my talents, skills, experience and God-given gifts can be applied in different ways in many diverse situations. All that was required was willingnes to go wherever God led me and to do whatever he asked me to do. In the process of doing I learned God had a plan for my life which was more challenging than my own plan, but also far more exciting and rewarding. My wife Mary’s experience has been similar to mine, as she was afforded opportunities to go places and do things which have gone far beyond what she expected for herself. Based on our life experiences as a married couple with dual professional careers, my wife and I developed the concept we call spiritual entrepreneurship. The challengers we faced in fulfilling the requirements of two separate careers without neglecting our family obligations led us to the principles and practices of this concept. Feel free to visit out website at www.spiritual-entreprenuership.com
Spiritual Envy
by Michael KrasnyAs the host of one of National Public Radio's most popular interview programs, Michael Krasny has spent decades leading conversations on every imaginable topic and discussing life's most important questions with the foremost thinkers of our time. Now he brings his wide-ranging knowledge and perceptive intelligence to a thoughtful and thought-provoking exploration of belief; and lack of belief. Many books and pundits advocate for a specific God, while others adamantly declare there is no God. Yet these strident viewpoints often speak right past each other, rarely convincing anyone but the already convinced. In -- Spiritual Envy -- Krasny helps believers and nonbelievers alike understand their own questions about faith and religion, about God and human responsibility. Krasny challenges each of us to look closely at faith and its power, and to examine the positive and negative aspects of religion as expressed in culture, literature, and human relationships. Personal and universal, timely and timeless, this is a deeply wise yet warmly welcoming conversation, an invitation to ask one's own questions; no matter how inconclusive the answers.
Spiritual Equipping for Mission: Thriving as God's Message Bearers
by Ryan ShawGod calls his people to mission. But the demands of crosscultural ministry can be overwhelming and draining, leading to discouragement and burnout. All of our strategies and methodologies for reaching others are useless if we are incapable of living the holy, faithful lives God intends for us. Yet God does not leave us on our own. The Holy Spirit equips us to succeed and thrive spiritually in preparation of becoming God?s message bearers in the world. Spiritual formation and discipleship are at the core of effective and fruitful mission. Mission professional Ryan Shaw unpacks ten fundamental spiritual keys we need to practice to have a successful outer global witness. He shows how we can partner with God to experience Jesus' transforming power and presence, with practical insights for praying, growing and persevering as God's servants in the world. God is calling a new generation to serve long-term to fulfill the Great Commission. The Holy Spirit is at work within us to equip and enable mission workers in and out of the field. Discover how you can become who God wants you to be as his ambassador to the world.
Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith
by George E. VaillantIn our current era of holy terror, passionate faith has come to seem like a present danger. Writers such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens have been happy to throw the baby out with the bathwater and declare that the danger is in religion itself. God, Hitchens writes, is not great. But man, according to George E. Vaillant, M. D. ,isgreat. InSpiritual Evolution, Dr. Vaillant lays out a brilliant defense not of organized religion but of man’s inherent spirituality. Our spirituality, he shows, resides in our uniquely human brain design and in our innate capacity for emotions like love, hope, joy, forgiveness, and compassion, which are selected for by evolution and located in a different part of the brain than dogmatic religious belief. Evolution has made us spiritual creatures over time, he argues, and we are destined to become even more so. Spiritual Evolutionmakes the scientific case for spirituality as a positive force in human evolution, and he predicts for our species an even more loving future. Vaillant traces this positive force in three different kinds of “evolution”: the natural selection of genes over millennia, of course, but also the cultural evolution within recorded history of ideas about the value of human life, and the development of spirituality within the lifetime of each individual. For thirty-five years, Dr. Vaillant directed Harvard’s famous longitudinal study of adult development, which has followed hundreds of men over seven decades of life. The study has yielded important insights into human spirituality, and Dr. Vaillant has drawn on these and on a range of psychological research, behavioral studies, and neuroscience, and on history, anecdote, and quotation to produce a book that is at once a work of scientific argument and a lyrical meditation on what it means to be human. Spiritual Evolutionis a life’s work, and it will restore our belief in faith as an essential human striving.
Spiritual Formation Student Workbook: Invited to Follow
by Wheaton Press Chris BrowneThis student workbook corresponds with the Wheaton Press Spiritual Formation 200 level class: Becoming a follower of Jesus.Students will understand that Jesus is our model of spiritual maturity and that He invited us to follow His model for spiritual transformation.Students will understand the significance of each of Christ's major invitations in the process of transformation and learn how to apply each invitation to their daily lives.Through the process of the eight units of the course students are invited to personalize their response to Christ's invitation: Follow, Me and I will make you fishers of men (Mark 1:17).
Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through Community
by James C. WilhoitThe yearning and restlessness of our souls drive us toward God. This hunger and homesickness is the beginning of spiritual formation, according to James C. Wilhoit. In "Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered," Wilhoit takes a unique approach to the topic. Whereas most books focus on the individual's spiritual transformation, this one intentionally concentrates on how the local church itself is the seedbed of spiritual growth and how the process is a community effort. This book's short chapters, sidebar material, and concluding prayers fit well with readers' busy lives without sacrificing quality and depth of content.