John Jefferson Davis summons the resources of traditional biblical meditation for a culture lost in the cloud. He establishes the trinitarian view of God's real presence in Scripture and then ushers readers through three successive stages of meditation--consummating in a method for deep assimilation of the Christian worldview.
Copastors Kent Carlson and Mike Lueken tell the decade-long story of how God took their thriving, consumer-oriented church and transformed it into a modest congregation of unformed believers committed to the growth of the spirit—even when it meant a decline in numbers.
With the decline of traditional Sunday school and education programs in recent years, many Christians have not learned the fundamental doctrinal content of the faith. In this text Gary Parrett and Steve Kang set forth a thoroughly biblical vision for intentional teaching of the Christian faith that attends to both the content and process of educational and formational ministries.
Adele Calhoun's Spiritual Disciplines Handbook has become a standard for those who want to expand their knowledge of spiritual practices. Now this beloved resource has been revised throughout and expanded to include thirteen new disciplines along with a new preface by the author, giving us practical guidance in our continuing journey toward intimacy with Christ.
Richard Peace unpacks what it means to make a conscious practice of noticing God in daily life. He explores the various ways people experience and recognize God's presence in mystical encounters, ordinary life, our hearts, through other people, through Scripture, nature and the church. God is present in our world. You can encounter him. Here's how.
In this expanded edition of a spiritual formation classic, David G. Benner explores the twin themes of love and surrender as the heart of Christian spirituality. God doesn't want his people to respond to him out of fear or obligation, but invites us to enter into an authentic relationship of intimacy and devotion—by surrendering to love.
All Christians yearn to live at the center of God's will, but exactly how to discern his will is an elusive art. In response to the ideas of a divine blueprint or the wisdom school, Gordon T. Smith suggests that we develop discernment as a spiritual discipline. By stressing the personal aspects of growing in our relationship with God, we can understand his will, not just in times of crisis but throughout our daily lives.
Building on the rich spiritual tradition that spans the diversity of history and theology from Ignatius Loyola to John Wesley to Jonathan Edwards, Gordon T. Smith helps open your ears and heart to the depths of the inner witness of the Spirit. By learning to attend to the Spirit, Smith urges, you will learn to hear and heed the voice of Jesus in everyday life.
Theologies of justification are too numerous to count. In this book, Gordon Smith synthesizes a lifetime of writing on calling, conversion, discernment and spiritual formation in a comprehensive and compelling theology of sanctification. Smith presents holiness in its christological, sapiential, vocational, social and emotional dimensions.
This guide to prayer, rooted in centuries of Christian tradition, introduces figures such as St. Benedict, Martin Luther, John Calvin, St. Ignatius, Teresa of Ávila and Andrew Murray. You'll learn how each of these spiritual giants uniquely connected to God through prayer and have an opportunity to practice each different method yourself.