[PDF] Becoming A True Spiritual Community eBook

Author : Larry Crabb
Publisher : Thomas Nelson
Page : 227 pages
File Size : 17,46 MB
Release : 2007-07-08
Category : Religion
ISBN : 141855443X

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In today's frenetic society, people rarely develop intimate friendships. Instead, they spend their lives essentially disconnected from others, rushing through life content with brief visits and casual conversations. But what if one were to develop a community, a spiritual community, of people who walked with and supported each other through life's journey? A community of real friends who listened to each other's personal tragedies without merely trying to fix the problems, who encouraged and nurtured each other's strengths, and who accepted people for who they really are, instead of the image they try to portray. In Becoming a True Spiritual Community (formerly titled The Safest Place on Earth), Larry Crabb explores such a place, where God can heal disconnected people and allow them to reconnect with each other and, ultimately, with Him.

Author : James C. Wilhoit
Publisher : Baker Academic
Page : 270 pages
File Size : 17,76 MB
Release : 2022-03-29
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1493435167

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Most books on spiritual formation focus on the individual. But spiritual formation is at the heart of the church's whole purpose for existence. It must be a central task for the church to carry out Christ's mission in the world. This book offers an introduction to spiritual formation set squarely in the local church. The first edition has been well received and widely used as a textbook. The second edition has been updated throughout, incorporates findings from positive psychology, and reflects an Augustinian formation perspective. Foreword by Dallas Willard.

Author : Keith Meyer
Publisher : InterVarsity Press
Page : 193 pages
File Size : 31,42 MB
Release : 2012-04-07
Category : Religion
ISBN : 0830869670

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Jesus had rhythm. His regular patterns of withdrawing from life to have intimate time with his Father and then embracing and entering into rich relationships with others allowed him to carry out his enormous mission with wisdom, grace and authentic love. In the midst of busy, full lives, with demands for our time and attention coming from every direction, we need rhythm--life-giving patterns in our days and weeks that deepen our connection with God and strengthen our relationships with others. Jesus' rhythm can be yours with this participatory guide to growth in God and mission in the context of community. "We learn from Jesus' example," Keith Meyer writes, "that spiritual disciplines are best done in some degree or expression of community where they are experienced and reflected on together. . . . We [also] learn from Jesus that the disciplines are to work as a baseline for a life rhythm of formation and community and result in a powerful mission that begins to sweep others into the ever growing number of those in the dance of the trinitarian life." In light of Jesus' model, then, Meyer helps you intentionally adopt a new pattern for our life, one that facilitates ongoing growth and transformation, through formational spiritual practices designed for groups to experience together meditations on the Psalms group discussion questions Together with a small group or a staff team, your family or your friends, find your rhythm in the life of the One who came that we might have life to the full.

Author : Dennis Lee
Publisher : Xulon Press
Page : 195 pages
File Size : 46,23 MB
Release : 2015-07-28
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1498442994

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When you look in the mirror, what do you see: a person who truly believes he/she is on the right path, or one struggling daily to find a sense of identity? More importantly, how do you see God as you seek the purpose for your life: as your back pocket Lord, or as your personal guide? For some, they may feel they are on the right path but have drifted away from discerning and understanding God’s will for them. This inspired pastor and author Dennis Lee to establish a meaningful resource for readers wanting to grow in their relationship with God, in his new Christian discipleship book; From Here to There: A Journey to Spiritual Transformation, part of his Spiritual Formation series. As an “A through Z roadmap on discipleship,” Dennis offers readers a biblically-sound guide to familiarize readers to biblical principles of what it’s like to be a follower of Jesus Christ, being found in His likeness. Each chapter clarifies this developing relationship with God, established when you accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord, and furthered through changing how you approach living this life in Christ. Pastor Lee takes the reader along this narrow road described by Jesus, looking at a Christian’s true identity when pursuing God’s presence and becoming aligned with His will. To make sure his readers’ stay upon this path, Lee looks at Satan’s potholes that damages a person’s spiritual transformation, as well as God’s speed bumps to help believers slow down and not miss God’s promises for their lives. It’s a journey to the ultimate destination of Heaven with God, and this guide will help you make the necessary changes and take the required steps to stay upon God’s path.

Author : Richard J. Foster
Publisher : Zondervan
Page : 242 pages
File Size : 11,94 MB
Release : 2010-05-04
Category : Religion
ISBN : 0061671746

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Too often, our study of the Bible focuses on searching for specific information or some formula that will solve our pressing needs of the moment. But what if we approached the Bible differently, and instead of transforming the text to meet our needs, allowed it to transform us? That's exactly the idea behind Life with God, Richard J. Foster's much-anticipated book on the Bible. Foster, bestselling author of Celebration of Discipline and general editor of The RenovarÉ Spiritual Formation Bible, claims that God has superintended the writing of Scripture so that it serves as the most reliable guide for Christian spiritual formation. According to Foster, the Bible is all about human life "with God." As we read Scripture, we should consider how exactly God is with us in each story and allow ourselves to be spiritually transformed. By opening our whole selves—mind, body, spirit, thoughts, behavior, and will—to the page before us, we begin to grasp all the Bible has to teach about prayer, obedience, compassion, virtue, and grace and apply it to our everyday lives to achieve a deeper relationship with God. With a wealth of examples and simple yet crucial insights, Life with God is an indispensable guide to approaching the Bible through the lens of Christian spiritual formation, revealing that reading the Bible for interior transformation is a far different endeavor than reading the Bible for historical knowledge, literary appreciation, or religious instruction.

Author : James Martin
Publisher : Paulist Press
Page : 104 pages
File Size : 22,4 MB
Release : 2014-05-14
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1616430567

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By meditating on personal examples from the author's life, as well as reflecting on the inspirational life and writings of Thomas Merton, stories from the Gospels, as well as the lives of other holy men and women (among them, Henri Nouwen, Therese of Lisieux and Pope John XXIII) the reader will see how becoming who you are, and becoming the person that God created, is a simple path to happiness, peace of mind and even sanctity.

Author : Kelly Bean
Publisher : Baker Books
Page : 249 pages
File Size : 18,38 MB
Release : 2014-06-24
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1441246533

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As many--young people especially--leave the traditional church in droves, they often still long for a genuine Christian community in which to practice their faith and share their spiritual journeys with others. They want to be faithful but struggle to find a place where they flourish. Whether they've already left the church behind or are merely considering it, readers will find here both heartfelt encouragement and practical steps for finding or creating a community of faith that honors God and offers rest, love, and communion with other believers. Author Kelly Bean broadens our definition of church to include many alternative forms of Christian community. With true stories of those who have given up on church and what they're doing now, this book is also helpful for pastors and churchgoers to help them understand why people leave the church--and what might be done to help them stay.

Author : John Pavlovitz
Publisher : Westminster John Knox Press
Page : 224 pages
File Size : 30,81 MB
Release : 2017-09-22
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1611648254

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No one likes to eat alone; to approach a table filled with people, only to be told that despite the open chairs there isn't room for you. The rejection stings. It leaves a mark. Yet this is exactly what the church has been saying to far too many people for far too long: “You're not welcome here. Find someplace else to sit.†How can we extend unconditional welcome and acceptance in a world increasingly marked by bigotry, fear, and exclusion? Pastor John Pavlovitz invites readers to join him on the journey to findâ€"or buildâ€"a church that is big enough for everyone. He speaks clearly into the heart of the issues the Christian community has been earnestly wrestling with: LGBT inclusion, gender equality, racial tensions, and global concerns. A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, Hopeful Spiritual Community asks if organized Christianity can find a new way of faithfully continuing the work Jesus began two thousand years ago, where everyone gets a seat. Pavlovitz shares moving personal stories and his careful observations as a pastor to set the table for a new, more loving conversation on these and other important matters of faith. He invites us to build the bigger table Jesus imagined, practicing radical hospitality, total authenticity, messy diversity, and agenda-free community.

Author : Dwight Zscheile
Publisher : Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Page : 221 pages
File Size : 48,8 MB
Release : 2012-03-15
Category : Religion
ISBN : 0802867278

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"Cultivating sent communities reimagines spiritual formation through the lens of mission, covering such topics as the role of Scripture, congregational discernment, and short-term missions and drawing on case studies from diverse contexts including Ethiopia, England, Leipzig, and San Francisco."--Back cover.