Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stanley N. Helton on December 2, 2008 at 4:52pm

First, serious place to start, and by this I mean heavy reading, is Mark A. McIntosh, Mystical Theology. He traces how spirituality became separated from theology in the life of the church. It is important to get the history down or you will not know what you are buying into at each point in your own journey.

So do you want more information on the nature of Christian spiritual formation or on the practice of?

Stan

Permalink Reply by James Nored on December 2, 2008 at 5:04pm

Stan, Mcintosh's book sounds interesting. You raise a good caution. As with so many things, it is easy to forget the purpose behind the practices and make them ends in and of themselves.

We'll see what James says, but I think he was looking more at the practice of Spiritual disciplines. But both are interesting to me.

Permalink Reply by Stanley N. Helton on December 2, 2008 at 5:30pm

Well, then, if James is interested in practices, I would suggest Calhoun's Spiritual Disciplines Handbook. It is a well-organized collection of practices with helpful suggestions and reflections. The next book I would recommend, and one I'm using as a textbook this semester, Kenneth Boa's Conformed to his Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation. And don't miss James C. Wilhoit's Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through Community. So there is a good start on practices.

Permalink Reply by James Nored on December 2, 2008 at 5:55pm

Thanks, Stan. I'll add these to my own resource list, and direct James over here. Can't wait till you start sharing some of your insights on a regular basis on this subject.

Permalink Reply by Greg Ziegler on December 2, 2008 at 7:48pm

James, a couple of suggestions. They are well known. Brother Lawrence's Practicing The Presence Of God, and Andrew Murray's With Christ In The School Of Prayer In addition, I think (though I can't remember for positive) that you participated in the preachers' retreat in Odessa that Chris Bullard organized. It was a practice of the disciplines. I still have the written exercises and would be happy to share.

Permalink Reply by Greg Ziegler on December 2, 2008 at 7:58pm

There is also a little book by David Ray called, "The Art of Christian Meditation."

Permalink Reply by James Nored on December 2, 2008 at 8:10pm

Hey Greg. Thanks for the resources. Yes, I was at Chris Bullard's retreat. If you've got Chris' exercises or notes in written form, that would be great to add here.

Permalink Reply by Todd A. Spencer on December 2, 2008 at 9:14pm

T1hat book on Prayer by Foster is a good one. So is his Celebration of Discipline, which was one of the first to help me on my way with my prayer life, back in the early 1990s....Here are some other resources to consider as well, on spiritual formation and the disciplines:

1) Companions in Christ: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/curriculum.aspx?sid=190&catname=... . I have numerous friends who've lead or experienced this resource and really love it. One day, I will use it as well.

2) Daniel Wolpert's book, Creating a Life With God: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=506345 . I really like this one because each discipline is introduced by way of meeting the person or persons who first practiced each -- as "traveling companions" of sorts. So, you get a little story about the person or community it came from, then the introduction to the practice, then how you can practice it. In the back, there are really good suggestions for how to practice each discipline either alone or in groups. I created a series of "Three Secret Weekends" in which I used Wolpert's book to introduce 3 "secrets" or practices to the participants each weekend. I called them "secrets" because you really should keep a practice a secret unless you can actually help a person experience the practice. So, when people asked, "What are we going to do on that weekend?" I'd say, "I can't really explain it very well. You've got to actually experience spiritual practices to actually learn them"...It was so fun...I can't wait to read his new book, Leading a Life With God too! Looks good.

3) Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=436055 .

4) Soul Tending by Kenda Kreasy Dean: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=436055

Got alot more too, but these are great starts...
God's Love,
Todd

Permalink Reply by James Nored on December 2, 2008 at 9:15pm

Awesome. Thanks, Todd!

Todd A. Spencer said:

T1hat book on Prayer by Foster is a good one. So is his Celebration of Discipline, which was one of the first to help me on my way with my prayer life, back in the early 1990s....Here are some other resources to consider as well, on spiritual formation and the disciplines:

1) Companions in Christ: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/curriculum.aspx?sid=190&catname=... . I have numerous friends who've lead or experienced this resource and really love it. One day, I will use it as well.

2) Daniel Wolpert's book, Creating a Life With God: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=506345 . I really like this one because each discipline is introduced by way of meeting the person or persons who first practiced each -- as "traveling companions" of sorts. So, you get a little story about the person or community it came from, then the introduction to the practice, then how you can practice it. In the back, there are really good suggestions for how to practice each discipline either alone or in groups. I created a series of "Three Secret Weekends" in which I used Wolpert's book to introduce 3 "secrets" or practices to the participants each weekend. I called them "secrets" because you really should keep a practice a secret unless you can actually help a person experience the practice. So, when people asked, "What are we going to do on that weekend?" I'd say, "I can't really explain it very well. You've got to actually experience spiritual practices to actually learn them"...It was so fun...I can't wait to read his new book, Leading a Life With God too! Looks good.

3) Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=436055 .

4) Soul Tending by Kenda Kreasy Dean: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=436055

Got alot more too, but these are great starts...
God's Love,
Todd

Permalink Reply by James Leonard on December 3, 2008 at 1:31pm

James Nored said:

Awesome. Thanks, Todd!

Todd A. Spencer said:

T1hat book on Prayer by Foster is a good one. So is his Celebration of Discipline, which was one of the first to help me on my way with my prayer life, back in the early 1990s....Here are some other resources to consider as well, on spiritual formation and the disciplines:

1) Companions in Christ: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/curriculum.aspx?sid=190&catname=... . I have numerous friends who've lead or experienced this resource and really love it. One day, I will use it as well.

2) Daniel Wolpert's book, Creating a Life With God: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=506345 . I really like this one because each discipline is introduced by way of meeting the person or persons who first practiced each -- as "traveling companions" of sorts. So, you get a little story about the person or community it came from, then the introduction to the practice, then how you can practice it. In the back, there are really good suggestions for how to practice each discipline either alone or in groups. I created a series of "Three Secret Weekends" in which I used Wolpert's book to introduce 3 "secrets" or practices to the participants each weekend. I called them "secrets" because you really should keep a practice a secret unless you can actually help a person experience the practice. So, when people asked, "What are we going to do on that weekend?" I'd say, "I can't really explain it very well. You've got to actually experience spiritual practices to actually learn them"...It was so fun...I can't wait to read his new book, Leading a Life With God too! Looks good.

3) Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=436055 .

4) Soul Tending by Kenda Kreasy Dean: http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=436055

Got alot more too, but these are great starts...
God's Love,
Todd

Permalink Reply by James Leonard on December 3, 2008 at 1:35pm

Thanks to all of you for your insights. I love learning more about the nature of Christian spiritual formation but for my congregation we need a basic practice of. You have all given me some great resources to consider.

Thanks again,
James

Permalink Reply by Stanley N. Helton on December 3, 2008 at 1:38pm

One other work that deserves a mention here is Dallas Willard's Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. While this book is not primarily about practices, it does a great job of explaining what it means to be human and why spiritual formation is about getting to the heart not the actions. When the heart is transformed the actions will follow. Conversely, actions (namely, spiritual disciplines) can have a inverse effect on the heart. All in all, a great read.

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