I don’t think there’s one “silver bullet,” as they say, but I think that we can be bolder about some of our worship practices. If we are willing to “go big” on some central practices, they can help us have both a strong center and an open door.
All tagged spiritual formation
Learning Styles and Spiritual Growth
Tapping into the way they learn can make the message come alive and ignite their imaginations. We need to spend time thinking about the process behind our teaching.
Formed, Conformed, Transformed
God is not done with us. It will take time, and God wants to take that time with us—to form us, conform us, and transform us.
“How’s Your Training Going?”
I find myself so busy that I often neglect my own spiritual development and renewal. Can I give to others what I am not currently experiencing myself?
The Remedy for Decline
How is my own practice of Christian faith shaping my values, attitudes, and behaviors? Decline certainly calls for renewal. Yet renewal begins with me.
We Buried a Bible in our Foundation
As spiritual leaders, it is important that we stay firmly grounded. After all, we do not want our people being led by someone who is blown sideways by every sly or crafty doctrine that comes along.
Peace Beyond Reason
The peace of God is transcendent. It is beyond the comprehension of the world.
The Waiting
When we wait, we unfurl our hands from their tight-fisted demands and curl our fingers around the hand of God.
Our Posture Toward God
Our posture is much deeper than a physical posture (sitting, standing, kneeling, etc.). It is a deep inner posture toward God or away from Him. Is our heart and spirit turned toward Him?
The Approach of the Spirit
I’m not sufficient unto myself. Without God, I am nothing! We will never be content in ourselves. We only find ourselves when we lose ourselves.
The Attitude of the Heart
I want to share with you how to become more available and aware of God’s presence in your life through his Spirit. It’s like connecting to a network where you need to know the password.
Prove It
When the stakes are high, the words that come out of our mouths are our strongest witness, only trumped by our nonverbal communication. For this article, I’m going to focus on the words.
Preparing the Next Generation of Thinkers
Your congregations’ efforts to teach your teens and students how to study the Bible makes a difference. As a Bible professor, I can tell who has been taught to read the text for understanding.
None of Self
I revisited this old hymn and was floored by the lyrics as they described a spiritual journey we all must travel if we desire to be in relationship with God.
Partial Fasting for Spiritual Growth
It’s important to take time to reflect on where we stand in our spiritual lives, and assess things that may be distracting us.
Dry
Just as the concept of one single breath is not enough to sustain us, neither is a “one-and-done” idea adequate to establish spiritual rhythms.
Foot Check. Nose Check. Smile Check.
If we acknowledge the physical and/or emotional constraints that limit our capacity, then we also become intentional about focusing our ministry around these essentials and doing so in whatever format works.
Pomegranates, Protestants, and Pictures
But are pomegranates and icons really on par with one another? After all, it is not like pomegranates were put in the temple to represent the image of God like Rublev’s icon of the hospitality of Abraham depicts the Trinity.
You Are Loved
I now know (with all my heart) that I am deeply loved. Not because I have minimized my sin and helped others manage theirs, but simply because I exist.
Faith Development and Women
Considering differences in learning and faith development between genders adds another layer of understanding that will hopefully lead to greater effectiveness in teaching and ministry.