Spiritual
Disciplines/Practices
Spiritual Life Development Library
USA Western Territory
Called to be God’s People –Robert Street
In order for The Salvation Army to thrive in its future days,
we must look at the spiritual life of the individual and total
ministry beyond our present understanding. “The Call to
Salvationists” early on in the book state “The vitality of our
spiritual life as a Movement will be seen and tested in our
turning to the world in evangelism and service, but the
springs of our spiritual life are to be found in our turning to
God in worship, in the disciplines of life in the Spirit, and in
the study of God’s word.”
Discussed in this book: the study of the Word of God, the
prayer life of the Army, public worship, Salvation Army
ceremonies, the place of the mercy seat, spiritual direction
and mentoring, and spiritual disciplines; including fasting,
silence, meditation, solitude and simplicity.
Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals &
Groups –edited by Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith
These fifty-two selections have been organized to introduce
the reader to the great devotional writers through the
course of one year. Each reading is accompanied by an
introduction and meditation and includes a related biblical
passage, discussion questions, and individual and group
exercises.
Devotional readings in the Prayer-filled life, the Virtuous life,
the Spirit-Empowered life, the Compassionate life, the
Word-centered life, and the Sacramental life, by writers
including: Augustine of Hippo, Blaise Pascal, Francis of
Assisi, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Julian of Norwich, Martin Luther,
Soren Kierkegaard, Annie Dillard, Thomas Merton, Kathleen
Norris, Dallas Willard, and John Calvin.
Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth –
Richard J. Foster
The inward Disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and
study, offer avenues of personal examination and change.
The outward Disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission,
and service, help prepare us to make the world a better
place. The corporate Disciplines of confession, worship,
guidance, and celebration, bring us nearer to one another
and to God.
Foster provides a wealth of examples demonstrating how
these Disciplines can become part of our daily activities-and
how they can help us shed our superficial habits and "bring
the abundance of God into our lives." Celebration of
Discipline will help motivate Christians everywhere to
embark on a journey of prayer and spiritual growth.
Kindle: $9.99 Nook: $14.99
The Discipline of Grace: God’s Role and Our Role in the
Pursuit of Holiness –Jerry Bridge
Grace is every bit as important for growing as a Christian as
it is for becoming a Christian. "The pursuit of holiness,"
writes Jerry Bridges, "must be anchored in the grace of God;
otherwise it is doomed to failure." Grace is at the heart of
the gospel, and without a clear understanding of the gospel
and grace we can easily slip into a performance-based
lifestyle that bears little resemblance to what the gospel
offers us.
If you've ever struggled with what your role is and what role
God takes in your growth as a Christian, this book will
comfort and challenge you as you learn to rest in Christ
while vigorously pursuing a life of holiness.
Kindle: $8.49 Nook: $8.49
Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with
God –Dallas Willard
How do we hear God’s voice? How can we be sure that
what we think we hear is not our own subconscious? The
key, says best-selling author Dallas Willard, is to focus not so
much on individual actions and decisions as on building our
personal relationship with our Creator. In this updated and
expanded edition of Willard's beloved book, originally
published as In Search of Guidance, you'll gain rich spiritual
insight into how we can hear God's voice clearly and
develop an intimate partnership with him in the work of his
kingdom.
Kindle: $8.30 Nook: $9.99
Humility –Andrew Murray
When Jesus "made himself nothing ... taking the nature of a
servant," He modeled for all believers, true humility. Murray
calls this "our true nobility" and "the distinguishing feature
of discipleship." In twelve brief but powerful chapters,
Murray journeys through Scripture and Christ's life,
underscoring the utmost need for humility---as opposed to
pride---in the Christian's life. With insightful, penetrating
clarity, Murray calls all Christians to turn from pride, empty
themselves, and study the character of Christ to be filled
with His grace.
Kindle: $.99 Nook: $.99
Hidden in Christ: Living As God’s Beloved –James Bryan Smith
Memorizing and studying a passage in depth can offer a
deeper sense of the meaning of each word. In this unique
introduction to the hidden life in Christ, James Bryan Smith
walks readers through a thirty-day immersion in Colossians
3:1-17. Each of the thirty short chapters of this book brings
out the main truth of just one word or phrase of this rich
passage. You'll also find a very simple daily practice to take
up, reflection questions and a guide for five weeks of group
discussion.
This book can be used privately, or as a part of a small
group. The best way to get the most out of this book is to
read the chapter, engage in the daily/weekly exercise,
repeat the summative affirmation throughout the day or
week, answer the questions using a journal, and then meet
with a fellow Christ-follower to discuss it together.
Kindle: $9.19 Nook: $9.99
Learning from Jesus –A Renovare Resource
To Christians, Jesus is many things: the Son of God, the
pivotal figure in whom we put our trust and who speaks on
our behalf, a companion in the life of faith. But Jesus is also
an incredible example of how to lead a faithful life. Jesus, as
a human, walked on earth and confronted the same
struggles that we face. Our primary mission as his followers
is to learn from him -- to become his apprentices. In this
book we seek to further our apprenticeship by studying
everything from Jesus's interactions with those around him
to the revolutionary wisdom recorded in the Gospels.
Learning from Jesus is conveniently organized for individual
or group study, and each section of this guide leads you
further down the path to true discipleship.
Kindle: $9.78 Nook: $10.99
The Practice of the Presence of God with Spiritual Maxims –
Brother Lawrence
Here is a guide for all Christians aspiring to union with God,
which, according to Brother Lawrence, is the ultimate goal
of every soul. In the words of this humble seventeenthcentury lay Carmelite, “we must trust God once and for all
and abandon ourselves to Him alone.” This difficult task
necessarily requires perseverance and continual
conversation with God in all activities great and small:
“speaking humbly and talking lovingly with Him at all times,
at every moment, without rule or system…” In reading these
conversations, letters, and spiritual maxims, we learn the
key to endless joy.
Kindle: $.99 Nook: $.99
Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference? –Philip Yancey
What is prayer? If God knows everything, what’s the point
of prayer? How does it work? And more importantly, does it
work? In theory, prayer is the essential human act, a
priceless point of contact between us and the God of the
universe. In practice, prayer is often frustrating, confusing,
and fraught with mystery.
"I have found that the most important purpose of prayer
may be to let ourselves be loved by God," says Yancey.
Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? encourages us to pray
to God the Father who sees what lies ahead of us, knows
what lies within us, and who invites us into an eternal
partnership--through prayer.
Kindle: $7.69 Nook: $8.99
Prayer and Worship –A Renovare Resource
Prayer and worship compose the heart of the devotional life
and are essential practices for a close relationship with God.
But too often our prayer is nothing more than a checklist of
requests, and our worship happens only in church. What
does it mean to communicate with God? How do we enter
his presence in the midst of our daily lives? Utilizing the
beloved book of the Psalms, this guide reveals many
different ways to come before God in prayer and worship,
including wrestling with God, pleading with God, lamenting
to God, and longing for God. Conveniently organized for
individual or group study, Prayer and Worship offers insights
and avenues to help us bring every part of our lives before
God and truly enter his presence.
Kindle: $9.78 Nook: $10.99
The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God
Changes Lives –Dallas Willard
Believers long for personal purity and power to live as our
hearts tell us we should. But how does God change us?
Willard reminds us that we can be like Christ if we follow his
style of life: solitude and silence, prayer, simple and
sacrificial living, meditation on God's Word, and service to
others. The practice of these disciplines is how God guides
us into a constant interaction with his kingdom. "Few books
have challenged me like this one. I would urge every serious
minded Christian to read it...at your own risk."---Bill Hybels,
author of Honest to God?
Kindle: $9.78 Nook $10.99
Spiritual Classics: Selected Readings on the Twelve Spiritual
Disciplines –Edited by Richard J. Foster and Emilie Griffin
St. Augustine, Thomas Merton, Fredrick Buechner, Evelyn
Underhill, A.W. Tozer, G.K. Chesterton, Thomas More,
Martin Luther King, Jr., Amy Carmichael, Simone Weil, Pierre
Teilhard de Chardin, Hildegard of Bingen, John Milton,
Dorothy Day, Leo Tolstoy, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and
more.
From nearly two thousand years of Christian writing comes
Spiritual Classics, fifty-two selections complete with a profile
of each author, meditations for group and individual use,
discussion questions and exercises, and a personal
reflection by Richard Foster on each selection. Editors
Richard Foster and Emilie Griffith also offer
recommendations for further guided reading and
exploration.
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us –
Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
In the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook Adele Calhoun gives us
directions for our journey toward intimacy with Christ.
While the word discipline may make us want to run and
hide, the author shows how desires and discipline work
together to lead us to the transformation we're longing for-the transformation only Christ can bring. Instead of just
giving information about spiritual disciplines, this Handbook
is full of practical, accessible guidance that helps you
actually do them.
Kindle: $8.21
Spiritual Mentoring: A Guide for Seeking and Giving Direction
–Keith R. Anderson & Randy D. Reese
As we seek God together we come to know him more
deeply. Mentors are ordinary Christians who are willing to
enter into a faith relationship with another person who
wants to grow. Likewise, those who are mentored are
simply followers of Jesus who long for guidance in their
spiritual journey. In this book Anderson and Reese show you
how to mentor and be mentored as they introduce the work
of a different classical spiritual writers, including Augustine,
Aelred of Rievaulx, John of the Cross, Julian of Norwich,
Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila, and Madame Jeanne
Guyon. If you want to learn how to help younger Christians
grow while stretching your own faith, or if you want to tap
into the experience of a Christian friend who is farther along
the road of faith, this is the book that will get you started.
Kindle: $8.32
Streams of Living Water: Essential Practices from the Six
Great Traditions of Christian Faith –Richard J. Foster
In this landmark work, Foster examines the foundations of
Christian experience, growth, and renewal found in six
historical movements: contemplative, holiness, charismatic,
social justice, evangelical, and incarnational. Using profiles
of biblical and modern characters who exemplify these
traditions, he offers suggestions on how to integrate them
into your daily life and challenges you to lead a more
authentic Christian experience.
Kindle: $9.78 Nook: $10.99
Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity –Eugene
H. Peterson
Eugene Peterson issues a provocative call for pastors to
abandon their preoccupation with image and standing,
administration, success, and economic viability, and to
return to the three basic acts critical to the pastoral
ministry: praying, reading Scripture, and giving spiritual
direction.
Kindle: $9.99
Discipleship Training: A Venture in Learning and
Accountability –Dr. Charles Lake
Sadly, discipleship is often the undiscovered art of the
Church. As in the realm of athletics, the early Church
provided the training ground where believers developed
into mature Christian disciples. Since today’s Church tends
not to emphasize discipleship, few are left to effectively
accomplish its mission in the world; and many falter in the
hectic environment of today’s society.
What do we mean by discipline? It is the teaching and
encouraging of believers through systematic, personal and
Spirit-directed training that holds them accountable for
developing Christian disciplines. Critical disciplines include
daily quiet times with the Lord and Bible reading.
Available at United States Trade Departments with a
discount for Officers
A variety of CD & DVD’s available from recorded Aprentis events, including:
Grace is a Conversation (Richard Foster, John Ortbert, and Others)
Grace and Goodness, Beauty, and Truth (James Bryan Smith)
Grace and Fear (Nancy Ortberg), Grace and Jesus (John Ortberg)
How to become Twice the Child of Hell in the Name of God: The Graceless Life (Nathan Foster)
The Grace That Transforms: Ways and Means (Richard J. Foster)
Awake Your Senses: A Workshop to Help More of You Experience More of God (Beth Booram)
Conquering the Darkness: Spiritual Formation, Poverty, and God’s Kingdom Reign (Matt Penner)
Creating Sustainable Congregations and Pastors: Exploring a Lifetime of Ministry Live Well (Nathan Foster and Terry
Hedrick)
Flourish: Curating Environments for Communities of Christian Practice (Mike King)
Grace and Truth in the Real World: Living with Integrity in a Culture of Distraction and Uncertainty (Bob Fryling)
iFollow: Grace for Social Media (Patrick Sehl)
Renovation of the Church: Making Spiritual Formation the Center of Congregational Culture (Kent Carlson & Mike
Lueken)
Transformed Lives: The apprentice Program (Karen Bables, Cathy Dreyer & Jeff Huisman)
Spiritual Formation and the Church: Session 1 (Kent Carlson & Mike Lueken)
Spiritual Formation Basics: Cooperating with God’s Spirit for Life Change (Adele Ahlberg Calhoun)
The Apprentice Series and Congregations
http://ncrsusa.com/cgi-bin/store/main-aic.html
Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual
Transformation –Ruth Haley Barton
Do you long for a deep, fundamental change in your life
with God? Do you desire a greater intimacy with God? Do
you wonder how you might truly live your life as God
created you to live it?
Spiritual disciplines are activities that open us to God's
transforming love and the changes that only God can bring
about in our lives. Picking up on the monastic tradition of
creating a "rule of life" that allows for regular space for the
practice of the spiritual disciplines, this book takes you more
deeply into understanding seven key disciplines along with
practical ideas for weaving them into everyday life. Each
chapter includes exercises to help you begin the practices-individually and in a group context. The final chapter puts it
all together in a way that will help you arrange your life for
spiritual transformation.
Kindle: $9.99 Nook: $10.49 Google: $10.49
Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer –Max Lucado
We all pray . . . some.
We pray to stay sober, centered, or solvent. When the lump
is deemed malignant. When the money runs out before the
month does. When the marriage is falling apart. We pray.
But wouldn’t we like to pray more? Better? Stronger? With
more fire, faith, and fervency?
We aren’t the first to struggle with prayer. The first
followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance too. In fact,
prayer is the only tutorial they ever requested.
And Jesus gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not
the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable,
repeatable, portable prayer. Couldn’t we use the same?
Kindle: $5.99 Nook: $12.99 Google: $12.99
The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for
Ordinary People –John Ortberg
The heart of Christianity is transformation—a relationship
with God that impacts not just our “spiritual lives,” but
every aspect of living. John Ortberg calls readers back to the
dynamic heartbeat of Christianity—God’s power to bring
change and growth—and reveals both the how and why of
transformation.
This expanded edition of The Life You’ve Always Wanted
offers modern perspectives on the ancient path of the
spiritual disciplines. But this is more than just a book about
things to do to be a good Christian. It’s a road map toward
true transformation that starts not with the individual but
with the object of the journey—Jesus Christ.
Disciplines are neither taskmasters nor an end in
themselves. Rather they are exercises that build strength
and endurance for the road of growth. The fruit of the
Spirit—joy, peace, kindness, etc.—are the signposts along
the way.
Paved with humor and sparkling anecdotes, The Life You’ve
Always Wanted is an encouraging and challenging approach
to a Christian life that’s worth living—a life on the edge that
fills an ordinary world with new meaning, hope, change, and
joy.
Kindle: $6.99 Nook: $9.75 Google: $9.75