Spiritual Disciplines

The absence of familiar sources of spiritual and pastoral care while living overseas requires us to be proactive in maintaining our own spiritual growth and vitality. It is imperative that we feed ourselves spiritually and develop meaningful fellowship opportunities within the local church and mission team. Spiritual disciplines should also be an outgrowth of being a disciple of Jesus. Disciplines formed or practiced now will help sustain you while you are on the field.

For an insightful article that helps put spiritual disciplines into a practical light, click here.

GOALS:
● Actively practicing spiritual disciplines
● Seeking ways to grow in your weaker spiritual areas

WHAT ARE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES?

● “habits and patterns that open us to the transforming work of God…a way of life”– Ruth Haley Barton (Sacred Rhythms)

● “the Disciplines themselves are not magic formulae; each simply draws the individual or community practising it closer to God. It is He who does all the strengthening, reinforcing and deepening of relationship; it is He who changes hearts.” – Martin Saunders (The Beautiful Disciplines)

PRACTICE:

Please do one of the activities listed below to help you grow deeper in your experience with spiritual disciplines. As you begin to develop your practice of a discipline and see God at work through it, you may wish to add another one as well.

1. Choose one or more of the disciplines (either from the list in 2. below or others that you are aware of) that you may not practice very much. Make a study of the discipline(s) and begin to practice it/them. Discuss your progress with your facilitator.
Some things you may want to consider as you explore a discipline:
● What does it mean to practice this discipline?
● What are the Scripture references related to the discipline? Examples of people practicing it?
● Why is it important to practice this discipline?
● What resources (besides the Bible) discuss this discipline? Are there differing opinions about the practice of the discipline? Similarities?
● Do you know someone who practices this discipline? How have they found it helpful? What have been their challenges in practicing it?

or

2. Choose any of the short videos below (from a series by Centre for Spiritual Life Development), take some time to practice the discipline(s), and then discuss your experience with your facilitator.

For individual videos, click below:
● Fasting
● Fellowship
● Service
● Worship
● Study
● Prayer Walking
● Silence & Solitude
● Praying the Bible

Next: Spiritual Warfare