Showing posts with label spiritual disciplines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual disciplines. Show all posts

Celebrating the Disciplines: A Journal Workbook to Accompany ``Celebration of Discipline'' Review

Celebrating the Disciplines: A Journal Workbook to Accompany ``Celebration of Discipline''
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Celebrating the Disciplines: A Journal Workbook to Accompany ``Celebration of Discipline'' ReviewThis guide really brings home the concepts explored in Foster's book on Disciplines. If you're interested in delving into those area in a deeper way, you'll probably enjoy this guide. It actually allows you to go through it several times (which is unusual for these types of guides), personally or in larger groups). I really appreciated it.Celebrating the Disciplines: A Journal Workbook to Accompany ``Celebration of Discipline'' Overview

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Foundations of Ministry: An Introduction to Christian Education for a New Generation (BridgePoint Books) Review

Foundations of Ministry: An Introduction to Christian Education for a New Generation (BridgePoint Books)
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Foundations of Ministry: An Introduction to Christian Education for a New Generation (BridgePoint Books) ReviewThis is a non-fiction how-to book on Christian Education.
It's probably not going to be a classic, but it is very good book if you are interested in thinking about all different needs and different spheres of education -- that is curriculum, environment, and so on.
The book has 25 chapters, each given to one special theme. Some of the chapters address psychology, special education, home schooling, Christian schools, mission education, Christian education in the church and in the home, and some other topics.
It's a good book to read through and then put on your shelf for reference, pull it out when you need it. (Not the type of book that you want to read over a number of times!) It's also very practical in a number of ways, suggesting how to approach the issue of Christian Education. You'd benefit most from this book if you were a Christian Educator (teacher, administrator, principal, on the board of directors for a school, teacher of Sunday school, homeschool), on a committee for Christian Education, or you were a pastor or seminarian.Foundations of Ministry: An Introduction to Christian Education for a New Generation (BridgePoint Books) Overview

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The Challenge of the Disciplined Life: Christian Reflections on Money, Sex, and Power Review

The Challenge of the Disciplined Life: Christian Reflections on Money, Sex, and Power
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The Challenge of the Disciplined Life: Christian Reflections on Money, Sex, and Power ReviewI think this is one of the best books on the difficulty of living in a society driven by money, power, consumerism, sex and continual change.
Foster has a compassionate, realistic view of what life is really like and how to deal with it. His opening chapter, Money, Sex and Power in Christian Perspective lays out the focus of the book - it is difficult to walk the walk. He isn't focusing on the external morality of ethical behavior, but on the social implications. He offers historical views of attitudes on money, sex and power, and divides the books into sections that focus on each issue.
In a small section titled "When Good Things Go Bad," he says, "There is, of course, a proper place in Christian life and experience for money, sex, and power. When properly placed and effectively functioning, they have the ability as nothing else does to enhance and bless life." He goes on to identify what the problem is in each area -the demon in money is greed; the demon in sex is lust; the demon in power is pride. And he tells us that these really are not matters we can be neutral about in hopes that they will disappear - if we ignore them, we will be dominated by them.
How do we avoid be controlled by our own desires, instead of controlling them to our own advantage? In the Power area, Foster suggests that we face the demons within, instead of projecting them on others. In addition, he suggests that we stop trying to manage and control others, and focus on our own spiritual powers.
Foster manages to be 'proper' without being unrealistically 'prim.' Whether read by fundamentalist Christians, small "c" christians, or Buddhists, this book gives food for thought. Agnostics, athiests and many free spirits will be turned off by references to the Bible and the focus on Jesus.
I used to think you had to agree with everything you read in a book, to find it of any use. There are parts of this book I don't agree with, but I took what was helpful, and left the rest. Those who keep an open mind will find that this is not a dogmatic, preaching book, but one that will make you think.The Challenge of the Disciplined Life: Christian Reflections on Money, Sex, and Power Overview

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Longing for God: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion Review

Longing for God: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion
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Longing for God: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion ReviewRichard Foster has opened up the field of the diverse approaches to spiritual growth, historically considered, for a wide public. This volume, co-authored with Westmont College President Gayle Beebe, introduces seven approaches ("Spiritual Life as a Journey," "Action and Contemplation," etc.). Each one is accompanied by three or four examples from Christian history, from Augustine and Benedict to Thomas Merton. Each example may be read in a single sitting. Without dumbing down the thought and practice of these great figures, the authors communicate effectively to a general audience. The book will make many readers want to go deeper - which is no doubt the authors' intent. An excellent volume.Longing for God: Seven Paths of Christian Devotion Overview

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Listening Prayer: Learning to Hear God's Voice and Keep a Prayer Journal Review

Listening Prayer: Learning to Hear God's Voice and Keep a Prayer Journal
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Listening Prayer: Learning to Hear God's Voice and Keep a Prayer Journal ReviewThis book was one of the most nurturing I have found on the subject of prayer. Leanne Payne, unlike many other authors coming coming from a Charismatic background, emphasizes the fact that prayer and a relationship with Christ is simple persistence, and work. While other authors say this with their words, I saw this "persistence and work" theme emphasized over, and over. Her book erased any thought of a "quick and easy" relationship; her emphasis centers on Christ, and Christ alone.
My only criticism is my desire, even need, to have more examples. I appreciated her narrative, and her use of Scriptural authority. However, real life examples, woven into the text, would have been helpful. She gave some examples (especially in her chapter in Chapter 12 on "How God Speaks to His Children"), but more would have been helpful to place her discussion into a context. Also, she was extremely circumspect in detailing one of her own experiences; after reading it, I did not know what she was trying to express, or what, precisely, occurred.
This criticism is the only reason for my four-star rating. If I could, I would give a "4.5" or a "4.6." This book is one to be read several times, and I highly recommend it.Listening Prayer: Learning to Hear God's Voice and Keep a Prayer Journal Overview

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Beyond the Ordinary: Spirituality for Church Leaders Review

Beyond the Ordinary: Spirituality for Church Leaders
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Beyond the Ordinary: Spirituality for Church Leaders ReviewThis book is about developing spirituality within the leadership position. The book is a rich read with much of the material being new to me. The book does not read easily because there are few stories and the material is deep. There was numerous new insights within the book. The idea of the myth in congregational spirituality was enlightening. The last few chapters were superb with topics of practicing discernment and cutting edge spiritual leadership. This was a radical leap from the general methods within the church on how to make decisions. The chapter on the refreshment of the soul was needed for every minister across the world. Also, the topic of resting in God was helpful. This book is deep with spiritual insight. It is not a swallow text on taking a day off for resting in God, but provides practical spiritual methods for finding rest in God. It is more than a "you need to" book, which a lot of ministerial leadership books sink into, but this book deals with the practical steps of developing a spiritual style of leadership. Most ministers will be amazed at the forms of spirituality in this text. It is a short book worth a slow read.Beyond the Ordinary: Spirituality for Church Leaders Overview

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Exploring Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Reader Review

Exploring Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Reader
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Exploring Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Reader ReviewThis is a collection of insightful essays which explores the meaning and relevance of spirituality in contemporary culture. The author has included various selections which help the reader come to a clear understanding of Christian spirituality as it has been informed by various traditions. This text also explores spirituality as it relates to theology, the trinity, scripture and feminism. Spirituality has enjoyed growing popularity in both the academy and current culture; thus, this book is an invaluable resource not only for scholars but for anyone who wishes to fully appreciate the rich vitality found within Christian spirituality. This is an excellent text to read along with the spiritual classics; in doing so, one is equipped to discover more fully the wisdom of the ancients.Exploring Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Reader Overview

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Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth Review

Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth
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Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth ReviewThis is a Christian classic. Foster has written a comprehensive guide to spiritual disciplines. It is deep, yet accessible. Most of the reviews here agree with that.
I've read this book 5 times in 8 years. I've been in churches where multiple people were reading it at the same time. I've been in small groups where everyone read it together. I've seen mature Christians read it. I've seen new Christians read it. And I've concluded that THIS BOOK CAN BE DANGEROUS.
The reason I say that is that even in the most non-legalistic churches I've ever seen, I've seen immature Christians stumble in part because they are overwhelmed by everything in this book. And when I say "stumble", I'm talking about people going back into severely addictive lifestyles. And the pressure they felt from feeling like they have to do all these disciplines contributed to that.
Unfortunately, it's easy for any of us to filter even the most well-intentioned, well-written book through our false self, that part of us that is performance- and fear-oriented. Spiritual disciplines do not change us; they open our hearts to the change that the Spirit of God wants to bring.
Again, I think this is a phenomenal book. But lest we feed our heads instead of our hearts and lest we frustrate ourselves with a standard of righteousness that Foster never intended, I'd like to humbly, humbly suggest some things:
* I personally recommend that people start with Henri Nouwen's "Way of the Heart" for a primer on spiritual discipline. It is just much simpler. The big stuff can come later. (Other books by Merton, Nouwen, Keating, etc., will work just as well.)
* Get a spiritual director--I'm not talking about a pastoral counselor, though it may be a pastor; I'm talking about a spiritually mature guide who is only interested in your spiritual development, not your money or your time.
* Read this book with other people who can provide feedback to you on how they see you responding.
* Keep it simple: Pray, pray, pray; trust the Lord to guide your heart into other disciplines. Attempt other disciplines when your motivation is to honor God and mortify your flesh, not when it is to "get something", even if that "something" is spiritual maturity.Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth Overview

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Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ Review

Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ
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Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ ReviewThis is a solid book on corporate spirituality, exploring the dynamics of spiritual formation in the church through disciplines such as serving, giving, praying, attending ordinances, hearing the preached word, learning, fellowshipping, etc. Some chapters are better than others (the best chapters are the ones on worship and prayer and the final chapter which gives guidance on how to research a church before joining it), but all are worth reading. The book is sprinkled with some helpful illustrations and great quotations from the Puritan/Reformed tradition. This is a good follow-up to Whitney's more popular book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life.Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ Overview

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Character Makeover: 40 Days with a Life Coach to Create the Best You Review

Character Makeover: 40 Days with a Life Coach to Create the Best You
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Character Makeover: 40 Days with a Life Coach to Create the Best You ReviewI feel a little bit like I'm cheating by writing a review of the book, "Character Makeover: 40 Days With A Life Coach To Create The Best You" (Zondervan, 2008), by Katie Brazelton and Shelley Leith. First, it is geared towards women. I'm a man. Second, it is laid out in a such a way that a person really ought to spend 40 days with it. I've only had my Advance Reader Copy for 2 days. So, given that I am not of the female persuasion, nor have I had the 40 days to live out the principles discussed in the book, I will give my general impressions.
Generally, I shy away from any product that promises to change a person after so many days or weeks. They tend to be too simplistic, not speaking to the difficulties, interruptions, and disappointments that tend to come with real life. I am even more wary of Christian self-help books, because they tend to garner more of their techniques and bullet points from pop psychology rather than Scripture. This is dangerous in that it retards a person's ability to discern things spiritually.
That being said, I like how much "Character Makeover" relies on Scripture and does not attempt to trivialize the things that people go to. This book isn't about pretending real life doesn't happen. Quite the contrary. Through the use of the stories of various women who have struggled with character issues as they face everyday life, "Character Makeover" keeps its head out of the clouds and its feet firmly planted on the earth. Rather, this book is a resource women can turn to in order to help them change their perspective and temper their reactions when life isn't fair.
Its greatest strength comes from the fact it starts off with the notion that if we wish to develop better character, we must first attend to our relationship with Jesus. The authors thus start the book with a section about humility. This is a great approach, as a person who "changes themselves" can be tempted to boast about all the changes they have made and how good that makes them because of it. However, by connecting true change to God, this encourages women to be humble in how they approach the rest of the book (and their lives).
However, "Character Makeover" is not without its drawbacks. Actually, one of its greatest strengths is one of its greatest flaws. This is not a book that a person can just sit down and enjoy like a novel. It is meant to be an immersive experience. This is accomplished through journal entries, charts to fill out, and boxes to check (on self-evaluation checklists). It is a lot of work and a person has to be totally honest with themselves (or others if they are participating in a group), if they wish to truly get anything out of the experience.
And the questions are not easy ones. For example, on Day 4 of a section about self-control, the reader is asked, "What habit or temptation has power over you?" While this question might seem simple on the surface, it is very easy to answer this question simply, avoiding darker things we know we ought to deal with in our lives. A person might answer, "I have a problem with chocolate," and that may very well be true. But, if they have a habit of gossiping or not controlling their thought life, having a problem with chocolate is the least of their worries. But, the main drawback is that some people don't have the time each day to sit down and follow this kind of program. While the authors might not mind 40 days stretching into 80 or 120 days, some readers may become frustrated and give up.
Overall, "Character Makeover" is a good resource for those who can stick with a 40 day program. I believe they will come out on the other side with the ability to discern situations from a thoroughly Christian point-of-view without sacrificing their ability to live in the real world.
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Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ Review

Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ
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Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ Review"Dallas Willard changed my life with his book Divine Conspiracy and his guidance in Renovation of the Heart has drawn me ever closer in my relationship to Jesus Christ. Dr. Willard's thoughtful style and incredible insight into the heart and soul of human beings has helped me to see where I have kept myself from being a true disciple of Jesus. When asked if they are Christians, many people cite their denominational affiliation. The true question is one of the heart or spirit. Can we, through an inner transformation of our heart, mind, soul, and being, be transformed into Christlikeness? Can we heed his call and follow in his footsteps? In Renovation of the Heart, Dr. Willard explains that "we must never forget that the indispensable first step in caring for the soul is to place it under God.... Spiritual formation for the Christian basically refers to the Spirit-driven process of forming the inner world of the human self in such a way that it becomes like the inner being of Christ himself." Moreover, "Our walk with Christ, well learned, is a burden only as wings are to a bird or the engines are to an airplane". Dr. Willard speaks to those seeking a better understanding of their spirit and how it can be radically transformed into Christlikeness. If you truly intend to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, if you truly want to see your life made new, if you desire to have the kingdom of God be a right-here-and-right-now experience, then this book is a must read and I'm sure that you will be as passionate about it as I am. One word of caution; reading Renovation of the Heart and embracing the concepts and ideas held inside will radically change your life (just as Jesus intended). "Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ Overview

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A Renewed Spirituality: Finding Fresh Paths at Midlife Review

A Renewed Spirituality: Finding Fresh Paths at Midlife
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A Renewed Spirituality: Finding Fresh Paths at Midlife ReviewThis book is exceptionally well written and addresses the spiritual needs I have at this stage of my life. The author discusses the many different facets of finding renewal, rest and nurturing of the soul. I especially enjoyed the chapter on Celtic spiritually because it ties right in with my need and desire to bring God into every area of my life. The author also provides insights on the myird means of enhancing creativity by drawing on her own life experience and those of others. She provides questions for reflection, sharing and discussion.A Renewed Spirituality: Finding Fresh Paths at Midlife Overview

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