Christian Spiritual Practices

Spiritual discipline is about being intentional in our learning, so we are formed, conformed, and transformed, in order to share in God’s holiness. We need daily spiritual disciplines rather than sporadic bursts of inspiration or enthusiasm. Spiritual disciplines are a means of receiving grace, not exercises in self-improvement. For example, a disciple of Christ can be compared to an apprentice learning a trade or craft from a master. Such learning requires a relationship between the master who knows the way of life (discipline) and the learner (disciple). The master leads the disciple through a process of learning (the discipline) until the disciple can imitate or live like the master. In general, Christian spiritual disciplines would be things, such as, prayer, study, honoring the body, hospitality, sabbath keeping, discernment, forgiveness, healing, worship, etc. Spiritual discipline is about the approach we take to ground ourselves in God and what we do with God’s way of relating to us and how we respond to God.		There is evidence of a significant hunger among us, a hunger of the heart and mind. …It is as if many of us were becoming aware that something is missing from our lives… a yearning for something which could and even should be ours to have and to enjoy. Hungry Hearts, Hungry Minds: The Quest for a Reformed Spirituality
"Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:15-16)	Spiritual practices are specific exercises, methods, or techniques one engages to learn and keep a more general discipline. For example, one might be engaged in discernment and the spiritual practices they might use to discern God’s will would be prayer, lectio divina, journaling, or spiritual direction. It is important to understand that disciplines and practices, like those on this site, are not understood as a means to make God love us more than God already does; there is no earning God’s love. Spiritual exercises do open to us to hear more clearly the depth of love God has for us and help us to put our trust in it. Spiritual practices help us consciously develop the spiritual disciplines of our lives. Spiritual disciplines help to open windows into our relationship to God and openness to receive God’s grace.
On this web site we have included some introductory information about spiritual practices that have been used by Christians for centuries. Over the next year or two we will add information about other practices. The descriptions of practices on this site are only here to introduce you to these practices they are not meant to be complete knowledge or instruction needed to gain competence in these practices. All Christians who desire to grow in their relationship with God should participate within a faith community which can provide guidance and spiritual direction in using these practices. Spiritual growth occurs as we become more and more the people God wants us to be and that means to be more and more like Christ. As we grow we discover the gifts God has given us and we learn through spiritual discipline how to develop and nourish them for service to the church and the world. There is much talk about self-development, self-image and self-esteem and while these pursuits are somewhat related to spiritual growth they are not the same. Spiritual growth always begins with God and comes out of our gratitude to God for his mercies and his free gift of grace revealed in Christ Jesus.		"The moment that you surrender yourself to God, you are surrendering to an unknown future and destiny. You are letting yourself become the person whom God always intended for you to be." Thomas Keating As 2 Peter 3:18, states, "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."
"Spiritual Formation is the continuing process of life and experience through which we are progressively formed, conformed, and transformed into the image of Jesus Christ." HEART-TO-HEART, May 1997, Pastoral Letter Richard J. Foster