Download or read book Doing Spirituality written by Alexander VENTER and published by . This book was released on 2019-03-19 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Doing Spirituality is a comprehensive textbook (14 chapters, 444 pages) on the journey of character formation toward Christlikeness. The passion to progressively become like Jesus in life, character and power, is the heart of this book. Christian spirituality is essentially apprenticeship to Jesus - as in biblical discipleship. The distinctive feature of the book is that the understanding and practice of spirituality and discipleship is framed in the biblical theology of the Kingdom of God - that which the historical Jesus embodied and taught. This is turn is set against the infinite horizon of the Trinity - called the "new Trinitarianism" in theology. PART ONE, INTRODUCTION, begins with Alexander Venter's autobiographical life journey in spirituality - his relationship with God. Then he gives an overview of ten different understandings of spirituality (spiritualities) in general use today, followed by a definition and discussion on Christian spirituality in particular. This followed up by an overview of the four main spiritual traditions in the history of the Christian Church. PART TWO, THEOLOGY, is a biblical theology of spirituality as in following Jesus in his earthly spirituality as a human person (not in his divinity), 2000 years ago under Roman occupation, in the crisis in which Israel found herself. Christian spirituality is being Jesus' apprentice in his Kingdom Way of life, contextualised to our life today. The Jesus way, or Kingdom spirituality - to be emulated by every Christ-follower - is examined from the Synoptic Gospels, then John's Gospel, then from Paul's understanding in his letters to the early Churches. PART THREE, PRAXIS, is the practice of Christian spirituality. Alexander lays out the classic threefold spiritual path of purgation, illumination and union. Then explains step by step how God transforms us, in terms of our spiritual, moral, character formation. This is followed by a discussion on each of the classic spiritual exercises: the eight disciplines of engagement, and the eight disciplines of abstinence. A further eight tools or aids for spiritual formation and growth are also introduced. The final chapter is the 'how to' live a balanced and integrated spiritual life to the full - to grow to maturity - and what that looks like in daily life. "Doing Spirituality is a widely informed, highly readable, textbook on Christian spirituality. It is grounded in the biblical theology of Jesus and the Kingdom of God, and set against the backdrop of the Trinity. Alexander Venter's sweep of the history of spiritual traditions in the Christian Church further enriches the theology and practice of spirituality - that is: faithful discipleship to Jesus in progressive character formation to become like him. Doing Spirituality will be valuable for all Christ-followers. Spiritual leaders, pastors and students will especially benefit from this insightful textbook." Craig S. Keener, F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary.
Download or read book Making Sense of God written by Timothy Keller and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2016-09-20 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We live in an age of skepticism. Our society places such faith in empirical reason, historical progress, and heartfelt emotion that it’s easy to wonder: Why should anyone believe in Christianity? What role can faith and religion play in our modern lives? In this thoughtful and inspiring new book, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller invites skeptics to consider that Christianity is more relevant now than ever. As human beings, we cannot live without meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Christianity provides us with unsurpassed resources to meet these needs. Written for both the ardent believer and the skeptic, Making Sense of God shines a light on the profound value and importance of Christianity in our lives.
Download or read book Creativity Spirituality and Making a Buck written by David Nichtern and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2019-10-08 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A friendly, funny, practical guide for creatives and entrepreneurs, written by a four-time Emmy award-winning and two-time Grammy-nominated composer-guitarist-producer who has worked with Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Jerry Garcia, Lana Del Rey, and Krishna Das, among many others. Also a beloved and highly regarded Buddhist teacher, David teaches readers how to integrate their creative process with their spiritual practice and livelihood. “How do I make a living doing what I love?” “Am I a sellout as an artist if I want to be successful?” “How do I integrate my spiritual principles with the art of running a business? And actually, um, how do I run a business?” Wondering how to reconcile your calling with your need to make a living wage, or what to do once your art starts selling, or how to achieve success in your field, or what it even means to be successful? David Nichtern offers his lived, learned experience as an entrepreneur, musician, and Buddhist teacher to first help you figure out what “success” means to you and then show you how to get there. He offers advice on the creative process and principles of business and ethics—everything from “listen to the muse!” to “protect your intellectual property!”—and provides mindfulness exercises to help you integrate inspiration and aspiration, vocation and avocation—to go from surviving to thriving. Whether you’re a baker trying to grow from the farmer’s market to a brick-and-mortar or a CEO exploring how taking care of your employees can be the same as taking care of your business—if you’re trying to align your spiritual, creative, and financial pursuits and discover what it means to truly live well, this book is for you.
Download or read book The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good written by Peter Greer and published by Baker Books. This book was released on 2013-08-01 with total page 187 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charity and Service Have a Dark Side You want to live out the Gospel by serving others, and you're willing to sacrifice your time, money, and perhaps even your safety. But do you realize the spiritual dangers you face as you serve? Peter Greer, the CEO of a Christian nonprofit, found that serving others and seeking justice actually did him harm. He shares how something that started with the noblest of intentions got off track--and how he got back on course. His story is a compassionate warning for anyone who works in ministry or charitable nonprofits, from CEOs to weekend volunteers. "Doing good can take its toll on our lives if we aren't careful. The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good is an honest look at the dangers we all need to avoid as we seek to make a difference."--Craig Groeschel, senior pastor, LifeChurch.tv "Peter Greer is a friend and a brother. His newest book is a brilliant reminder that what we do is not nearly as important as who we are--and how much we give is not nearly as important as how much love is in the giving."--Shane Claiborne, author, activist, and lover of Jesus "In this extremely timely and important book, Peter Greer applies the apostle Paul's teaching to the twenty-first century leader. Readable, humorous, and keenly insightful."--Brian Fikkert, author of When Helping Hurts "This book is a needed message for all leaders interested in social justice, ministry, or simply loving their neighbors as themselves. It is timely and welcomed. So get ready for a challenge. Peter is a thought leader who is changing the world. Read this book!"--Brad Lomenick, president and lead visionary, Catalyst "If you're ready to take an honest look at your leadership then read this work with a continual prayer on your lips: 'Lord, show me how this might be true in my life.' Too often Christian leaders gloss over these issues at their own peril. Read it, take heed, and become liberated from the hero who must die in order to live--you."--Dr. Scott C. Todd, senior vice president, Compassion International "Anchored in personal, gut-honest experience, The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good is a clarion call to all of us. Peter and Anna discuss how to change the world without sacrificing what is most important. I deeply resonate with the principles found in this book.."--Stephan Bauman, president and CEO, World Relief "Peter has nailed it. He has uncovered unique signs and situations we overlook as leaders that cause serious harm to ourselves and to others--particularly those we love most. Want to be a great leader? This is a must read."--David Spickard, president & CEO, Jobs for Life " Peter helps us in practical ways to serve Jesus with a pure heart, pure love and no applause necessary. I believe this book will get you in your gut and you'll be forever changed."--Anne Beiler, founder of Auntie Anne's, Inc. "I wish I could have read The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good as a young pastor. My idealism has often been my greatest strength and my most catastrophic weakness. Peter understands this, and his stories and insights would have saved me from heartache and major mistakes.."--Chris Seay, pastor, Ecclesia Houston "Provides a powerful wake-up call for Christians. The discussion questions and suggested videos on a variety of topics make this excellent for group studies. The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good should be required reading for all Christians whether they are involved in overseas missions or work in their own neighborhoods."--Congregational Libraries Today "Greer outlines many of the dangers that go along with serving others, including an inflated ego, a judgmental heart, and serving the poor at the neglect of one's spouse and family. He offers insight and points readers to the God who asks us to love others, and to do it with a heart that is open to Him. This book is a great resource for anyone who serves others, whether as a pastor, nonprofit leader or volunteer at the local food bank."--Youthworker Journal
Download or read book Everyday Spirituality written by James Hazelwood and published by James Hazelwood. This book was released on 2019-08-27 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Frustrated with traditional approaches to spirituality? Feeling guilty about not following a regimented devotional practice? Wishing there were a way you could embrace God in your everyday life? This book offers a way forward. Rather than prescribe another attempt at daily devotional readings, written prayers and scheduled moments of quiet meditation, Everyday Spirituality expresses the truth that much of what we already do in life is, in fact, spiritual. · Walking· Cooking· Laughing· Sleeping· Moving· Spending· . This book is an accessible introduction to an ancient yet new way of thinking and being in the world. Rather than dividing spiritual life apart from daily life, Everyday Spirituality helps the reader realize that they do as connected to God, the sacred, the holy.
Download or read book Doing Nothing written by Steven Harrison and published by Sentient+ORM. This book was released on 2008-01-24 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of Being One presents “a persuasive argument for stopping the perennial search for enlightenment” in this unique guide to finding inner peace (New Age Journal). Steve Harrison spent decades seeking out every mystic, seer, and magician he could find throughout the world. He studied the worlds philosophies and religions, and dedicated himself to various forms of austerity, isolation, and meditation before coming to a truly profound conclusion: it was all useless. In Doing Nothing, Steve encourages spiritual seekers to find the truths of life through the simple act of stopping the search. As he puts it, “nothing is a surprisingly active place, but it is here that we discover who and what we are.”
Download or read book Spiritual Simplicity written by Chip Ingram and published by Howard Books. This book was released on 2020-04-28 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the answer to our culture’s need for simplicity and peace—by doing less and loving more. If you crave simplicity, yearn for peace and calm, this is the book for you. Author Chip Ingram goes beyond quick fixes and speaks to all of us who find it impossible to break free of our busy lifestyles, filled with too many good and important things that fill our schedules. The message of this book is simple: Spiritual simplicity will not be achieved by strategic attempts to control our lives and schedules but through doing less because we are able to love more. As you learn the practice of loving people, you will experience a shift from complex to simple, from hurried to peaceful, from “never enough time” to “time enough for those you love.” It’s time to redirect our focus from the complex, overextended lifestyle that keeps us running but never arriving. In Spiritual Simplicity, learn how to “reorient your life around life. The result is a life whose priorities are so radically rearranged that” (Dave Stone, author of the Faithful Families series) lasting change is finally within your reach.
Download or read book Subversive Spirituality written by Eugene H. Peterson and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 1997-06-27 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Subversive Spirituality Peterson has gathered together a host of writings penned over the past twenty-five years that reflect on the overlooked facets of the spiritual life. Comprising occasional pieces, short biblical studies, poetry, pastoral readings, and interviews, this work captures the epiphanies of life with the pleasing pastoral style and inspiring depth of insight for which Peterson is well known. Peterson describes his book this way: "This gathering of articles and essays, poems and conversations, is a kind of kitchen midden of my noticings of the obvious in the course of living out the Christian life in the vocational context of pastor, writer, and professor. The randomness and repetitions and false starts are rough edges that I am leaving as is in the interests of honesty. Spirituality is not, by and large, smooth. I do hope, however, that these pieces will be found to be freshly phrased".
Download or read book Faith Spirituality and Medicine written by Dana E King and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-01-11 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understand and make use of the connections between health and religion to improve your practice! Research points to a clear link between people's religious beliefs and practices and their health. These developments have ushered in a new era in health care, in which meaning and purpose stand alongside biology as vital factors in health outcomes. Now the gap is closing between medicine and religion, as evidenced by the more than 60 US medical school courses now being given in spirituality, religion, and medicine, including courses at major teaching centers such as Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Brown, Case-Western, and others. Faith, Spirituality, and Medicine: Toward the Making of the Healing Practitioner promotes the integration of spirituality into medical care by exploring the connection between patient health and traditional religious beliefs and practices. This useful guide emphasizes basic, easily understood principles that will help health professionals apply current research findings linking religion, spirituality, and health. Faith, Spirituality, and Medicine does not advocate any particular set of beliefs or evangelize as it helps you integrate spiritual care into the care of patients by showing you how to: take a patient's spiritual history correlate religious beliefs with health beliefs address the individual spiritual needs of your patients choose a course of treatment that is in agreement with the religious belief of the patient incorporate appropriate clergy into treatment plans Faith, Spirituality, and Medicine describes a biopsychosocial-spiritual model that emphasizes the need to view patients not simply as biological creatures, but as physical, psychological, social, and spiritual beings if they are to be effectively treated and healed as whole persons.
Download or read book A Spirituality for Doing Justice written by Dennis A Jacobsen and published by . This book was released on 2021-02-02 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dennis Jacobsen brings his many years of experience doing congregation-based organizing for justice into conversation with unique spiritual reflections. Jacobsen has learned along the way that deeper reflection must precede organizing action. He says, As I age, I have respect for those who faithfully enter the inner room of their soul to meet and love God. Social action is messy and disruptive and noisy. Jacobsen turns to his work creating and meditating on icons to connect biblical themes and Christian personalities to guide those who are preparing for congregation-organizing and faith-based social action. His unique perspectives help anyone engaged in such work go deeper in prayer and devotion before diving into the messy work of organizing.This book follows his first volume, Doing Justice: Congregations and Community Organizing, in which Jacobsen explored biblical and theological reasons congregation-based organizing offers a faithful way of living out the teachings of Jesus. In this new volume, he seeks to integrate spiritual practices (reflections on iconography, in particular) that he claims are foundational to congregation-based community organizing.The book includes introductory chapters to describe his own spiritual practice around icons, several chapters on different figures and what can be learned or gleaned from them as one prepares for justice work. The final section provides a month-long daily office for doing justice, which participants may adopt in their life of prayer and faithful reflection.
Download or read book Waking Up written by Sam Harris and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2014-09-09 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the millions of Americans who want spirituality without religion, Sam Harris’s latest New York Times bestseller is a guide to meditation as a rational practice informed by neuroscience and psychology. From Sam Harris, neuroscientist and author of numerous New York Times bestselling books, Waking Up is for the twenty percent of Americans who follow no religion but who suspect that important truths can be found in the experiences of such figures as Jesus, the Buddha, Lao Tzu, Rumi, and the other saints and sages of history. Throughout this book, Harris argues that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow, and that how we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the quality of our lives. Waking Up is part memoir and part exploration of the scientific underpinnings of spirituality. No other book marries contemplative wisdom and modern science in this way, and no author other than Sam Harris—a scientist, philosopher, and famous skeptic—could write it.
Download or read book Restless Souls written by Leigh Eric Schmidt and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2012-09-05 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Yoga classes and Zen meditation, New-Age retreats and nature mysticism—all are part of an ongoing religious experimentation that has surprisingly deep roots in American history. Tracing out the country’s Transcendentalist and cosmopolitan religious impulses over the last two centuries, Restless Souls explores America’s abiding romance with spirituality as religion’s better half. Now in its second edition, including a new preface, Leigh Eric Schmidt's fascinating book provides a rich account of how this open-road spirituality developed in American culture in the first place as well as a sweeping survey of the liberal religious movements that touted it and ensured its continued vitality.
Download or read book Everything Is Spiritual written by Rob Bell and published by St. Martin's Essentials. This book was released on 2020-09-15 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "An exciting vision of the future" --Michael Eric Dyson Everything Is Spiritual is an unexpected and compelling invitation to see your life in a whole new way. We have the great moments of our lives, the highs, those times when we soar, when it all makes sense, when it feels like it all has purpose and meaning. And then there are all those other moments—the lows and aches and failures and struggles and experiences that leave us wondering what the point of it all is. Are our lives ultimately bits and pieces and fragments—you try to find a little peace and hope and then it’s over? Or is there more going on here? In our increasingly polarized and disoriented world, Everything Is Spiritual gives us a radical new take on how it all fits together, how it works, how it’s all connected. Part memoir, part extended riff on the quantum nature of reality, part history of the universe, Rob Bell takes us back through the twists and turns and struggles of his story in order to help us see the larger story so that we can reconnect with our story.
Download or read book Making the Most of Spiritual Direction written by Antonio P. Villahoz and published by Scepter Publishers. This book was released on 2017-03-31 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many already appreciate the importance of spiritual direction in the interior life. But having a good director is not enough. One must also know how to make the most of spiritual direction. This book will help you to prepare well for your time in spiritual direction. It describes the four keys to a successful conversation with your director and offers a list of topics that should be covered. It will help you discern what is important and what is not important to talk about in spiritual direction. Making the Most of Spiritual Direction is a helpful aid to beginners and to those with more experience, as well as priests and those entrusted with giving direction to others.
Download or read book Enlightenment Through Motherhood written by Astra Niedra and published by Voice Dialogue in Daily Life. This book was released on 2013-12-13 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I enjoyed this immensely... Definitely a fun and entertaining book while sharing a bit of spiritual goodness as well." Katie "This book put into words just what, and how, I was feeling about my own spiritual journey. Women and men have such different experiences and this book beautifully articulates them." Amanda Motherhood is misunderstood. Since time immemorial we've believed that when women become mothers they are taking time out from real work and serious personal growth, especially spiritual development. But we've had it all wrong. While heavily pregnant with her third child, personal growth writer Astra Niedra attempts a holiday in the tropical paradise of Australia's Far North with her husband and two young daughters in tow. During this ‘holiday’ she discovers that the skills and abilities that mothers are required to use each day as part of their job are the same as the practices prescribed for enlightenment seekers. “Her simple spellbinding stories, her keen intellect, and her unfailing humour make this book a pleasure to read. Here is a new way of thinking of spirituality, of valuing our humanity while living a spirit-infused life, and a fascinating (and novel) path to enlightenment! It's a consciousness changer and I loved it." Dr Sidra Stone "A great read for all mothers, I loved this book!" Ann Shepich This book will inspire you, entertain you and lift your spirits, all the while grounding you in the unshakeable truth that there is far more to being a mother and raising children than conventional wisdom would have us believe.
Download or read book Sacred Rhythms written by Ruth Haley Barton and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2009-12-14 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Logos Book Award 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. The choice to establish your own sacred rhythm is the most important choice you can make with your life.
Download or read book Do Better written by Rachel Ricketts and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-02-02 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER San Francisco Chronicle’s 10 Books to Pick * HelloGiggles’ 10 Books to Pick Up for a Better 2021 * PopSugar’s 23 Exciting New Books * Book Riot’s 12 Essential Books About Black Identity and History * Harper’s Bazaar’s 60+ Books You Need to Read in 2021 “A clear, powerful, direct, wise, and extremely helpful treatise on how to combat and heal from the ubiquitous violence of white supremacy” (Elizabeth Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author) from thought leader, racial justice educator, and acclaimed spiritual activist Rachel Ricketts. Do Better is a revolutionary offering that addresses racial justice from a comprehensive, intersectional, and spirit-based perspective. This actionable guidebook illustrates how to engage in the heart-centered and mindfulness-based practices that will help us all fight white supremacy from the inside out, in our personal lives and communities alike. It is a loving and assertive call to do the deep—and often uncomfortable—inner work that precipitates much-needed external and global change. Filled with carefully curated soulcare activities—such as guided meditations and transformative breathwork—“Do Better answers prayers that many have prayed. Do Better offers a bold possibility for change and healing. Do Better offers a deeply sacred choice that we must all make at such a time as this” (Iyanla Vanzant, New York Times bestselling author).
