A few years ago as I was exploring spiritual disciplines, I found myself surprised at how often fasting came up. Fasting wasn’t something I heard much talked about in the churches and communities I’d been a part of. But it kept coming up...
“I need to hear a voice from heaven.” That’s what Robert, an atheist, told me after we met together to read the Bible for most of an academic year. We had studied John, Romans, and selections of the Old Testament to examine both the claims of Christ...
I heard the word “discipleship” frequently growing up. My Bible teachers and pastors spoke on this topic, explaining how it bolsters the Christian life. However, not until recently did I hear the related phrase “spiritual formation.”...
Books on faith range from short and conversational to long and scholarly. They come from all kinds of angles too—struggling with faith, learning foundations of the Christian faith, and growing stronger in faith, to name a few. Here are 13 books on...
Effective Bible study practices Studying the Bible is an important part of the Christian life, but it’s a part that all too often gets swept under the rug and pushed off until a later date. Even if you take the time to read the Bible every day, how...
God calls all Christians to become more like Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 3:18), and this transformation happens in the innermost part of a person: their heart. This progression is called spiritual formation, which involves...
In this excerpt from the Mobile Ed course Introducing Spiritual Formation, award-winning author and internationally recognized speaker Dr. Gary Thomas explores why adopting the humility of Christ is evidence that we value true holiness. Transcript...
First Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing,” yet how many of us do? Prayer is so hard that unless circumstances demand it—tragic accidents, an illness, or saying grace at a meal—many Christians simply don’t. And without even...
The January/February issue of Bible Study Magazine features J.D. Greear—pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. In college, Greear’s study of Romans 2 led him to a life-altering realization: “Paul talks about those...
The Christian life involves growth. The importance of maturing spiritually and growing deeper in our relationship with God cannot be overstated. However, many believers struggle to know exactly how to do that. How does one grow to be more like...