There is an ever increasing body of writing on the subject of Spiritual Disciplines. I have contributed to the pile of new books on the subject with Choose The Life, Exploring a faith that embraces discipleship and with, [pardon the title] The Complete Book of Discipleship. This writing encourages readers to intentionally choose to follow Jesus, and part of that means engaging in the same practices he modeled. For example, prayer, fasting, silence, solitude, frugality, worship, service, and sacrifice. Practicing the intentional ones or voluntary disciplines are like preventive health care, there is not a lot of buzz about it, because it helps us avoid a lot of life's negative experience that comes from bad habits and attitudes. But then there are the non-voluntary disciplines, they come to us in the form of conflict, persecution, and the dark night of the soul. It is quite often said, "I learned much more through my suffering than in the more normal events of my life." This is often the case because it is easier to remember being run over by a motorcycle than the six weeks you were reading Daily Bread. Times of crisis and loss are commemorated, while daily bible reading can fall into the same category as push ups. Many of us sometimes think there are enough of the non-voluntary spiritual disciplines that they take up all our time. But I might suggest that the intentional practice of the voluntary will help us endure the non-voluntary.
Recent blog posts
- Praying for the Well
- The forgiveness only gospel
- Getting discipleship out of the ghetto
- Discipleship is life long
- What does a materialistic consumer Church have to teach a vibrant church in poverty?
- If Christians were in charge would it change the world?
- The danger of promiscuous reading-or your futile effort to stay current
- Why the Church is the West is now the number one mission field
- What the Church is too impatient and needy to do
- Teacher to the nations
About Bill Hull
Bill Hull’s passion has been to help the church return to its disciple making roots and he considers himself a discipleship evangelist. This God-given desire has manifested itself in twenty years of pastoral service and the authorship of ten books. His first book, Jesus Christ Disciplemaker, is celebrating 20 years with a new edition. The Disciple Making Pastor and the Disciple Making Church are two successive books which make up his popular disciple making trilogy. These books have provided the church with a new paradigm for disciple making.
Syndicate
Bill,
You write: "There is an ever increasing body of writing on the subject of Spiritual Disciplines. I have contributed to the pile of new books on the subject with Choose The Life, Exploring a faith that embraces discipleship and with, [pardon the title] The Complete Book of Discipleship. This writing encourages readers to intentionally choose to follow Jesus, and part of that means engaging in the same practices he modeled."
Question: How do we "choose to follow Jesus" when it is he who chooses us, and not we him? (Jn.15:16)
Thanks,
Kris Baudler
Bill and all concerned:
Being created in God's image we possess an element of sovereignty (our will) which in and of itself takes considerable discipline to conform to the Will of our Heavenly Father. Jesus' expression in the Garden of Gethsemane demonstrates this best to this practice of bowing prostrate before the Father.
God I believe does not violate our sovereignty. This is where I believe where the crux of the problem truly lies. It is no coincidence self-control is a fruit of the Spirit and we should seek to allow the Lord in His timing to develop this fruit. I have struggled for years with this matter in many areas of my life and still do to this day. Bill has encouraged me through another brother by recommending initiating practices of disciplines.
The Lord has met me in this area however I realize I cannot erect altars in this experience but relish the times when I have been sensitive enough to God and His Presence. I have also fallen into the trap of gratifying my own flesh in this pursuit of discipline. Even Paul speaks of these very struggles in the midst of Romans Chapter 8:26-30 the unutterable groanings, the searching of our hearts, intercession of the Spirit, all according to the will of God, the call according to His purpose, and so on.................
Choosing to follow Jesus is a Day by Day, Moment by Moment discipline which we will fall short of to some degree or another. Our choice is to meet Him in the Here and Now within our hearts for this is truly all we possess and are able to control. Quiet time is a good place to start but is only a beginning.
Keep up the dialogue it is great to know others have the same issues and even through we stand individually we are not alone and the Lord knows our hearts.
Thanks!
Robert Renteria
I certainly do agree with you and thanks so much for writing this blog.
This is so true. Nevertheless, I find it very difficult to persist in the voluntary-disciplines. I crave and desire them, but have a problem getting them into my daily routine. I make appointments or forget, or am too lazy to get out of bed in the morning, when the night before was long with counseling appointments or small groups or meetings, and the little boy had a nightmare.
Recently, I resolved to say that there are simply different seasons in life. Seasons, where the spiritual-disciplines can be more diligently practiced than others. But, I caught myself and realized that wouldn't be diligence. Is not a sign of diligence, the organizing of life around the things, to which you choose to be diligent? But then what is with wife and children and work? No matter how much I teach it myself, (I'm a pastor) I can't seem to bring myself to cancel other appointments for my own spiritual growth. I know there are more than a few people on my board of deacons, who will strongly disapprove of my use of time. Spiritual growth should take place on my own time. But I don't have any "own" time.
Okay, maybe it's clear that I am in desperate need of vacation. Leaving next Wednesday. But my question is really: how does a real man working as a pastor, diligently practice the spiritual disciplines? I feel like, although in the past I have had great experience being diligent in the disciplines, that it's just yet another appointment on my list, which I'm already trying to reduce. I find myself calling out for God's grace yet know that I'm cheapening it by not giving him the room he needs to lead and guide. It's a circle, I'm done.
First of all, I have been right where you are and I am sure will find myself there again given the nature of life. I follow some basic rules, oh well, most of the time I follow these rules.1. I don't do any disciplines that I haven't seen Jesus do.2. Jesus was not uptight about them, it seems he did them because he sensed a need to communicate with his father. So I refuse to be uptight and guilty because Jesus just did them on a as needed basis, so me too. 3. I think of them as exercise that will equip me to be nearer the heart of God, to hear his voice and to enjoy him.4. I focus on the ones I especially need. If I have a tendency to need noise, I choose silence, if I am addicted to people, I choose solitude, If I am addicted to food, I choose fasting, if I am full of control issues and anxiety, I meditate on peace.If I am withdrawn and selfish, I choose service.5. I also do them my way, walking, exercising, at a time of day that fits me, I don't let others decide for me. I choose the think of it all as a grace narrative, I am weak, lost, messed up, and I am drawn to God for strength, guidance, and character.