Outreach 2022 Recommended Resource (Spiritual Growth) All fruitful doing must begin with being. For many Christians, it's easy to be swept up into the fast pace of modern life, desiring to do much for God. But we struggle to slow down and be with God. According to pastor, Enneagram teacher, and author AJ Sherrill, being with God is what empowers doing for God. Sherrill shares his own journey from "busy" Christianity to the ancient paths of contemplative practices. He equips readers to integrate rhythms of stillness, silence, and solitude, offering step-by-step guidance and examples of finding solitude both personally and on retreats. Sherrill warns that making these changes appears absurd in a society where time is money, productivity is central, and hurry is a way of life. He guides readers gently through the beginning and often confusing stages of contemplative practice. Citing timely insights from the world of neurology and mental health, he shows that solitude is crucial not only for Christian growth but also for holistic flourishing. Foreword by Rich Villodas. Readers will emerge, centered in Christ, well on their way to this goal: slow down, pay attention, be still, and be loved.

Using light as fil rouge reuniting theology and ritual with the architecture, decoration, and iconography of cultic spaces, the present study argues that the mise-en-scene of fifth-century baptism and sixth-century episcopal liturgy was meant to reproduce the luminous atmosphere of heaven. Analysing the material culture of the two sacraments against common ritual expectations and Christian theology, we evince the manner in which the luminous effect was reached through a combination of constructive techniques and perceptual manipulation. One nocturnal and one diurnal, the two ceremonials represented different scenarios, testifying to the capacity of church builders and willingness of Late Antique bishops to stage the ritual experience in order to offer God to the senses.

Harry Emerson Fosdick was one of the most popular liberal preachers of the early 20th century, and his The Meaning of Prayer is considered by many one of the finest studies of the meditative communion with God. This lovely little book features daily devotional readings focused on understanding prayer, reflecting upon: . The Naturalness of Prayer . Prayer and the Goodness of God . Hindrances and Difficulties . Unanswered Prayer . Prayer as Dominant Desire . Unselfishness in Prayer ..and other issues arising from conversing with the divine. This warm, friendly guidebook to a profoundly personal act remains an important exploration of one of the world's dominant faiths... just as it was when it was first published in 1915. American theologian HARRY EMERSON FOSDICK (1878-1969) was born in New York, educated at Colgate and Columbia Universities, and served as professor of practical theology at Union Theological Seminary from 1915 to 1946. Among his many works are A Guide to Understanding the Bible (1938) and A Book of Public Prayers (1960).

For women who are on the move, it's comforting to carry along a compact, pocket-size devotional resource to help them meditate anywhere on God's Word and His forgiveness and grace through Christ Jesus. "Blessings and Prayers offers a suggested order for devotions based on the Daily Office. Women using "Blessings and Prayers spend their devotion time reading and meditating on daily prayers, psalms, hymns and canticles, and Scripture. A wonderful gift. DEVOTIONAL CONTAINS- Daily Prayers- Psalms- Hymns and canticles- Scripture readings- A brief summary of the Christian faith

If we're honest, most of us feel bored, distracted, or discouraged in prayer. We look for resources to give us the "right" words or teach us the "right" technique and are disappointed when they don't seem to help. What we fail to realize is that prayer isn't a place for us to be good or right, and it isn't a place for us to perform or prove our worth. It's a place for us to be honest, present, and known--a place for us to offer ourselves and receive God. Spiritual formation experts Kyle Strobel and John Coe want to show you what you've been missing when it comes to prayer. In this down-to-earth book, they show you how to fearlessly draw near to a holy God, pray without ceasing (and without posturing), and delight in the experience of being fully known and fully loved. Each chapter ends with prayer projects or practices to help you see a difference in your prayer life, starting now.

All pilgrimages should be stopped.' This blunt assertion by Martin Luther, echoed unanimously by the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformers, is the pivot of Professor Davies's fascinating and original study. Why were pilgrimages condemned? To answer the question he gathers together material to illustrate the nature of pilgrimages and the motives behind them, extending from patristic times to the Middle Ages. Then he studies the effects of the condemnation on the flourishing pilgrimage trade. During the nineteenth century, the Holy Land again attracted visitors, even among Protestants; here is another change which needs to be explained. Pilgrimages may have been resurrected in our day, but there has been little examination in depth of the criticisms previously levelled against them among Protestants. A substantial chapter attempts to fill this gap, at the same time supplying a modern theology of pilgrimage. The book ends with a review of the devotional aspects of modern pilgrimages, and with suggestions about possible services, use of the Bible, meditations and soon. J. G. Davies was Professor and former Head of the Department of Theology in the University of Birmingham.

In this final book written before his death, C. S. Lewis continue to challenge readers to revisit the power of prayer in our everyday lives. Within twenty-two letters between fictitious correspondents, Lewis shares his understanding of the role of prayer in our lives and the ways in which we might better imagine our relationship with God. As with all his bestselling works, C.S. Lewis once again communicates deep wisdom through profound story.