Exploring the Way, Participants Book: An Introduction to the Spiritual Journey (Companions in Christ) - Softcover

Thompson, Marjorie J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0835898067 ISBN 13: 9780835898065

Publisher: Upper Room Books, 2005

Synopsis

Do you have a deep longing for something more? It may be something you can't explain, but you have moral yearnings and visionary dreams that nothing has satisfied.

You're not alone. Even people "raised" in a Christian church can feel disconnected from - and even repelled by - what should be a comforting, constant presence in their lives. It's why so many people today proclaim themselves "spiritual but not religious." But what does that mean? Exactly what's meant by the spiritual journey?

Exploring the Way will help you understand and deepen your experience of God. You'll be able to ask the questions of issues and faith in a safe place. You'll discover (or rediscover) a way of grace, joy, and peace - indeed, the way of Christ himself.

Ideal for the novice and veteran alike, this book defines and explains the most basic concepts and language of the Christian spiritual life: prayer, the Bible's message for our lives today, spiritual gifts, listening, journaling, and much more. It's the ultimate six-week orientation to spirituality and the essential elements of faith.

Stories, scripture, and exercises in each chapter will help connect your beliefs with daily experiences. Through independent and group study, you'll establish a rhythm of daily time with God, weekly time in Christian community, and a lifelong attentiveness to possibilities for serving the world.

"To become a spiritual adventurer means learning to listen for the voice of God," writes the author. "This listening involves a certain level of risk and vulnerability that does not come easily. ...[But] we cannot fully rest until we find our way back to the place of our soul's origin, back to the Love that gave us life."

Feed your hungry soul, using both your head and your heart while rejuvenating your own spiritual journey home!

About this title

About the Author

Stephen D. Bryant was the World Editor and Publisher of Upper Room Ministries from 1997 to 2009 and is currently directing international ministry initiatives for the General Board of Discipleship. Before his election as editor and publisher, Bryant served as Director of Spiritual Formation for The Upper Room and as the International Director of The Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis movements. His vision of small groups as important settings for spiritual formation and his experience in the contemplative life as well as local churches provided the inspiration for the Companions in Christ series. Bryant was instrumental in shaping the foundational 28-week resource and continues to shape and co-write the subsequent titles in the series.
Marjorie J. Thompson is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. She has served as director of the Pathways Center for Spiritual Leadership and as spiritual director to Companions in Christ, a program outgrowth of the Pathways initiative of Upper Room Ministries. Companions in Christ is a small group resource for spiritual formation in local congregations, suited to ecumenical use. Marjorie has exercised a ministry of teaching, writing and spiritual guidance for many years.

Edition details

• Publisher: Upper Room Books
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0835898067
• ISBN 13: 9780835898065
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 84