Encountering God: Cultivating Habits of Faith Through Spiritual Disciplines (Video Access Included)

Features:

• Personal study segments with homework to complete between 7 weeks of group sessions
• Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups
• Teaching videos, approximately 30 minutes per session, available via redemption code printed in the Bible study book
• Explanations of the history and progression of spiritual disciplines from origins to present day along with their biblical roots
• Practical guidance and activities to live out the various spiritual disciplines at home

Benefits:

• Demystify spiritual disciplines and be empowered to practice them as you draw closer to God.
• Understand how spiritual disciplines strengthen the Body of Christ, both in communities and individual lives.
• Reframe your perspective on rest and renewal.

Video Sessions:

• Session One: Introduction (10:37)—Kelly introduces the study on spiritual disciplines and reminds us that these spiritual habits are foundational to our faith and provide fellowship with the living God. She points out that although practicing these disciplines will provide spiritual results, our purpose is not to get results, but to strengthen our relationship with the Father.
• Session Two: Study (28:28)—Kelly focuses her teaching in Session 2 on the discipline of Bible study. She digs into 2 Timothy 3 to show how the inspired Word of God is useful to teach, rebuke, correct, and train us so that we will be equipped to carry out the purposes of God.
• Session Three: Pray (36:15)—Prayer is the focus of the Session 3 video. Kelly walks us through some of Jesus' teaching on prayer to point out that we pray to a personal God who knows our needs and faithfully responds to His children. She reminds us that prayer is not just transactional, but relational.
• Session Four: Express (36:39) —Kelly unpacks the story of the woman who washes Jesus feet with her tears in Luke 7 to teach us about the discipline of worship. She emphasizes that like the woman in the story, we are to passionately worship Jesus with all that we are and have. Even in the midst of our pain, we are to recognize who He is and express our love to Him.
• Session Five: Quiet (36:28) —Quieting our hearts before God is the theme for this week of study, with Kelly focusing the Session 5 video teaching on Scripture meditation. She clarifies that this kind of meditation is not emptying our minds, but filling them with the Word of God and the presence of the Spirit. She challenges us to get past the distraction of our devices and busyness of our schedules to be still before the Lord and soak in His Word.
• Session Six: Simplify (29:07) —Kelly challenges to simplify our lives in the Session 6 video. She walks us through Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6 to remind us that we are to be laying up heavenly treasure rather than earthly treasure. She calls us to orient our lives around what really matters, to turn our focus away from what we think we need to what we really need, so that we're free to give, serve, and love as Jesus calls us to.
• Session Seven: Engage (40:20)—Kelly closes the study by focusing on how we are to engage with each other in the body of Christ. She unpacks a passage in Colossians 3 to emphasize that as the holy, chosen, called-out people of God we are to display to each other, and also to the world, the same character of love and grace that Jesus has expressed to us.