We’ve compiled some resources here to help nurture our community’s personal spiritual practices, reading of scripture, and prayer time. While community is vital to our growth as disciples, so is our own personal spiritual practices, the time we spend in the Word and in prayer. We hope you find this resources valuable.
How to Study and Read the Bible
As with any relationship, the only way your relationship with God will grow is if you spend time with him. The primary means that God provides for this kind of personal time is through Scripture and prayer. There are many different ways you can use God’s Word and prayer for your growth—the important thing is that we make time to do so! Here is one simple approach that can be adapted to your unique needs and personality.
How to Pray the Lord’s Prayer
When Jesus gave us “the Lord’s Prayer,” he was teaching us how to pray. “Pray like this,” Jesus said (Luke 11:2). He didn’t necessarily mean you must pray these exact words, but he was laying out a model to guide our prayers. There is no greater model. We’ve put together this brief guide to help you use the Lord’s prayers to direct your own.
Personal Worship & Prayer Guide
As followers of Jesus, we are invited to not just know what we believe about Jesus Christ in our brains but also to experience the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ in our souls. How does that happen? One of the ways that happens is through a discipline of personal worship and prayer. Here is a simple plan that you could use to let God’s Word lead you into a deeper experience of God’s grace.
Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina (Latin for “divine reading”, pronounced lex-ee-oh di-vee-nuh) is a form of contemplative Bible reading that has been used for over 1500 years in the church. It is a way of being with Scripture that fosters spiritual conversation with God, by allowing God to initiate with us and also creating space for our own response to Him. Learn more about Lectio Divina and how to incorporate it into our time in Scripture with this guide.