LifeGuide® bible studies

CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINES

12 STUDIES FOR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS

Andrea Sterk and Peter Scazzero

An imprint of InterVarsity Press

Downers Grove, Illinois

InterVarsity Press

P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426

ivpress.com

email@ivpress.com

©1985, 1999 by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship of the United States of America

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press.

InterVarsity Press® is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, a movement of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, visit intervarsity.org.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Cover image: © Dawn Hanna / Trevillion Images

ISBN 978-0-8308-3055-8

Contents

Getting the Most Out of Christian Disciplines

Part 1: Connecting with God

1 Quiet Time

Exodus 33:7–34:10, 27–35

2 Prayer

Nehemiah 1:1–2:10

3 Bible Study

2 Kings 22:1–23:7

4 Worship

Revelation 4–5

Part 2: Reaching Out to Others

5 Evangelism

Acts 17

6 Social Justice

Amos 5:4–6:7

7 Missions

Acts 10

8 Giving

1 Chronicles 29:1–20

9 Discipling

1 Thessalonians 2

Part 3: Staying on Track

10 Time & Gifts

Matthew 25:14–30

11 Guidance

2 Chronicles 20:1–30

12 Christian Community

Ephesians 4:1–16

Leader’s Notes

Getting the Most Out of Christian Disciplines

Fast-food restaurants. Rapid weight-loss diets. On-line shopping. The Internet. Getting rich quick. Today’s society looks for instant gratification and results. More. Better. Quicker. Richer. Often the values of our consumer society shape our view of discipleship. We demand instant godliness, overnight “success” in the Christian life. As a result we end up discouraged and frustrated by the shallowness of our walk with God. Richard Foster spells out our dilemma: “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant gratification is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people” (Celebration of Discipline [New York: Harper & Row, 1978], p. 1).

Discipline is not a very popular word today. We tend to think only of its negative connotations—rules, punishment, limitations on our freedom and legalism. We have somehow lost the positive biblical emphasis on discipline which leads to freedom and joy in the Holy Spirit. Paul’s instruction to Timothy reminds us of the importance and value of a disciplined life: “Train yourself to be godly. For physical training ...