Skip to main content
Grace Communion International logo
  • Login
  • Home
  • God
    • Who Is Jesus?
    • Who is the Holy Spirit?
    • Why Are Humans in the Image of God?
    • So What?
  • Media
    • Speaking of Life
    • You're Included
    • Dimensions in Ministry
    • GCI Reflections
    • GCI Together
    • A Word from our Sponsor
    • Other Videos
    • One Quick Thought
  • Publications
    • Christian Odyssey
      • Spring 2013
      • Sept-Nov 2012
      • Winter 2012/2013
      • Older issues
    • GCI Weekly Update
    • Booklets
    • Article Index
    • God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit
      • God
      • The doctrine of the Trinity
      • God, evil, and suffering
      • The Holy Spirit
      • Jesus before his birth as a human
      • The birth of Jesus
      • The life and ministry of Jesus
      • The week before Jesus' death
      • The death of Jesus and its significance
      • The resurrection of Jesus
      • The ascension and the return of Jesus
    • The Gospel
      • Articles about the gospel
      • Booklets about the gospel
      • Bible studies on what the gospel is
      • Articles about evangelism
      • The Basics: studies for new believers
      • Tri-fold pamphlets about the gospel and church
    • The Bible
      • Articles about the Bible and Bible study
      • Genesis
      • The Torah, also known as the books of Moses
      • Books of history, Joshua through 2 Kings
      • Books of poetry: Psalms, Proverbs, etc.
      • Books of prophecy: Isaiah through Malachi
      • The Four Gospels
      • Acts of the Apostles
      • Epistles of Paul
      • Hebrews, General Epistles and Revelation
    • Church and Ministry Articles
      • Children's ministry
      • Youth ministry
      • Women in ministry
      • Church history
      • Articles about Christian holidays
      • Articles about the Lord's Supper - Communion
    • Discipleship, Christian Living and Growth
      • A series of 30 articles about Christian doctrines
      • Additional articles about Christian living
      • Spiritual disciplines - a series for small groups
    • Old Testament Laws
      • The old and new covenants
      • The seventh-day Sabbath
      • The annual festivals
      • A series of 14 studies about Old Testament laws
      • Sabbath, Circumcision and Tithing: a book
    • Bible prophecy
      • The Second Coming of Jesus
      • The Book of Revelation
      • What happens after a person dies?
  • Our Story
    • GCI as a Denomination
    • The GCI Statement of Beliefs
    • GCI History
    • Transformed by Truth
    • Contact Us
  • Our Churches
    • Find a GCI Church or Pastor
    • United States
    • North, West, Central and East Africa
    • Southern Africa and Mauritius
    • Northeast Asia, the Philippines, and UAE
    • Southern Asia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands
    • Australia
    • Canada
    • Caribbean nations
    • Central and Eastern Europe, and Spain
    • Western Europe and the Middle East
    • Latin America
  • Church Development
    • Media, programs & resources
    • CAD Services Catalog
    • Church Multiplication Ministries
    • Generations Ministries
    • Pastoral Internship Program
    • Women's Ministry
    • Office of Reconciliation & Mediation
    • GCI Weekly Update
    • Equipper
    • It Looks Like This
    • The Surprising God blog
  • Education
    • Grace Communion Seminary
    • Ambassador College of Christian Ministry
    • Imperial and Ambassador transcripts
  • Participate
    • GCI Events
    • Find a GCI Church or Pastor
    • Get Free Booklets in the U.S.
    • Contact Us
  • Donate

Spiritual Disciplines

This is a series of 15 small group studies. See the links on the left or at the bottom for the rest of the series.

Our loving God wants us to live a fulfilled life. Although He does not guarantee us a trouble-free existence, He does give instructions that strengthen our bond with Him. God’s purpose is to develop a loving relationship with each one of His children. One powerful way to know our Lord better is through the spiritual disciplines.

Spiritual disciplines can be described as behaviors that facilitate spiritual growth. The process of spiritual growth and development begins to take place when a person encounters God, and God begins to create a new level of consciousness or awareness. As we pursue each day as an exciting opportunity to develop a loving relationship with God, these disciplines will guide us to see our Father’s heart more clearly.

  1. Think of someone you have viewed as a mentor, or someone you have respected in the past. What characteristics caused you to think of this person?
  2. In what ways do you want to be like this person? Why?
  3. Some of us may have asked, "What are Christians expected to do on a day-to-day basis?" What would make us ask such a question?
  4. There is a difference between imitating a good man and counterfeiting him.
    – Benjamin Franklin

    Key Scripture: John 14:5-15 (NIV)

  5. In verse 7, we read, "If you really knew me, you would know my father as well." Why does Jesus respond to Thomas in this way?
  6. What implications does this response have for us as Christians today? (Galatians 2:20)
  7. What did Jesus mean when He said that those who believe Him will do even greater things? (v. 12)
  8. What might a nonbeliever see in a Christian that would help the nonbeliever to know Jesus or the Father?
  9. We can become like Christ by doing one thing – by following him in the overall style of life he chose for himself. If we have faith in Christ, we must believe that he knew how to live. We can, through faith and grace, become like Christ by practicing the types of activities he engaged in, by arranging our whole lives around the activities he himself practiced in order to remain constantly at home in the fellowship of his Father…
    •  

        The Spirit of the Disciplines is nothing but the love of Jesus, with its resolute will to be like him whom we love.

        – Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines

  10. What are some of the activities in which Jesus regularly participated? (These activities Willard refers to as ‘disciplines’)
  11. As a group, pray that God will lead the group in the coming discussions on the disciplines.
  12. Almost 2,000 years later, can we truly follow Jesus Christ’s life-model, or is it simply impossible in today’s hectic world?

Challenge for Growth:

Meditation and prayer:

  1. In the coming weeks, meditate on the importance of the spiritual disciplines in your life.
  2. How have spiritual disciplines changed your life? How would you like them to change your life? Petition God in prayer and thanksgiving to help you.

For further study:

  1. In your personal time of Bible study, take special notice of God’s instruction on the different disciplines.

- The Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard

- Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster

Prepared by Charles and Susi Albrecht

AttachmentSize
All 15 parts in one Word document183 KB
By: 
Charles and Susi Albrecht
1998
Email this page

Thank you for your interest in sharing materials from Grace Communion International.

NOTE: We request your email address only so that your friend knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not keep these email addresses, and we will not send unsolicited materials to either you or your friend.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Grace Communion International
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Grace Communion International web site.
  • Grace and Discipline - a Small Group Study
  • Prayer - a small group study
  • Silence and Solitude
  • Bible Study - a small group study
  • Fasting - a small group study
  • Meditation - a small group study
  • Submission - a small group study
  • Service - a small group study
  • Guidance - a small group study
  • Confession - a small group study
  • Worship - a small group study
  • Celebration - a small group study
  • Whole Life Stewardship
  • Spiritual Discipline – A Lifestyle
‹ Six Reasons to Obey God up Grace and Discipline - a Small Group Study ›
Share This Page:
Email this page

Thank you for your interest in sharing materials from Grace Communion International.

NOTE: We request your email address only so that your friend knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not keep these email addresses, and we will not send unsolicited materials to either you or your friend.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Grace Communion International
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Grace Communion International web site.

Articles About Christian Life and Growth

  • A Good Way to Go
  • How to Resist Temptation
  • In God We Trust
  • It's Not What You Aren't That Counts
  • Peace in Christ, by John McLean
  • Six Reasons to Obey God
  • Spiritual Disciplines
    • Grace and Discipline - a Small Group Study
    • Prayer - a small group study
    • Silence and Solitude
    • Bible Study - a small group study
    • Fasting - a small group study
    • Meditation - a small group study
    • Submission - a small group study
    • Service - a small group study
    • Guidance - a small group study
    • Confession - a small group study
    • Worship - a small group study
    • Celebration - a small group study
    • Whole Life Stewardship
    • Spiritual Discipline – A Lifestyle
  • Walking in His Steps
  • Going for the Gold
  • Learning to Be Like Christ in Everyday Life
  • Building Stronger Families
  • Personal Money Management
  • Overcoming Alcohol Abuse - A Series of Articles
  • What About Divorce and Remarriage?
  • What the Bible Says About Divorce and Remarriage
  • What the Bible Says About War and Violence
  • Introduction to Moral Development
  • What Is Truth and Does It Matter?
  • When a Loved One Dies
  • Home
  • God
  • Media
  • Publications
  • Our Story
  • Our Churches
  • Church Development
  • Education
  • Participate
  • Donate
Unless otherwise noted, © 2013 Grace Communion International. All rights reserved.   Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Accessibility