Stephen D. Bryant

Are you becoming the person God wants you to be? Discover a way to authentic Christian spirituality through this 6-week study. By shining the light of God's Word into the darkness of our lives, Hudson and Bryant will lead you to a pathway of discovery and growth. Explore the markers of the journey: Becoming a Christ-FollowerKnowing Who We AreChanging from the InsideListening to the GroansExperiencing the God Who HealsDiscovering Community Together"The Upper Room has crafted a practical tool for assisting pilgrims on the journey of transformation," writes one reviewer. "The Way of Transforming Discipleship is for anyone who is on the way to becoming a true Christ-follower. Not only is this a must-read, but even more so, it is a must-do resource " Join this journey to experience more deeply what it means to live as a follower of Christ. Understand the meaning of spiritual formation and how it leads to a spirituality that's authentic and grace-filled. Reflect on what your faith means in terms of who you are, how you must change, how you deal with pain, and how you relate to others. Be challenged to live the whole gospel by authentically connecting spirituality with discipleship. A group experience of this resource consists of a preparatory meeting, 5 weekly sessions, and a closing retreat. The Way of Transforming Discipleship is appropriate for any group that has completed the Companions in Christ 28-week foundational resource, or it may also be used as an introduction to this powerful program.

Companions in Christ Participant's Book in 1 Volume is available for small-group members. Companions in Christ Leader's Guide is designed to develop you as a leader in guiding the spiritual life of your congregation. This resource gives you an overview of the Christian spiritual life and the practices that help people enter into the formative pattern of Christ's life: a life of prayer, study and service. Help your small-group members move from information (knowledge about) to experience (knowledge of) in the means of grace - ways in which Christ meets people, renews their faith, and deepens their life together in love. This revised Leader's Guide provides detailed guidance for leading a small group through the 28 weekly sessions. The plans have been tested and refined by groups in churches across the country. This book contains all you need, including: the Getting Started Guide, which was formerly a separate piece a revised plan for a Closing Retreat Weekly Needs at a Glance page references for both the comprehensive 1-volume Participant's Book and the new 5-volume series "I found that the Leader's Guide was complete, easy to use, and filled with a vast wealth of worship experiences and leadership tools," writes one Companions in Christ group leader. "I haven't found this content in other resources." Lead your group deeper into the heart and mind, the work and spirit, and the very life of Jesus Christ

It's said that prayer is so primal an urge for humankind that we're born into the world praying. Yet, something so natural and seemingly so easy comes hard sometimes. The Way of Prayer is a 10-week small-group study about the nature, practice, and results of prayer. Some forms of prayer arise in our lives spontaneously, some are learned by rote, and others are stumbled upon as we move through life." All prayer, formal or informal, is about our relationship with God," the authors write. "Somewhere deep inside us resides the experience of being so deeply connected to God that we long to express the wonder of that relationship. We pray because we can-and must." Honor the ways you were taught to pray while expanding your understanding to include new ways to pray. Topics covered include: How Do You Pray? Images of GodPraying by HeartPraying with MusicPraying by GazePraying with Our BodiesScriptural PrayerContemplative PrayerPraying with and for OthersPrayer and Social Transformation

Exploring the Way Leader's Guide is also available. Do you long for something more? Maybe you can't explain your yearning, but you want to make a difference in the world, and you're never quite satisfied with your life. You're not alone. Even people raised in church can feel disconnected from God. Exploring the Way will help you understand and deepen your experience of God. You'll be able to ask questions about 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 6-week orientation to spirituality and the essential elements of faith. Sessions include: Beginning the Journey Sharing the Adventure Bread for the Journey (Scripture) Drink for the Journey (Prayer) Companions on the Way Reaching Out in Love 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. Feed your hungry soul, and use both your head and your heart while rejuvenating your own spiritual journey.

The Way of Blessedness invites readers to cultivate the dispositions of the soul as outlined in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, which suit us for the reign of God while drawing us into its realm. Jesus portrays the reign of God in terms that are contrary to social hierarchy in his time as well as our own. It is a realm of outlandish generosity and uncommon compassion. This is a 9-week study of the spiritual practices that help us turn away from pride and fill us with God's abundant love. As we're transformed by God's love, we're able to become people who mourn with and for others and our world, who understand and live out Jesus' example of meekness, who hunger and thirst for holiness, who humbly offer and receive mercy, whose hearts are pure and able to see the imprint of God in all things, who seek peace, and who hold strong in our faith through adversity.