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To Know God: Small-Group Excerises for Spiritual Formation

To Know God: Small-Group Excerises for Spiritual Formation

List Price: $14.00
Your Price: $11.20
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Bookwatch
Review: For the past 25 years or so, within the Christian community, there has been increasing interest in the subject of spiritual development for lay people, both through individual spiritual direction and through group activity. To Know God makes a very significant contribution in the area of spiritual development through groups. The book's author, Michael Gemignani, is both a pastor and a spiritual director, with some years of experience in coordinating the kind of group the book mainly concerns, which is a short-term spiritual-formation group. This kind of group, which usually meets for no more than a year, is designed to introduce participants to ways of developing a deeper relationship with God and to provide them with a foundation for continuing spiritual development. The book is in three parts. Part 1 discusses basic spiritual assumptions behind such a group and makes practical suggestions for forming the group. Part 3 discusses the possible evolution of the spiritual-formation group, after it closes, into a spiritual-direction group, in which the group functions as spiritual director for each of its members. The heart of the book is Part 2, which suggests content for the group meetings. There are 12 group Sessions in this part; the contents of each Session can extend over more than one actual group meeting. Each Session consists of discussion questions, a main topic for presentation and discussion, and a spiritual exercise or practice to serve as "homework" between meetings. Examples of some of the main topics are God's promise to us that he will give us the grace to experience him if we truly want, the definition of "sin" as interior obstacles to experiencing him, the meaning of Christ's sacrifice, stages of spiritual growth, the importance of a "rule of life" if one is to develop spiritually, and the importance of spiritual direction. The topics in all of the 12 Sessions are illuminative in themselves, and they also provide richly provocative material for anyone interested in coordinating a spiritual-formation group. I found the book very fruitful in stimulating ideas for coordinating such a group.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A usable and practical tool for the spirit
Review: Fr. Gemignani has presented a useful method for small groups (6-12) to examine their relationship with God. The author begins at the beginning: God loves us and seeks us. From there he shows how we can respond to God's love through prayer and development of a personal rule of life. Getting to know God within a small group is beneficial because we learn to help one another. My church implemented this method six months ago. Participants are very responsive and praise the content and thought-provoking questions after each lesson. I like the progression of steps in the spiritual life from the basics to felt intimacy with God. I highly recommend this book for both its material and its method.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A usable and practical tool for the spirit
Review: Fr. Gemignani has presented a useful method for small groups (6-12) to examine their relationship with God. The author begins at the beginning: God loves us and seeks us. From there he shows how we can respond to God's love through prayer and development of a personal rule of life. Getting to know God within a small group is beneficial because we learn to help one another. My church implemented this method six months ago. Participants are very responsive and praise the content and thought-provoking questions after each lesson. I like the progression of steps in the spiritual life from the basics to felt intimacy with God. I highly recommend this book for both its material and its method.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Bookwatch
Review: To Know God by Michael Gemignani (rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Freeport, Texas) offers twelve flexible, insightful group sessions to help individuals understand and embrace spiritual direction in their lives. Sessions explore such topics as the nature of sin, opening one's mind to God through meditation, the true meaning of the crucifixtion, and much more. To Know God is very highly recommended not just for spiritual discussion groups, but also for anyone ready to do some deep thinking to better understand their relationship with God.

-reviewed by The BookWatch, March 2002

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Thoughtful, insightful, inspiring reading.
Review: To Know God: Small Group Exercises For Spiritual Formation by Michael Gemignani (rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Freeport, Texas) offers twelve flexible, insightful group sessions to help individuals help one another understand and embrace spiritual direction in their lives. Sessions explore such topics as the nature of sin, opening one's mind to God through meditation, the true meaning of the Crucifixion, and much more. To Know God is very highly recommended not just for spiritual discussion group leaders, but also for anyone ready to do some deep thinking to better understand their relationship with God.


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