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Summary: A Guide to Christ living.
Review: This book change my life. This book will help you to understand the tools of a deeper walk with Jesus.
These are the tools Jesus gave the Disciples when he walked with them in his time spent hear on Earth. Great read and learn.
May you be blessed when you take one the challenge of this teaching.
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Summary: Part 2 of 2 in great books for spiritual disciplines
Review: Make sure you read Dallas Willard's Spirit of Disciplines before reading this book. It will explain to you why there's an important emphasis on spiritual disciplines.
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Summary: celebration of discipline
Review: Awesome. Its a complete examination of yourself. Step by step, chapter by chapter it describes how to mimic Christ by disciplining yourself in every area of yourself. Had to turn around and read it a second time with a highlighter pen so I could review daily the highlights. Every line has so much to say. Have to say it's the second best book("the imitation of Christ" is the best) for self examination I have ever read. If you want to be happy, read it, learn it and do it. If you want Jesus to live in your actions and words, READ IT.
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Summary: Best introduction to Christian spirituality available.
Review: Some have hailed this as the book of the century. Foster presents a balanced overview of the spiritual disciplines within the Christian faith and how the role they should play in the life of the believer. This book introduced me to the ancient devotional writers and permanently changed my walk with God.
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Summary: One of Best Modern Christian Books Around
Review: This is one of the best modern Christian books around. It is one of the best "classics" as well, but that might scare off someone looking for contemporary applications. This book is easy to read, yet insightful. Cross denominational, which lowers our shields of doctrine. This would be very good for a small-group book study (I will recommend it for our group next time).Table of contents: 1. The Spiritual Disciplines: Door to Liberation Part I The Inward Disciplines : 2. Meditation 3. Prayer 4. Fasting 5. Study Part II The Outward Disciplines : 6. Simplicity 7. Solitude 8. Submission 9. Service Part III The Corporate Disciplines : 10. Confession 11. Worship 12. Guidance 12. Celebration
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Summary: A True Celebration
Review: _Celebration of Discipline_ is one of the finest Christian books of our time. I read it as an "assignment" with a men's study group, and at first, was a bit ambivalent about this ethereal-sounding spiritual book from a Quaker. I began it reluctantly, but shortly realized that what I was reading was solid, no-holds barred steps towards maturity in Christ, through discipleship and productive living. Foster speaks of the "inward disciplines" the "outward disciplines" and the "corporate disciplines" of the Christian life. As I flip through the book, I find myself in need of a tune-up. It's that kind of book. It's one that you'll never master, but the joy is in the journey, and in following the Savior with the full passion of your heart. He's calling us to the life of Discipline and discipleship, not to a willy-nilly external Christianity. _Celebration_ is a breath of fresh air in an era of "easy believism" and cheap grace. Foster has touched a generation of believers with this timeless classic.
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Summary: The Scriptural Keys to Living a Devout and Holy Life
Review: I first discovered "Celebration of Discipline" through Terry Glaspey's "Great Books of the Christian Tradition." Glaspey listed Foster's book as one of the top ten (cream-of-the-crop) books that every Christian ought to read and know. His opinion is obviously shared by many others as shown in Christianity Today's listing of "Celebration of Discipline" as one of the top twenty most influential books of the 20th century. Why is the book so influential? Because it gives Christians important and practical details regarding the scriptural key (self-discipline) to living a holy life which is the door to true liberty in all its facets. The 12 spiritual disciplines he expounds on, if faithfully practiced, will lead to inward and outward harmony (wholeness; holiness) with oneself as well as social harmony with others both within and without (as an evangelistic light) the corporate body of Christ. Four disciplines are allotted to each one of the spheres (inward, outward, and corporate) and valuable insights from the spiritual masters within Christian history are provided as supplements to the biblical foundation that grounds the book. Another book that makes a nice companion to this one is Dallas Willard's "The Spirit of the Disciplines." Willard's book is highly recommended by Foster who considered it the book of the decade (1980s) and now considers Willard's new book "The Divine Conspiracy" as the one he has been searching for all his life because of its biblically comprehensive, holistic and practical nature. Both Foster and Willard value the deep, spiritual insights of the older Christian classics (including those penned by so-called Christian "mystics") as seen by their many references and quotes. Also, both authors have seen that the deep spirituality that underlies those classics flowed from a self-disciplined life. Those who think that God will progressively sanctify them apart from their obedient and disciplined life are sorely mistaken and, if they don't change their thinking and practices, are in for a rude awakening. A few words regarding the spiritual discipline of meditation are in order. Meditation in general involves learning through practice to control one's thoughts and redirect one's attention for the purpose of sustained concentration on a given object (whether physical via the eyes or mental via the imagination or spirit). This is NOT always easy, especially at first, because our thoughts tend to be wild and bounce disjointedly from thought to thought in a stream of consciousness. This is one reason why vocal prayer (which IS easy) is important during private prayer times to aid in concentration. This is also important to understand in order to appreciate the purpose of repetition in, for example, Eastern Orthodox practice (read "The Way of a Pilgrim" and notice the anonymous author's use of the Jesus Prayer and its corresponding fruit in his life). This is NOT "vain" repetition, but repetition with an important, sacred goal! Having made this point, I appreciate Foster's emphasis on obedience. He stated that "Christian meditation, very simply, is the ability to hear God's voice and obey his word." Obedience is indeed integral to Christian meditation and holy living because the Christian purpose of such a discipline is to sensitize us to the Holy Spirit's "still, small" voice. I also appreciated Foster's balanced understanding of detachment and attachment. He stated: "The detachment from the confusion all around us is in order to have a richer attachment to God." Amen! I am glad to find myself in a growing company of Christians of various denominations who appreciate the importance of Foster's book and the greater importance of practicing the disciplines in order to live a "devout and holy life" (*) that is pleasing and acceptable to God. (* Also recommended: William Law's "A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life")
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Summary: We need more of this kind of book
Review: Foster has succeeded in developing a true Christian spirituality. He has written, in a very simple manner, ways that we can exercise our body and mind together to allow the Spirit to work in our lives. It is not easy, but it is simple. Foster comes from a background where meditation and quiet reflection are essential element of CHristian praxis. Our culture, however, has made things so fast, so noisy, so non-stop that exercising such muscles becomes an very difficult act. Some of the disciplines I never thought of as disciplines, such as worship or submission. But Foster weaves a tapestry of exercises and practices taht can do nothing but bring us closer to God. And that is the ultimate purpose. The Disciplines are not useful in themselves, but only in the fruit they produce. Some of his medical claims are simply incorrect, however, For example, the white mucus in your mouth that may arise while fasting has nothing to do with the body cleansing itself, but rather the lower water content in your body. Leaving these claims aside, however, his spiritual statements are sound and provocative.
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Summary: A True Spiritual Classic
Review: Richard J. Foster has exhibited a real understanding of the Christian Life. The path to spiritual growth does come through the celebration of discipline. This book is a must for all believers who want to have a closer relationship with God, and a fresh holistic view of practicing Spiritual Disciplines. The inward disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and study, are essential to spiritual growth. It was also refreshing to see study put into the category of spiritual discipline. This discipline has been lost, and even frowned on among evangelical Christianity, and needs a jump start from this awesome Quaker. Study can be an act of worship. The outward disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submisison, and service, are real keys to evangelism. These disciplines nurture the Christian and lead to the corporeate disciplines: confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. What I liked most of all about this book is that Foster doesn't just give good definitions about what these things are, but shows practical ways to practice them. The author has a vast amount of practical knowledge because he practices these disciplines, which makes his work all the more meaningful. I highly recommend this book because I read it and it changed my spiritual habits. Thank you Richard Foster for your dedication to building up the body of Christ.
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Summary: True Spirituality
Review: This is what true worship is all about. Just when it seems that the Eastern Philosophies and other New Age religions have "fruit" here comes a book that will show you the disciplines that are the core to every believers life! This book breaks it down and gives you a wake up call to put to practice what you preach or step off the pulpit!
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