Hymn Workouts

Spiritual fitness for Christians whose growth has stagnatedMany of us feel like our spiritual growth has stalled. Our routines have hardened into ruts. Around us, we see other Christians with the same struggles and we start to think that treading water is the basic rhythm of the Christian life. Often the problem of stagnating faith is down to one simple fact - we all have a bias towards ease. Our spiritual routines involve passively reading our Bibles, not lingering long enough to comprehend or retain what was read, and a few distracted minutes spent in prayer. This book of spiritual workouts is meant to push complacent souls back out into the space of exertion and discovery. It will engage and sharpen the faculties of the mind - memory, imagination, intellect,conscience and will. Each workout, thematically grouped, features a hymn,richly steeped in scripture. There is a Bible passage to read, a list of the scripture references made in the hymn, and three reflection questions to meditate on. The 100 exercises are grouped into these themes: The Holiness of GodThe Mystery of the GospelIncarnation and LifeDeathResurrection and AscensionFinal Judgement and New CreationSpiritual FellowshipThe FatherThe SonThe Holy SpiritThe ChurchSpiritual TransformationInward MotivationMature CharacterSpiritual DisciplinesBible ReadingPrayerRepentance and MortificationPracticing the Presence of GodWhole-Life DiscipleshipSpiritual TrialsSuffering and AfflictionTemptation and Spiritual WarfareFacing Death