D-Now Review

Friday morning there may have been a lot of uncertainty about Disciple Now. I was waiting anxiously to meet the band and speaker. My previous discussions with them had me feeling optimistic, but there is always that uncertainty when you turn over control of a program to people you have never met.

Youth may have been packing their bags as they got ready, but I think a lot of you still didn't know what the heck this weekend was all about.

Sunday morning though, there was no uncertainty. We all knew what D-now was about. A few weeks before we may have described D-now as "an intense weekend of worship and discipleship" but now that expression finally made sense, because for the last couple days we had lived that very experience.

It's really hard to put this kind of experience into words. We stepped away from Forsyth to a place without cell phone reception but where our inner radio was somehow able to pick up God with a lot less less static than we may have been used to.

We were reminded that being a Christian means being "little Christ's" as we strive to be like Jesus. Discipleship is the practice of following Jesus. Spiritual formation, similarly, is the process of forming our hearts and lives to be more like Jesus. During this weekend we learned various practices that help us as Disciples to draw closer to God and help form our hearts to the likeness of God.

Here's a review of some of the practices we experienced. If you haven't already done so, I'd recommend choosing one and trying it out for a month. See if it helps you follow God and if it helps you allow God to form you into his likeness a little bit more.

Breath Prayer
This practice uses the act of breathing to assist in prayer. It requires a short sentence. For me the sentence was "Lord Jesus, transform my heart." When you have selected a sentence, either from the Bible or some other source (including thinking of something yourself) you are ready to begin.

This prayer is divided into two parts. When you breathe in, pray silently the first portion of your sentence. For me I prayed "Lord Jesus" as I breathed in a deep breath. As I felt breath entering my lungs, filling my body with life giving oxygen, I invited my lord Jesus to fill me with his life. I then breathed out and prayed "transform my heart."

A breath prayer is to be repeated for five minutes, twenty minutes or any amount of time. It can be done in any situation and can help be an aid to prayer without ceasing, prayer walks, or dealing with situations which can lead to sin (such as anger).

Holy Imagination
Studying the Bible for facts is one method. Holy imagination on the other hand is designed not merely to understand the Bible but to experience it (in your mind). As you read a scripture passage pause to imagine yourself there. Feel the breeze on your face, the sand beneath your feet, the heat of the sun. Hear the words Jesus speaks, imagine he is speaking these words to you.

Lectio Divina
Lection Divina, or "holy reading" is another way to read the Bible. First one must select a passage of the Bible. Then read the passage four times following the following steps.

1. Lectio: Simply read through passage slowly.
2. Medetatio: Read the passage again and meditate on what you read. What word or phrase stands out to you?
3. Oratio: Read the passage again and respond to God as you read. Oppen your heart to God in prayer.
4. Contemplatio: Read the passage a final time and rest in God's presence. Feel God with you and simply enjoy the realization of God's presence.

Prayer Walk
Praying doesn't have to be done sitting. It can be done walking around. This is often done in nature but can be done in any situation. Walk slowly, observing your surroundings. Pray to God and use what you see to inspire you to pray more. See trees, birds, spirrels and thank God for nature. As you see people walking by pray for them. Use this walk as a specific time to pray.

Body Prayer
For this we spit up into two groups. I joined the "intense" group outside. It was a little chilly and the ground was wet. We practiced two types of body prayer.
Our Father: We prayed the Lord's prayer ("Our father who art in heaven...") normally except by using our bodies as well as our words. We lifted our hands towards heaven and bowed our heads to God. We got down on our knees and bowed our head on the grass in submission to God. We stood again lifting our hands to our father. It was a powerful experience.
Soaking Prayer: I believe this is named because you are soaking in God's presence. Clearly when the ground is wet it takes on another meaning. We laid on our backs and prayed silently. I could see stars in the sky and branches from a tree nearby. I felt the earth beneath my back. It didn't feel good, but it felt real and for a moment I felt connected to the vast expanse of space and the ground I walk on and take for granted every day. And in that moment I did soak in God's presence.

Centering Prayer
The last type of discipline we practiced was centering prayer. In this prayer you begin by choosing a word or phrase which you will use to help center your mind on God. I chose "Jesus." You then try to clear your mind and center it on God. The key is to think about nothing else. Try to think about nothing for a few minutes. It’s not easy. But each time a distraction pops up use your phrase to pull your attention back to God.