The What and the How of the Spiritual Disciplines with Dr. Donald Whitney
Dr. Donald Whitney currently serves as Professor of Biblical Spirituality and Associate Dean of the School of Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of nine books including Spiritual Disciplines For the Christian Life, How Can I Be Sure That I Am A Christian, Praying the Bible, and more. Prior to serving at Southern Seminary, Dr. Whitney served as Associate Professor of Spiritual Formation at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has also served in local churches in pastoral ministry for over 24 years. He is married to his lovely wife Caffy, and together they currently reside in Louisville, KY.
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Show Notes
How would you define the “Spiritual disciplines”?
The term “discipline” is often associated with rules, difficult physical training/workout plans, or punishment/correction of poor behavior. Why is the term “discipline” the right word to use in this discussion, and why should we not immediately assume that the spiritual disciplines will be a burdensome task?
How would you encourage or correct someone who feels that they are burdensome tasks?
Where in Scripture do we see the Spiritual Disciplines discussed?
If you were to create a list of the spiritual disciplines that every believer ought to practice regularly, what would your list include?
Why is it important that we not consider every task a spiritual discipline?
What are examples of personal spiritual disciplines? What are examples of interpersonal spiritual disciplines?
Why are both categories of spiritual disciplines essential for our growth and how do they work together in our lives?
What is the point or goal of the spiritual disciplines?
What happens when we neglect the Spiritual Disciplines?
What is the connection between the spiritual disciplines and the fruit of the spirit in our lives?
How do we rightly think about our role in the spiritual disciplines and the simultaneous work of the Spirit in our lives?
As you consider great men and women of the faith who have come before us, are there any men or women in particular that you believe practiced the spiritual disciplines well? Why do you believe this?
How do we avoid thinking too much of ourselves when we do succeed in engaging with the spiritual disciplines regularly?
What do we do when we don’t feel like reading our Bible, Praying, participating in a local church community, etc.?
How do you personally enjoy God daily through your own practice of the Spiritual Disciplines?
What is one final piece of encouragement you want to offer women listening to this podcast episode who desire to grow in their enjoyment of God through the Spiritual Disciplines?
Noteworthy Quotations
“Spiritual Disciplines are those practices found in the Bible by which we grow in Christlikeness and intimacy with God. The disciplines are things that you do and can be measured.”
“You can’t expect people to do what they have never been taught to do.”
“The purpose of the spiritual disciplines is godliness according to 1 Timothy 4:7. We aim for intimacy with Christ and conformity to Christ.”
“We don’t become like Christ passively or without effort. Now, it is grace-motivated effort, but it is effort nonetheless.”
“God gives you the power and the desire to keep doing these things even when they don’t make sense otherwise.”
“The Christian life is about pleasing God and not pleasing ourselves.”
“The spiritually mature people practice disciplines, though they could be doing something else, because by faith they believe it pleases God and by faith they believe that it will result in blessings that will outweigh the burdens.”
“It’s not our pursuit of holiness that qualifies us to see the Lord. We are qualified to see the Lord by the Lord. But anyone who does know the Lord is given the Holy Spirit who gives you this appetite for holiness.”
“The personal spiritual disciplines include all forms of personal bible intake (hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating upon the Word of God), prayer, worship, service, evangelism, stewardship of time and money, fasting, and godly learning.”
“The spiritual disciplines are a means to godliness, they are not ends.”
“Almost every hero in the faith that we consider godly became godly in the same way that we do, through the practice of the spiritual disciplines.”
“Maturity says, ‘Persevere!”
“We don’t operate by what we feel like doing.”
Recommended Resources
Spiritual Disciplines For the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney
Habits of Grace by David Mathis
Disciplines of A Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes
Scripture References
1 Timothy 4:7
Colossians 1:29
Hebrews 12:14
Podcast Sponsors
This week's podcast episode is sponsored by The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Concrete Conversations. Thank you for partnering with The About Her Podcast to help make this week's conversation possible!
