Life together in Christ : experiencing transformation in community / [print]
Ruth Haley Barton.
- Downers Grove : IVP Books, an imprint of InterVarsity Press, (c)2014.
- 172 pages ; 22 cm
Includes bibliographical references.
Between the now and the not yet: Choosing to walk together -- And Jesus Himself came near: Welcoming the stranger -- They stood still looking sad: Choosing to listen rather than fix -- But we had hope: Gathering on the basis of shared desire -- Some women of our group astounded us: Men and women in community -- Was it not necessary that the Messiah must suffer?: The nature of the Spiritual journey -- He explained the Scriptures to them: Finding our story in His story -- Were not our hearts burning within us?: Discerning the presence of Christ -- Then they told what had happened on the road: You are witnesses of these things.
Have you joined a church or small group in hopes of experiencing real life change, only to be disappointed? Have you sat through inspiring sermons about what is possible when Christians gather together in mutually edifying relationships, only to recognize how cynical you have become after many failed attempts? Community may be one of the most over-promised, under-delivered aspects of the Christian life today. Individuals remain selfish and stuck in their ways. Communities become spiritually lifeless or even fall apart because we don't know how to experience transformation together. Transforming community does not come primarily from listening to inspiring preaching or adding another church program. It emerges as we embrace a shared commitment to the attitudes, practices and behaviors that open us to Christ in our midst. And that's where Life Together in Christ comes inches Reflecting on the story of the two disciples who meet Christ on the Emmaus Road, Ruth Haley Barton offers this interactive guide for small groups of spiritual companions who are ready to encounter Christ in transforming ways --