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In a world hungering for soul and heart and closeness to God, congregations can play a crucial role. Increasingly congregations are drawing both from ancient traditions and from contemporary experience to provide avenues for developing individual and corporate spirituality. Explore resources for enhancing spirituality in your congregation.
SPIRITUALITY
  Connecting to God: Nurturing Spirituality Through Small Groups (Book)
Corinne Ware, Author.
Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1997.
This book provides a model for developing a spiritual life through the interaction of a small group.
Discover Your Spiritual Type: A Guide to Individual and Congregational Growth (Book)
Corinne Ware, Author.
Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1995.
Defining spirituality as "all those attitudes and activities that characterize one’s attempts to make connection with Deity," Corinne Ware has written a guide to the types of spirituality that predominate in an individual and a congregation.
Discovering the Narrow Path: A Guide to Spiritual Balance (Book)
N. Graham Standish, Author.
Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002.
Graham Standish encourages us to follow the "narrow path"—a path "rooted in God and God's will for us." This book explores "the kind of life that leads to a commitment to Christ, compassion for others and ourselves, and communion
 Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation (Organization)
The Shalem Institute is an ecumenical organization dedicated to supporting a deeper spiritual life in individuals and communities.
The Undivided Soul: Helping Congregations Connect Body and Spirit. (Book)
Cheryl A Kirk-Duggan, Author.
Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2001.
This resource is designed to help leaders assist their congregations in exploring the relationship between the faith journey, physical life, and spiritual discipline.
 Active Spirituality: A Guide for Seekers and Ministers (Book)
Kent I. Groff, Author.
Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 1993.
A combination of theological reflections and practical exercises for spiritual development, Active Spirituality is designed to be used by individuals and congregations for personal prayer, group study, weekend retreats, and educational workshops.
Aging, Spirituality and Pastoral Care (Book)
Elizabeth MacKinlay, Editor.
Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, Inc., 2002.
Here is a set of essays on the ethical, theological, and biblical dimensions of aging, especially in relation to a secular and spiritual world view. It concentrates on pastoral care for those with dementia/Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.
At Home in the World: A Rule of Life for the Rest of Us (Book)
Margaret Guenther, Author.
Church Publishing Incorporated, 2006.
Those who aspire to be more open to God are encouraged to develop a personal rule of life based on monastic rule. To aid this development, Guenther includes historical and scriptural references, personal memoir, and practical suggestions.
Be Still: Designing and Leading Contemplative Retreats (Book)
Jane E. Vennard, Author.
Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2000.
Be Still addresses a specific area of ministry: the congregational contemplative retreat.
Blessed are the Peacemakers: A Christian Spirituality of Nonviolence (Book)
Michael Battle, Author.
Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2004.
Arguing against an individualistic understanding of spirituality, Michael Battle maps out a communal understanding which emphasizes that Christians are the church, God's instrument for peacemaking in the world.
Cast in God's Image: Discover Your Personality Type Using the Enneagram and Kabbalah (Book)
Howard A. Addison, Author.
Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2001.
Combining the Enneagram's rather negative view of the human condition with the uplifting views of the Kabbalah, Rabbi Howard Addison lays the groundwork for people to delve more deeply into their own and others' personalities.
The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective (Book)
Richard Rohr, Andreas Ebert, Authors.
New York, NY: Crossroad Publishing Co., 2001.
Some think the Enneagram is a powerful tool for spiritual discernment, while others consider it a religious personality typing system. If you have not yet experienced the Enneagram's challenges, this book provides a comprehensive introduction.
Holy Silence: The Gift of Quaker Spirituality (Book)
Brent Bill, Author.
Paraclete Press, 2005.
Holy Silence, explores the Quaker tradition of coming into communion with the Divine through silence, and offers ways in which readers can of all faiths can explore this experience for themselves.
Listening to God: Spiritual Formation in Congregations (Book)
John Ackerman, Author.
Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2001.
Premised on the idea that knowing about God is not the same as knowing God, Listening to God asserts that churches need to discern God’s call to them by listening to God more and relying less on “expert” opinion.
The Promise of Paradox: A Celebration of Contradictions in the Christian Life (Book)
Parker J. Palmer, Author.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008.
Parker Palmer's The Promise of Paradox is organized around the themes of paradox and contradiction in Christian life. Palmer reflects on education, community, contemplation, political responsibility, prayer, social action, and solitude.
Protestant Spiritual Exercises: Theology, History and Practice (Book)
Joseph D. Driskill, Author.
Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1999.
Joseph Driskill, a seminary professor of spirituality and a Disciples of Christ minister, addresses a noticeable gap in the current literature on spirituality by exploring the theology, history, and practice of Protestant spirituality.
Recovering the Sacred Center: Church Renewal from the Inside Out (Book)
Howard E. Friend, Author.
Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 1998.
Using metaphor, story, and reflection, Howard Friend develops a theological and practical guide to congregation renewal that offers news ways to think about congregational change.
Sabbath Time: Understanding and Practice for Contemporary Christians (Book)
Tilden Edwards, Author.
Nashville, TN: Upper Room Books, 1992.
Presenting a vision for balancing the demands of ministry with the need for rest and re-creation, Sabbath Time will be useful for a faith community seeking to explore Sabbath and support one another in keeping Sabbath.
Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, And Delight in Our Busy Lives (Book)
Wayne Muller, Author.
New York, NY: Bantam, 1999.
Perhaps one of the most difficult practices for the modern American believer is keeping the Sabbath. Muller advocates for the commandment to observe the Sabbath as a pivotal aspect of life.
Senior Spirituality: Awakening Your Spiritual Potential (Book)
Harold R. Nelson, Author.
St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2004.
Exploring spiritual issues from a senior adult perspective, this book offers personal reflections about the strength and comfort that comes from awakening spirituality. This is a suitable book for small group discussion.
Spirit Windows: A Handbook of Spiritual Growth Resources for Leaders (Book)
Ann Z. Kulp, Author.
Bridge Resources, 1998.
Spirit Windows offers many resources and practical ideas for persons who lead contemplative or intercessory prayer gatherings, meditation groups, retreats, or other events that seek to enhance participants’ awareness of God.
A Stone’s Throw: Living the Act of Faith (Book)
Claudia Horwitz, Author.
Durham, NC: Stone Circles, 1999.
This book provides offers suggestions, activities, resources, and stories to help individuals and groups integrate faith, spiritual practice, and social justice.
Tending to the Holy: The Practice of the Presence of God in Ministry (Book)
Bruce G. Epperly, Katherine Gould Epperly, Authors.
Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2009.
Through real-life stories from the authors' experiences, Tending to the Holy demonstrates how pastoral life can be made whole by practicing spiritual disciplines in the commonplace aspects of ministry.
Uncovering Your Church’s Hidden Spirit (Book)
Celia Allison Hahn, Author.
Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2001.
Exploring case studies of five Episcopal churches, Celia Allison Hahn demonstrates how differently the Holy Spirit manifests itself. This book offers approaches to discerning and engaging the presence of the Spirit in congregations.
Why Religion Matters: The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of Disbelief (Book)
Huston Smith, Author.
New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2006.
In this image-filled and lucidly argued book, author Huston Smith assesses religion's recent history, current state, and future significance.
Wrestling with Grace: A Spirituality for the Rough Edges of Daily Life (Book)
Robert Colin Morris, Author.
Nashville, TN: Upper Room Books, 2003.
Wrestling with Grace is a good sourcebook for leaders wanting to help their congregants develop healthy behaviors for growing spiritually within a busy and demanding life.
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