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BY MARY DENNIS

One of the most foundational teachings in the Methodist tradition is to attend to the “means of grace” for spiritual growth. The “means of grace” are simply habits we develop that connect us to God in Christ and others. These faith practices include prayer, Bible study, worship, fasting and acts of service. Churches can help people do this in many different ways.

One of the ways churches can encourage the practice of spiritual disciplines is by forming small groups for study, prayer and mission. Planning to do a few churchwide studies a year provides an opportunity to add a spiritual dimension to on-going committee meetings and create new small growth groups.

Churchwide studies, like those available in the Baltimore-Washington Conference’s Immersion Series, are intended for the engagement of the entire church community. They include a sermon series with a corresponding small group study and related daily devotional readings. Many of these studies have a mission component as well. Even the children and youth can join in the fun of learning and growing together.

Another way of providing resources and encouragement for people to develop the discipline of prayer is to provide and make use of daily devotional books such as the conference’s Adventure Guide or the Upper Room devotional. Church gatherings can begin with reading and discussing the questions of the day.

Some of our churches give these books as a gift to their newly elected officers while others include them in their visitor’s packets. Providing resources like these and, more importantly, modeling ways to use them encourages our people to make prayer and meditation a way of life.

The church might also facilitate ways to bring people together as prayer partners, who hold each other accountable to living out meaningful Christian discipleship.

The practice of spiritual disciplines is often lifted up during the seasons of Advent or Lent but we know that following Jesus is a year-long, life-long journey.

The most important thing is for churches to start or renew their discipleship effort, and with intention, creativity and passion, bring these means of grace to life in our pews and beyond.

Rev. Mary Dennis is the Baltimore-Washington Conference Grow Disciples Director.