Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Growth: Training vs. Trying
    Growth: Training vs. Trying
    Growth: Training vs. Trying
    Ebook138 pages1 hour

    Growth: Training vs. Trying

    By John Ortberg, Laurie Pederson and Judson Poling

    4/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    What would your life be like if Jesus lived it? Imagine the change you would experience in your thoughts, actions, and relationships. Think of the joy and freedom that could transform every area of your life. That’s exactly what God has in mind for you! You’ll find out how in Growth. Through personal study and small group interaction, this study sets you on a path to live out the character of Jesus in this world as only you can. It happens not by trying hard, but by training. By cultivating spiritual disciplines--Scripture meditation, prayer, solitude, endurance, loving others--you’ll discover the joy of being transformed by Christ and the freedom of living each day sustained by his power. Leader’s guide included!Growth group sessions are:Training to Live Like JesusThe Practice of Scripture MeditationThe Practice of SolitudeSimple PrayerThree Transforming PrayersThe Roundabout WayAnd the Greatest of These Is Love
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan
    Release dateDec 19, 2009
    ISBN9780310862390
    Growth: Training vs. Trying
    Author

    John Ortberg

    John Ortberg is teaching pastor of Menlo Church and author of many books, including God Is Closer Than You Think.

    Read more from John Ortberg

    Related to Growth

    Titles in the series (100)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Christianity For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Pastors Need A Firm BIBLICAL FOUNDATION

      Dec 30, 2019

      The Gospel is the most powerful force on this earth. The transformative power of the Cross changes lives around the world daily. If the Gospel is not changing hearts, then it is not the full Gospel that is being preached. In Africa today we see a num

      4 min read

    • Article

      Bible Fun

      Sep 29, 2023

      Bible Fun
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Kingdom In The Marketplace

      Apr 13, 2020

      There are so many Christians in the marketplace who remain hidden or silent, despite so much teaching available from the church, internet, TV, and other media. Why are these believers and their faith so hidden? Here are a few pointers to assist you i

      1 min read

    • Article

      Ask Val

      Sep 23, 2022

      Ask Val
      2 min read

    • Article

      Joy! News

      Sep 29, 2023

      Joy! News
      6 min read

    • Article

      Faith Empowered

      May 27, 2020

      Faith Empowered
      6 min read

    • Article

      Wednesday, December 5

      Oct 15, 2018

      I’VE BEEN MARRIED TO MY husband, John, for twenty-six years, but for many years I didn’t think that would be the case. My doubt was due to the fears and mistrust I carried into my marriage. I didn’t know my biological dad, and my stepfather was uninv

      1 min read

    • Article

      Sunday, August 18

      Jun 18, 2019

      WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN to pray without ceasing? Does it mean we chant at the wailing wall in Jerusalem? Or is it more like the meditative murmurs of a cloistered nun? I used to think that was the picture of devoted prayer. Today, it looks like cons

      1 min read

    • Article

      The Kingdom In The Marketplace

      Mar 16, 2020

      Today, there is little understanding of the message of the Kingdom in the marketplace, yet we are all called as ministers to grow His Kingdom (2 Cor 3:6). Many set worldly goals for the selfish advancement and selfish rewards, where work has just bec

      1 min read

    • Article

      Reflect on Your Spiritual Life

      May 18, 2020

      Reflect on Your Spiritual Life
      1 min read

    • Article

      Tamela Mann

      Jan 28, 2022

      Tamela Mann
      1 min read

    • Article

      Ask Val

      Mar 18, 2022

      Ask Val
      2 min read

    • Article

      Letters To The EDITOR

      Dec 31, 2021

      I cannot believe what I read sometimes! The Blood of Jesus  is the most powerful force. Nothing is impossible with God. You have to wonder how many unsaved preachers are standing on podiums every Sunday when this is what they can put on a banner outs

      2 min read

    • Article

      Does Honor Matter?

      Jun 3, 2018

      Does Honor Matter?
      5 min read

    • Article

      Dare To Depend On Him

      Mar 16, 2022

      Dare To Depend On Him
      1 min read

    • Article

      Saturday, April 4

      Feb 14, 2020

      WRITING IS MY CALLING. EVEN without compensation, I would write. My latest book explores the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I wrote the first draft in 2005. Countless editors rejected it. Over ten years, I rewrote the manuscript no fewer than eig

      1 min read

    • Article

      Where is God IN THE CHAOS?

      Mar 18, 2022

      We live in extremely challenging times. Our unemployment rate is among the highest in the world. Our economy is tanking. Skilled people are emigrating. Crime, poverty, corruption, and violence are endemic in our society. Chaos seems to be overtaking

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Importance of Evangelism

      Jul 22, 2022

      “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded yo

      2 min read

    • Article

      The Good With The Bad

      Jan 8, 2021

      The Good With The Bad
      9 min read

    • Article

      God’s Word Is A Mirror

      May 20, 2019

      We have an identity crisis in the Church today. This is because we do not know who we are in Christ and what belongs to us through Christ. Our minds remain unrenewed. In the natural, without proof of identity, you are not officially recognised and ca

      1 min read

    • Article

      Rooted In God’s Love

      Feb 10, 2023

      Rooted In God’s Love
      5 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Growth

    4/5

    2 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Growth - John Ortberg

      PURSUING SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION BIBLE STUDY SERIES

      Fully Devoted: Living Each Day in Jesus’ Name

      Grace: An Invitation to a Way of Life

      Growth: Training vs. Trying

      Groups: The Life-Giving Power of Community

      Gifts: The Joy of Serving God

      Giving: Unlocking the Heart of Good Stewardship

      ZONDERVAN

      Growth: Training vs. Trying

      Copyright © 2000 by the Willow Creek Association

      All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

      ePub Edition June 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-86239-0

      Requests for information should be addressed to:

      Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

      ISBN-10: 0-310-22075-0

      ISBN-13: 978-0-310-22075-6

      All Scripture quotations unless otherwise noted are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

      We are grateful for permission given by a number of gifted teachers to use excerpts from their books and messages for the opening readings in the sessions. These authors and speakers are acknowledged throughout this guide.

      Interior design by Laura Klynstra Blost

      Contents

      TITLE PAGE

      COPYRIGHT PAGE

      PURSUING SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION

      TEN CORE VALUES FOR SPIRITUAL FORMATION

      GROWTH: TRAINING VS. TRYING

      session one

      TRAINING TO LIVE LIKE JESUS

      session two

      THE PRACTICE OF SCRIPTURE MEDITATION

      session three

      THE PRACTICE OF SOLITUDE

      session four

      SIMPLE PRAYER

      session five

      THREE TRANSFORMING PRAYERS

      session six

      THE ROUNDABOUT WAY

      session seven

      AND THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE

      LEADER’S GUIDE

      ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

      SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

      Pursuing Spiritual

      Transformation

      The Pursuing Spiritual Transformation series is all about being spiritual. But that may not mean what you think!

      Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? What does that mean? Does spiritual growth seem like an impossible amount of work? Do you have a clear picture of the kind of life you’d live if you were to be more spiritual?

      Each guide in the Pursuing Spiritual Transformation series is dedicated to one thing—helping you pursue authentic spiritual transformation. Here, the focus is learning to train for growth.

      You may find this study different from others you have done in the past. Each week in preparation for your group meeting, you will be completing a Bible study and experimenting with a variety of spiritual exercises. These elements are designed to enhance your private times with God and, in turn, to help you invite him into all aspects of your life, even the everyday routines. After all, spiritual life is just life—the one you live moment by moment.

      It is very important that you complete this work before going to each meeting because the discussion is based on what you’ve learned from the study and what you’ve observed as a result of the spiritual exercise. The Bible study and exercises are not meant to be done an hour before the meeting, quickly filling in the blanks. Instead, we suggest you thoughtfully and prayerfully complete them over the course of several days as part of your regular devotional time with God.

      A good modern Bible translation, such as the New International Version, the New American Standard Bible, or the New Revised Standard Version, will give you the most help in your study. You might also consider keeping a Bible dictionary handy to look up unfamiliar words, names, or places. Write your responses in the spaces provided in the study guide or use your personal journal if you need more space. This will help you participate more fully in the discussion, and will also help you personalize what you are learning.

      When your group meets, be willing to join in the discussion. The leader of the group will not be lecturing but will encourage -people to discuss what they have learned from the study and exercise. Plan to share what God has taught you. Try to be sensitive to the other members of the group. Listen attentively when they speak, and be affirming whenever you can. This will encourage more hesitant members of the group to participate. Be careful not to dominate the discussion. By all means participate, but allow others to have equal time. If you are a group leader or a participant who wants further insights, you will find additional comments in the Leader’s Guide at the back of the study.

      We believe that your ongoing journey through this material will place you on an exciting path of spiritual adventure. Through your individual study time and group discussions, we trust you will enter into a fresh concept of spiritual life that will delight the heart of God … and your heart too!

      Ten Core Values

      for Spiritual Formation

      Spiritual transformation …

      … is essential, not optional, for Christ-followers.

      … is a process, not an event.

      … is God’s work, but requires my participation.

      … involves those practices, experiences, and relationships that help me live intimately with Christ and walk as if he were in my place.

      … is not a compartmentalized pursuit. God is not interested in my spiritual life; he’s interested in my life—all of it.

      … can happen in every moment. It is not restricted to certain times or practices.

      … is not individualistic, but takes place in community and finds expression in serving others.

      … is not impeded by a person’s background, temperament, life situation, or season of life. It is available right now to all who desire it.

      … and the means of pursuing it, will vary from one individual to another. Fully devoted followers are handcrafted, not mass-produced.

      … is ultimately gauged by an increased capacity to love God and people. Superficial or external checklists cannot measure it.

      Growth: Training vs. Trying

      Several years ago, a group of teenage superheroes called the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers dominated the interest of most six year olds in the U.S. The show was an unlikely hit—originally produced on a very low budget in Japan, then badly dubbed into English. The key to the show’s appeal was the characters’ ability to morph. With the rallying cry, It’s morphin’ time! normal adolescents were miraculously transformed into martial arts heroes for justice. The show became such a huge hit that the term morph began creeping into magazine articles and everyday conversations.

      Does the word morph sound vaguely familiar? It is a part of metamorphosis, a word about transformation. The little word morph actually comes from one of the richest Greek words in the New Testament—morphoo—which means the inward and real formation of the essential nature of a person. It was the term used to describe the formation and growth of an embryo in a mother’s body. Paul used this word in his letter to the Galatians:

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1