Does your faith seem irrelevant to your daily life? Has surface-level Christianity left you bored and hungry for more? Do you long for real healing, real peace, and real transformation in your relationship with Jesus? Joy and freedom are found when we engage God through the spiritual disciplines.
South Bay Bible Church, 578 Montauk Highway, East Moriches, is pleased to announce the start of A Breath of Fresh Air: Renewal Through the Spiritual Disciplines on Sunday, February 7, at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. True Christianity is more than a set of beliefs. It is a way of life to be discovered and enjoyed.
Whether you consider yourself a church person or not, you’re invited to join us for this seven-part series, A Breath of Fresh Air, as Pastor Matt gives practical, biblical practices for inviting an extraordinary God into our normal, ordinary lives.
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The Call to Renewal (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Timothy 4:8; 2 Peter 1:3-11) – February 7: How do people change? Are transformation and “new life in Christ” just abstract ideas? Can I really be healed? Can I truly be holy? The scriptures describe the path to joy, freedom, and renewal in discipleship to Jesus, through intentional spiritual practices.
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Practicing Biblical Meditation (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; Philippians 4:8-9) – February 14: Meditation has become such a scary word to many in the Christian church, but meditation was a common practice of God’s people before and after Christ. What does it look like for us to practice biblical meditation? And how does God use it to change us? God uses meditation, not to empty us, but to fill us.
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Practicing Fasting and Simplicity (Matthew 4:1-4; Matthew 6:25-33; 1 John 2:15-17) – February 21: Fasting and simplicity are not exclusively Christian practices. Both practices have now become popular in the secular world – so how do we know the difference? Most people don’t need clarity on what it is, but what it is not. Fasting and simplicity draw us to God by uncluttering our life of distractions for short or long periods of time.
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Practicing Solitude and Prayer (Luke 5:12-16; Mark 6:31; Matthew 14:23) – February 28: Renewal happens when we quiet the noise around us and within us, for this is where we meet with God. Whether it be in the wilderness, on the mountainside, or on a boat out in the water, Jesus practiced solitude and prayer with His Father and expected no less of his disciples.
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Practicing Sabbath (Genesis 1; Exodus 20; Mark 2:23-28) – March 7: The rhythm that God set within creation is not only biblical but biological. It’s the one command we all ignore. More than a command, it’s an invitation – “Come away with me!” Sabbath is our opportunity to stop, rest, delight, and worship. In this rhythmic practice, we renounce our autonomy and find our peace in the goodness and provision of God.
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Practicing Service (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:1-11; 1 Peter 4:8-11) – March 14: Everyone likes to be served, but few people enjoy serving. It is through this discipline that God shapes our character. Serving others helps us to see people how God sees them and produces the attitude of Christ in us. New perspective and purpose are found in serving those around us.
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Practicing Community (Acts 2:42-47; Romans 15:1-7; James 5:13-16) – March 28: One of the primary ways God renews us is through community. Through authentic gospel-centered community, God builds us up, welcomes us in, lavishes his love on us, gives us his wisdom – all through the form of another person. What does this kind of community look like? How does discipleship in community take place? Gospel-centered community is constructed of two key parts: confession and celebration.
