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Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul's Path to God
'Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Spiritual Walk.'After all, it's his, not yours. Better to discover the path God designed you to take--a path marked by growth and fulfillment, based on your unique temperament.In Sacred Pathways, Gary Thomas strips away the frustration of a one-size-fits-all spirituality and guides you toward a path of worship that frees you to be you. ...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
February 1st 2002
by Zondervan
(first published 1996)
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A very helpful book, focussing on nine different pathways that people meet with God. The author explains early on that these are not the same as personality preferences - such as the Myers-Briggs or Enneagram systems - although there are some obvious correlations.
There's a chapter on each of the pathways. Each one has an explanation with some examples from Scripture and from other lives; some suggestions; some warnings against extremes, and a useful short questionnaire enabling th...more
There's a chapter on each of the pathways. Each one has an explanation with some examples from Scripture and from other lives; some suggestions; some warnings against extremes, and a useful short questionnaire enabling th...more
Pretty interesting book dealing with how different people relate best to God. The author explores 9 different ways that people worship God. Depending on a person's temperament, one may feel closer to God while outside on a nature walk or in a cathedral experiencing communion.
1. Naturalists: Loving God Out of Doors
2. Sensates: Loving God with the Senses
3. Traditionalists: Loving God through Ritual and Symbol
4. Ascetics: Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity
5. Activi...more
1. Naturalists: Loving God Out of Doors
2. Sensates: Loving God with the Senses
3. Traditionalists: Loving God through Ritual and Symbol
4. Ascetics: Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity
5. Activi...more
This book was very helpful. I'm not the emotional type; your classic INTJ. All my life I've been surrounded by fellow Christians who are very emotional in their worship. I'm closer to God when I'm studying and reading. I prefer to look for the logic in scripture and power of God (it's there if you look). So, I've always felt like an outsider. This book helped me realize there's nothing wrong with how I worship. I highly recommend this book for every believer. It will help them focus in o...more
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I read this book for a Bible study, and it was fabulous! Through this book and a few other activities, we explored our spiritual temperaments (the ways we best/most easily connect to God). At the end of each chapter was a short quiz about each temperament, and at the end of the book, you look more in depth at your top temperaments. Thomas gives concrete examples of how you can put your spiritual temperaments into practice and also encourages you to explore the other temperaments to a) incorpo...more
This was a helpful, entry-level book that illuminates some different ways of being drawn into spiritual experience and encounter with God that are unique to each reader. Through ranking in brief surveys, personal affinity or style is identified, although the conclusion is far from an airtight, which can be frustrating. What I take away from the book with is a sharper sense of why I am drawn in the directions I am, including to liturgy, silence, icons, emphasis on the visual and experience, and...more
Short review: This is a good book on different spiritual temperaments are and how spiritual growth can be encouraged for the different temperaments. It is quite balanced and encouraging. But many people will probably get bored and only read the ones that they think apply to them. I would encourage you to take all nine of the short tests and at least read your top four or five chapters. The last chapter is essential reading to help you understand, no matter what your temperament, how you shou...more
With so many personalities, styles of learning, and ways of communicating, it is no wonder that there are probably an infinite number of ways that we relate to God. This book is about the ways or styles we use in relating to God. The Christian community is often guilty of fleshing out a sort of prescription for what growth in Christ takes or looks like. Gary Thomas presents the idea that perhaps this cookie-cutter way of thinking is what causes much frustration and struggle for many in relati...more
This book is an incredibly insightful work that sees to help the follower of Christ to identify ways that they are uniquely wired to practice their faith. In me it has wrought a sense of freedom in some of my tendencies that I thought quirky, and led to some conviction due the subtle judging I have developed in regard to how I perceive others' habits. I recommend it to all!
Insight into how each of us in wired up differently in how we relate to God. I learned much about myself and was able to reorganize my devotional time based on gleanings from this book. Bill Hybles says every pastor ought to clear a spot on their bookshelf for this book.
Understanding the uniqueness in which God has made us. Each of us exhibits a few kinds of traits and these define us and enable us to feel closest to God under such settings. A good read if you want to discover more in finding rest for your inner garden
This book helps you to look at different ways that people worship God and get close to him. Not only does it help you to understand other Christians and their natural bent towards worship but it also helps you to expand the way that you view worship and challenges you to worship God in new ways.
I can't claim to have read this one cover to cover, but I did read the parts that I felt were relevant to me and found it very helpful and reassuring.
Absolutely fantastic. I have never come across such a clear call saying - people aren't all the same and as such shouldn't all need to relate to God the same way. Scrap the traditional quiet time as a one route - try them all, mix things up, learn your predominant preference, try new things and understand possibly why you struggle with church which is meant to be a celebration but just doesn't feel that way! Everyone celebrates differently!
Simple book that explains each "pathwa...more
Simple book that explains each "pathwa...more
This was interesting but not my favorite Gary Thomas book
Dave
marked it as to-read
from JW
Fantastic book, I'd recommend this to all Christians, not only to identify how you best connect with God, but also to explore new ways to do so as well. I'll be reading through different sections every so often.
People are different. We learn about temperments, learning styles, "love languages", etc. but expect everyone to relate to God in the same way. Why? This book outlines nine styles/ways that people love God and relate to Him. It is wonderful to have affirmation that the way you experience God is not less "spiritual" or worthy than how anyone else experiences Him. Also, it is good to see that your way is not the only way, and to gain understanding of others.
Interesting, but he basically sums up the book in the first couple chapters. Didn't feel like the rest of the book really added that much, but that's probably my personality to want things brief, simple, and to the point. :) Enjoyable and nice to think of the different ways we relate to God; and good to remember that other people do so in a different way from me.
Crystal
marked it as to-read
Took a survey in this one to discover how I personally connect with God in worship ... it solidified what I already knew and now I can intentionally make time for that style of personal worship. For me, it's solitude and in nature. I'm amazed at how regular time (even brief) with God alone in nature has deepened my love and walk with Him.
a must read for any Christian who is interested in knowing how to worship God based on their personality. a great read and highly recommended.
I think this book started out great, but then the author seemed to fizzle when it wasn't a pathway he was interested in. Which is sort of understandable since we write and think aout the things that are most applicable to our own lives.
Interesting book. Some of ladies from church are using it for a book discussion club. I would recommend this book to any worship leader. It is helpful in understanding and appreciating the different ways we approach worship.
Library _ILLO_
Good book, with a neat premise (we each have a "pathway" that leads us to a deeper Spiritual life). I liked it, but found it not as good as his newer offering, "The Beautiful Fight".
Good book, with a neat premise (we each have a "pathway" that leads us to a deeper Spiritual life). I liked it, but found it not as good as his newer offering, "The Beautiful Fight".
I found refreshing insights into my walk with Christ and new ways to breathe life into my practices. Great book.
This is such an interesting book. It outlines nine different "spiritual temperaments" and teaches how your distinct temperament affects your relationship with God.
This book helps explore a bunch of different ways to worship the Lord to find the way(s) that the Lord has created you to worship Him.
Great overview of how we each have a "spiritual personality" and why this effects our relationship with God and those in the church.
Excellent book about the different ways to worship God.
finally we don't need to fit our faith into a mold.
Linda
marked it as to-read
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Gary Thomas is a writer, speaker and the founder and director of the Center for Evangelical Sprirituality - a ministry that integrates Scripture, church history and the Christian classics. He's spoken in 49 states, four coutries and his books have been translated into eleven languages. His books have won and been finalists for the Gold Medallion Award. He's had well over 100 articles published by...more
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