Spiritual rituals
Elsewhere these are referred to as practices, but we prefer the term ‘ritual’. It better matches the concept of family life, like a ritual of prayer before a meal, where practices feels more like individual work. Everyone doesn’t hear it this way, but it’s helpful for us.
Bridgeport Church breaks their rituals into three headings. These don’t encompass everything they’ve published on the spiritual life, but nearly all.
- Be With Jesus
- Become Like Jesus
- Do What Jesus Did
These notes are taken verbatim from Bridgeport’s subsidiary website, Practicing the Way, on July 19th, 2021. By collapsing the basic content to one page, I find it easier to review the whole.
The additional rituals which aren’t listed under the three headings I’ve included under “Other”. Based on the practice headings, there’s some overlap with the three, but not everything. Some of the links actually go to different pages. I presume this is also a work in progress.
Be With Jesus
Silence & Solitude
The spiritual practice of removing yourself from the chaos of our modern, digital age to refocus and reconnect with God.
Practices
- Emotional Health
- Casting Care
- Listening Prayer
- Lectio Divina
- Retreat
Sabbath
The Sabbath is a day blessed by God and set aside for rest and worship; a weekly celebration, almost like a holiday.
Practices
- The Preparation Day
- Gratitude & Contentment
- Sabbath & Your Humanity
- Sabbath & Digital Addiction
- Cultivating Intimacy
- Seasons of Life
Concepts
Prayer
Prayer is the center-point of life with God. It should be woven into the fabric of our morning routine, our weekly schedule.
Practices
- The Basics & Lord’s Prayer
- Contemplative Prayer & Examen
- Intercessory Prayer & Prayer Cards
- Unanswered Prayer & Lament Psalms
- Singing Prayer
- Imaginative Prayer
- Listening Prayer
Fasting
Fasting is a willing abstinence from food and is one of the most abused and least used of all the practices of Jesus.
Practices
- Starve The Flesh
- Fasting as Prayer
- Solidarity With The Poor
Bible Reading
Coming soon.
Become Like Jesus
Dealing With Your Past
For most of us, our family of origin is the single greatest influence on our life, for good or for evil.
Practices
- Generational Sin
- Relational Patterns
- Narrative Scripts
- Generational Blessing
- Healing of Memories
Discovering Your Identity & Calling
Knowing who you are and who God made you to become is a profound realization for every follower of Jesus.
Practices
- The Journey
- Identity
- The Enneagram
- Myers-Briggs
- Habit Audit
- Habit Swap
Forgiving As We Have Been Forgiven
Releasing those who sin against us from our right to collect on a debt of offense.
Practices
- Forgiving & Being Forgiven
- Forgiving & Absorbing
- How To Forgive
- Reconciliation
Community
As we practice the way of Jesus, we need partners for the journey, a community to help us along the way.
Practices
- Finding Your Community
- Emotional Health & Community Temperature Reading
- The Iceberg & Looking Beneath the Surface
- Mind Reading, Expectations, & Listening
- Fighting With Integrity
- Seven Rhythms of Community
Simple Living
Coming soon.
Embrace Grieving & Loss
Coming soon.
Develop A Rule Of Life
Coming soon.
Do What Jesus Did
Eating & Drinking
The history of the church is around the table. For hundreds of years, this is where the people of Jesus met.
Practices
Eating & Drinking with the Lost
- Radically Ordinary Hospitality
- Neighboring
- Food as Justice
Eating & Drinking with Family
- Church Around a Table
- Celebration
Eating & Drinking with God
- Dining Room Table Christianity
- The Meal
- The Altar and the Table
Prayer
(links to Be With Jesus -> Prayer)
Healing the Sick
Coming soon.
Teaching The Way
Coming soon.
Preaching The Gospel
Coming soon.
Peacemaking
Coming soon.
Doing Justice
Coming soon.
Prophesying
Coming soon.
Standing Up Against Religious & Political Corruption
Coming soon.
Other
Fighting The World, The Flesh, & The Devil
Practices
Fighting The Devil
- Fighting Lies With Truth
- Reading Scripture
- Memorizing Scripture
- Pause & Reflect: The Devil
Fighting The Flesh
- Confession
- Fasting
- Pause & Reflect: The Flesh
Fighting The World
- Silence & Solitude
- Idea Audit
- Pause & Reflect: The World
Naming Your Stage Of Apprenticeship
Practices
- The Three Ways
- The Enneagram & Noticing
- Spiritual Life Inventory
- Active & Passive Spirituality
- Dark Night Of The Soul
Unhurrying With A Rule Of Life
Practices
- Starting Your Rule of Life
- Digital Rule of Life
- Silence & Solitude
- Sabbath
- Margin & Limits
- Refining Your Rule of Life
Scripture
Practices
- Our Relationship to the Bible
- Large Portions Aloud
- Lectio Divina
- Study
- Memorization
Simplicity
Practices
- The Propaganda of More
- Simplicity of Heart
- Simplicity of Speech
- Simplicity of Apparel
- Simplicity of Stuff
- Simplicity of Pleasure
- Simplicity & Contentment
Preaching The Gospel
Practices
- Defining The Gospel
- Life Shared: Join His Heart
- Life Shared: You’re Invited
- Life Shared: Pt 3
- Hospitality
- Invitation