The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows

by James Bryan Smith

Overview

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Train Your Soul to Know the God Jesus Knows

"God wants me to try harder."
"God blesses me when I'm good and punishes me when I'm bad."
"God is angry with me."

We all have ideas that we tell ourselves about God and how he works in our lives. Some are true—but many are false. James Bryan Smith believes those thoughts determine not only who we are, but how we live. In fact, Smith declares, the most important thing about a person is what they think about God. The path to spiritual transformation begins here.

Turning to the Gospels, Smith invites you to put your ideas to the test to see if they match up with what Jesus himself reveals about God. Once you've discovered the truth in Scripture, Smith leads you through a process of spiritual formation that includes specific activities aimed at making these new narratives real in your body and soul as well as your mind. In The Good and Beautiful God, you'll find:

• Opportunities for soul training at the end of each chapter
• Spiritual practices that reinforce the biblical messages you learn on your mind and heart,
• Small group discussion questions with each chapter, facilitating complete and lasting change through community learning, and much more!

This deep, loving and transformative book will help you discover the narratives that Jesus lived by—to know the Lord he knew and the kingdom he proclaimed—and to practice spiritual exercises that will help you grow in the knowledge of our good and beautiful God.

About the Good and Beautiful Series

The Good and Beautiful Series includes four essential discipleship books from James Bryan Smith. Work through these proven Bible study resources individually or with a group to learn who God is, what it means to be a Christian, how to live in community, and how to address toxic self-narratives that hinder spiritual growth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780830878345
Publisher:	IVP Formatio
Publication date:	12/14/2009
Series:	The Good and Beautiful Series
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	232
File size:	536 KB

About the Author

James Bryan Smith (MDiv, Yale University Divinity School, DMin, Fuller Seminary) is a theology professor at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, and a writer and speaker in the area of Christian spiritual formation. He also serves as the director of the Apprentice Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation at Friends University. A founding member of Richard J. Foster's spiritual renewal ministry, Renovaré, Smith is an ordained United Methodist Church minister and has served in various capacities in local churches. Smith is also the editor of A Spiritual Formation Workbook, Devotional Classics (with Richard Foster), Embracing the Love of God, Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven and Room of Marvels.

James Bryan Smith is a theology professor at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. He is a founding board member of RENOVARÉ and frequently speaks at RENOVARÉ conferences. Jim is also the author of A Spiritual Formation Workbook, Devotional Classics (with Richard Foster), Embracing the Love of God, Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven, which hit the New York Times bestseller list, and Room of Marvels.

Table of Contents

Introduction
How to Get the Most Out of This Book
1. What Are You Seeking?
Soul Training: Sleep
2. God is Good
Soul Training:Silence and Awareness of Creation
3. God is Trustworthy
Soul Training: Counting Your Blessings
4. God is Generous
Soul Training: Praying Psalm 23
5. God is Love
Soul Training: Lectio Divina
6. God is Holy
Soul Training: Margin
7. God is Self-Sacrificing
Soul Training; Reading the Gospel of John
8. God Transforms
Soul Training: Solitude
9. How to Make a Pickle
Soul Training: Slowing Down
Appendix: Small Group Discussion Guide
Notes
Acknowledgments

What People are Saying About This

Dallas Willard

"The Apprentice Series is the best practice I have seen in Christian spiritual formation."
— Dallas Willard, author of The Divine Conspiracy

Todd Hunter

"I know from our long relationship that Jim Smith is a fine and trustworthy man, who authentically knows 'the good and beautiful God.' I can think of no higher compliment than this: I would happily trust the care of my soul to Jim and the good and beautiful God he commends to us."
— Todd Hunter, author of Christianity Beyond Belief and pastor of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Costa Mesa

John Ortberg

"I am so grateful this edition of a rich spiritual resource will become available. I hope it is widely and wisely read."

Jen Pollock Michel

"'What do you want?' This question, which Jesus often asked, is central to this book. If you want a life of growing connection to Jesus and a reliable plan for advancing that goal, this is a book to read and return to again and again. James Bryan Smith holds to the compelling paradox of God's good news: that while spiritual formation is not accidental, we only learn to love him because he, in his kindness, has first loved us."

Richard J. Foster

"This first book in The Apprentice Series, The Good and Beautiful God, is a treasure. Dr. Smith has thought long and hard about the process of human transformation into the likeness of Jesus. I urge you to buy this book immediately! Read it and apply it. Then live it out in the context of a loving community. You will not regret doing so."
— Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline and coauthor of Longing for God

Scot McKnight

"Most of us want to change, whether it is changing some bad habit to changing a deeply ingrained character defect, and Smith reminds us that change does not result from willpower. The will has no power. Spiritual change begins with God—what we think about God shapes what we think about ourselves and those around us and our world. Spiritual change begins with a narrative where God is the center: What is our 'narrative' of God? What are the narratives that hinder our perception and life in God? A major feature of this series is the power of false narratives in our lives and the power of good narratives that can effect change. The false narrative is that effort and willpower leads to change. The true narrative is about God—about Christ—about the Spirit—and about your place in the God Narrative."

Ken Shigematsu

"James Bryan Smith has written a great and beautiful book. Deep, inspiring, and highly accessible, this is the best book I've read on spiritual practices. I recommend it to everyone."

Editorial Reviews

"The Apprentice Series is the best practice I haveseen in Christian spiritual formation."

Dallas Willard

"I know from our long relationship that Jim Smith is a fine and trustworthy man, who authentically knows 'the good and beautiful God.' I can think of no higher compliment than this: I would happily trust the care of my soul to Jim and the good and beautiful God he commends to us."

Todd Hunter

"I predict this book, and the two more in the series, will become deeply influential books in evangelical churches that want to deepen spiritual formation."

Scot McKnight

"Smith challenges those who seek to follow God to examine the stories they already know. . . . [Includes] exercises and questions . . . to deepen their knowledge of God."

Publishers Weekly

"Make spiritual mentors, group leaders, youth pastors, Christian educators, and Willard/Foster fans aware of this material."

David Mundt

"If you're looking for books to help patrons rekindle or enhance their relationships with God, buy this one. Highly recommended for small groups interested in deepening their relationships with God."

Church Libraries

"I have observed that every individual, whether a new beliver or seasoned veteran, has given testimony of a new joy in their journey as a result of this book. The content is sound, inspiring and enlightening."

Jerry Barker

"This first book in The Apprentice Series, The Good and Beautiful God, is a treasure. Dr. Smith has thought long and hard about the process of human transformation into the likeness of Jesus. I urge you to buy this book immediately! Read it and apply it. Then live it out in the context of a loving community. You will not regret doing so."

Richard J. Foster

Other authors have written extensively on spiritual disciplines and the spiritual life, but few have created a curriculum that is as accessible to the common believer seeking spiritual growth. I exuberantly recommend this book to anyone interested in a practical model of spiritual growth.

Steve Gioielli

"James Bryan Smith has written a great and beautiful book. Deep, inspiring, and highly accessible, this is the best book I've read on spiritual practices. I recommend it to everyone."

Ken Shigematsu

"I am so grateful this edition of a rich spiritual resource will become available. I hope it is widely and wisely read."

John Ortberg

"'What do you want?' This question, which Jesus often asked, is central to this book. If you want a life of growing connection to Jesus and a reliable plan for advancing that goal, this is a book to read and return to again and again. James Bryan Smith holds to the compelling paradox of God's good news: that while spiritual formation is not accidental, we only learn to love him because he, in his kindness, has first loved us."

Jen Pollock Michel