Growing Resources

One of my own personal frustrations is subscribing to a magazine, thinking it will help me become better informed about a particular concern, and then, after two or three issues, finding that it doesn't live up to its promises or to my hopes. As a result, I end up wasting precious natural resources—and money—for a work that is inconsistent or for material in which I have no interest.

We would like to help you avoid this trap by recommending several magazines that represent well the five streams of faith. These works may not be available in your local library, but why not buy a subscription, read each issue, and then donate the copies to your library? Or share them with members of your small group? Happy reading!

Contemplative. First, there is Weavings: A Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life. Its motto, "Woven together in love," expresses the bimonthly approach. It addresses one theme per issue—Contemplative Life, Simplicity, and so on, and features thoughtful and insightful works by writers from varied backgrounds, e.g. Søren Kiekegaard, Walter Wink, Sue Monk Kidd, E. Glenn Hinson, etc. Published by The Upper Room, 1908 Grand Avenue, P. O. Box 189, Nashville, TN 37202-9929 and edited by John S. Mogabgab, Weavings costs $19.00 per year or $29.00 for two years.

Holiness. My research failed to uncover one magazine which represents the heart and viewpoint of the Holiness Movement that was not denominationally centered. Board member Marti Ensign, however, recommends The Asbury Herald. Published quarterly by Asbury Theological Seminary, 204 N. Lexington Avenue, Wilmore, KY 40390-1199, 1-800-2-ASBURY, it features articles and two pages of ATS news. Small (sixteen pages) with no advertisements, it is filled with substantial features centered around one theme by such people as David L. McKenna, Suzanne Magee, David Seamands, Karen Woodruff, and Donald Demaray.

Social Justice. A year ago, John M. Perkins, author of Let Justice Roll Down, published the first quarterly issue of Urban Family. Featuring positive articles full of practical suggestions and empowering discussions about issues faced by people living and working in the inner city, it is subtitled The Magazine of Hope & Progress. The John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation and Development, Inc., 1581 Navarro Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103, takes orders that cost $16.00 per year. Canadian and Pan-American countries add $5.00 and other countries add $8.00 payable in U.S. currency only.

Charismatic. Bearing a Greek name, Charisma & Christian Life features articles—sometimes all on the same theme; book, video, and audio reviews; news briefs; and regular features written by nationally-known U.S. leaders. Its subtitle—The Magazine About Spirit-led Living—explains its emphasis on practical day-to-day helps, being a primary source for facts about conferences and best-selling books. Edited and published by Stephen Strang, Charisma is published monthly, costs $19.97 for one year or $29.97 for two years, and can be ordered at P. O. Box 548, Mt. Morris, IL 61054-7695.

Evangelical. Christianity Today is the flagship magazine of U.S. evangelicalism. Founded as a result of Billy Graham's influence, it contains regular columns, articles, editorials, news, book reviews, and a regular Christianity Today Institute report. Currently guided by Harold L. Myra, Editorial Director, and David Neff, Managing Editor, a one-year subscription (fifteen issues) can be ordered from Christianity Today, Inc., 465 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188, and costs $24.95 per year. Those outside the U.S. are asked to pay in U.S. currency and add $8.00 for postage.

Renewal. Edited and published by a member of our Board of Trustees, Edward England, Renewal provides features or articles, information, opinion, book reviews and excerpts, and regular columns by well-known Christians such as Michael Cole. Reflecting an English perspective, it helps broaden our understanding of Christianity around the world. One year costs 21.00 pounds in the United Kingdom, 26.00 pounds overseas (by airmail), 24.00 pounds in Europe. Make checks (English funds) and requests out to Renewal, Broadway House, The Broadway, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 1HQ, England.

Going Deeper

Prayer is at the heart of what we do, so this quarter we are offering two audio recordings of talks about prayer in addition to the new edition of A Spiritual Formation Workbook. As a special bonus the first one hundred orders we get will receive a free copy of the March/April 1993 Discipleship Journal, a publication of the Navigators. With a retail value of $3.50, this issue features several articles about the Spiritual Disciplines.

Two Tapes on Prayer. Delivered at the Shame & Grace Conference at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, February 6, 1993, "Prayer As an Act of Grace" by Richard Foster focuses on the liberating graces of a prayer-filled life. Prayer is not a matter of gritting our teeth but of falling in love. In this audio tape, Richard explores God's great acceptance, God's great accessibility, and God's great intimacy.

Dallas Willard gave this talk, "The Role of Faith in Prayer," at Azusa Pacific University on October 26, 1992 as part of a series, "Living Prayer." It explores how faith forms the foundation and energizes our prayers, turning "dead" prayer into "living" prayer—prayer that is "communicating with God about what we're doing together." Dallas was in rare form the night he gave this address and it is reflected on the tape.

A Spiritual Formation Workbook. The workbooks are here! First released eighteen months ago, this new edition is published by HarperSanFrancisco. In the popular icon size (smaller than an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper but bigger than a regular book), the Workbook has been redesigned and refined.
   
Printed in paperback, the cost should now make it possible for every member of a new spiritual formation group to purchase a copy of this valuable resource. Jim Smith and the good people at Harpers worked very hard to make the Workbook as user friendly as possible. We hope it helps many people in their spiritual pilgrimage.

Growing Pains

We had a great response from our request for names of persons attending Spiritual Formation Groups. However, since it is the nature of SFGs to multiply, there may be more who would like to respond. We would love to hear from all the groups, so please send Jim Smith a post card listing names, longevity, and contact person with address to P. O. Box 879, Wichita, KS 67201-0879.

The Devotional Readings, now retitled the Devotional Classics, were originally scheduled for release by HarperSanFranciso on April 15. That date has now been readjusted to approximately May 15. We have enough of the original workbook edition to fill orders, so please do not hesitate to place one. Who knows? The first edition could become a collector's item!

Two Local Conferences were held during March and were well received and attended. The first in Ventura, California, sponsored by the Presbytery of Santa Barbara counted over two hundred fifty people. LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church, Calvin College, and Paraklesis Ministries sponsored the Conference held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at which over six hundred people registered.