A Guide to Christian Spiritual Formation

"The contemporary spiritual formation movement has been with us for forty years, and here we have its rich and mature fruit. The book is grounded in a solid ecumenical evangelicalism that draws deeply from historic and time-tested patterns of formation, yet is well informed by wise, current patterns and insights from the social sciences. Readers will find a comprehensive, inviting, and practical guide to spiritual formation."

"Evan Howard has provided a concise 'systematic theology' of Christian spiritual formation in which the personal, corporate, and missional dimensions of the Christian life are closely interwoven. There are few works, if any, that match it in conciseness, practicality, and theological integrity. I highly recommend it as a course textbook."

"An important introductory resource in spiritual formation for persons who are new to the field. Best of all, it is written by a seasoned veteran who practices the disciplines about which he writes."

"Evan Howard writes, 'Spiritual formation matters.' It matters, indeed, for relationships shape us, especially the profound and mysterious relationship we each have with the One who made us, who knows our hearts, and who offers us life. But spiritual formation also involves church history, theology, spirituality, and missional community--about all of which Howard is a trustworthy teacher. In this welcome new book, he sheds the light of his keen and enthusiastic intelligence on the fullness of Christian spirituality. What joy to find the wisdom of Evan Howard's long vocation distilled into such a readable and helpful guide for us as we pray to Christ (in Richard the bishop of Chichester's thirteenth-century words) to 'know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day.'"