Nurturing Spirituality

clouds-414x317Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega of my spiritual nourishment.

His covenant-bonding blood makes possible my connection to God, and my eternal survival. The breath of his Spirit gives sustenance to my soul. It is not surprising, then, that a church community has been likened to a spiritual hospital, where those whose souls are injured, sick, or generally unhealthy come to heal. We are encouraged to actively participate in our spiritual hospital throughout our life, because just as we need air and water to survive physically, we need Christ’s presence for our souls to survive, and bear the fruits of his Spirit.

As God models in the trinity of Father, Son and Spirit, soul-refreshing community is essential for one’s spiritual health. No one would think of digging a hole in the ground and putting in a tomato or cucumber plant, and then forgetting about it until a few weeks later when you want its fruit. We all need the continuing watering for our souls that Christ’s body, the church community, provides.

Nourishing within the community is not limited to a special few. Throughout the New Testament we are reminded that we carry the Spirit of the living Christ in our souls, the same Spirit that Christ sent to be our advocate and our comforter. Thus the church community is meant to be the place where God’s covenant offering, Jesus Christ, is shared through its members and with those in need. It is in the church community where our lives are washed with the water of the Word. Spiritual nurturing is Christ lived out through the church, and through each of us as believers. As we fashion ourselves as Christ’s instruments caring for others as He cared for all who came to him, we enable the Holy Spirit to live through us, loving, healing, listening, and nurturing.

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored? Jeremiah 8:22

When Jesus heard this, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." Mark 2:17

Nurturing Audio & Video

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Reflections to Consider

  • Corporate Spirituality

    Encouragement, Accountability, and Worship Solitude, community and ministry are three areas requiring balance and integration in the Christian walk. The Read More
  • Companion of the Souls

    When the two disciples recognised Jesus as he broke the bread for them in their house in Emmaus, he "vanished Read More
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Nurturing Publications

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Publications

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Nurturing Music

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Music

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Nurturing Reflection

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Warfare Spirituality +

    The Trinity function as farmers of our souls, actively caring for God’s creation: an ongoing, radical reclamation of His creation. Read More
  • You are free +

    The Jesus who calmed a sea of deadly, stormy waves, whose arrival sent thousands of demons cringing and cowering to Read More
  • Deliver us from Evil +

    Spiritual warfare is something that few Christians, regardless of their denomination, are accustomed to thinking about, let alone engaging in. Read More
  • Baby, you're a rich man! +

    The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is Read More
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