From its beginning the church linked the desire for more of God to intentional practices, relationships and experiences that gave people space in their lives to keep company with Jesus. These intentional practices, relationships and experiences we know as spiritual disciplines or practices. The basic rhythm of disciplines or rule for the first believers is found in Acts 2:42: "They devoted themselves to the apostles teachings (a practice) and to fellowship (relationships), to the breaking of bread (an experience) and to prayer (another practice)." The desire to know and love God fueled these disciplines. In the book of Acts we learn a variety of ways the first century believers made space for God as they faced difficulties: the discipline of compassion, the disciplines of witness, intercession and attachment; the discipline of service; the discipline of fixed prayer; the discipline of fasting; the discipline of discernment. From the desert fathers and mothers we learn the disciplines of silence, solitude, contemplation, spiritual direction and attachment. At other points in church history, we learn disciplines of memorization, devotional reading, service, simplicity, hospitality, meditation. In modern times will began to keep company with Jesus through journaling, self-care, care of the earth, conversational prayer, accountability partners, small groups, mentoring and inner healing prayer.
Why spiritual practices or disciplines
