Cultivating Your Inner Life: Reflections On Spiritual Formation in Discipleship Today

by Edmund Chan

Living life in the fast lane takes its toll on us. Spiritual dryness, performance traps, running on empty, and merely going through the motions are common conditions of the weary of soul. This book inspire and guide us to move beyond spiritual complacency to “intentional discipling” of the inner life. It generates a deeper understanding of spiritual growth and maturity, not merely in terms of what we must do, but with the fundamental starting point of what God has done! He has called us to Himself and made it possible step-by-step to grow in the likeness of Jesus. What could be more important than Cultivating Your Inner Life?

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Discipleship, Faith, Religion, Leadership, Spirituality

169 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take care of the depth of your life, and let God take care of the breadth of your ministry.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminds me of the importance of prioritising intimacy with God. Back to basics. Recommended for those who want to go deeper in their journey as a disciple of Christ

[Tum Kanapon · Rating 5 out of 5]

เรียบง่าย กลับสู่พื้นฐาน

ผมคิดว่าคริสเตียนหลายท่านมีปัญหาเช่นนี้
"คือการอยากได้พระเจ้า แต่ไม่ยอมจำนนต่อพระองค์ ทั้งๆที่ การยอมจำนนอย่างสิ้นเชิง เป็นกุญแจสู่ชัยชนะอันสมบูรณ์"

หลังจากอ่านจบ ผมได้ข้อปฏิบัติที่เรียบง่าย
1.จิตใจที่สงบ เป็น indicator สำคัญว่าเราวางใจพระเจ้าแค่ไหน
2.เฝ้าเดี่ยวสม่ำเสมอ มีเวลากับพระเจ้า ความสัมพันธ์ที่ดีคือความสม่ำเสมอและวินัย
3.ไม่ต้องทำเรื่องใหญ่ (เราคิดการใหญ่ได้) แต่เราควรทำสิ่งเล็กๆรอบตัวให้ดี ดูแลคนในบ้านให้ดี ดูแลน้องเลี้ยงซักคนอย่างเอาใจใส่ การเยี่ยมเยียน ทำเรื่องเล็กๆที่ไม่ต้องมีใครรู้

[Maui Rochell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your just cute and instagrammable pink book but this holds so much principles about cultivating one's inner life. Most of us are so focused on cultivating our outer life that we forget that everything starts from the inside out. What we say and what we do reflects what's inside our heart. My senses were awaken upon reading this one. Pursuing Him in your personal life should be the first and foremost goal. Relationship with the Lord should be the first priority in order to keep running in the race! Thankful that I was allowed to borrow this wonderful book!

[Ermin Joseph Delos Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart."

What the prophet Samuel was driving at with this Bible verse is that we should not only focus on externals, but, more improtantly, we must cultivate our inner life.

Edmund Chan drives home this point in this gem of a book. A lot of us, even those in churches, spend time, money, and resources developing the externals yet neglect to give importance to our relationship with Jesus. Let us go back to what's important and the rest will just take care of itself.

[mei gerard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read this as part of my leadership journey in Youth ministry, Edmund Chan expresses what I think a lot of people who grew up in church need to hear. The points he makes on what it means to trust God and have faith struck me, and it's his candidness that truly sets Cultivating Your Inner Life apart.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can your outer life be effective, if your inner life is hollow? I appreciate the words of wisdom, and would recommend this book to teach practical steps on how to solidify your identity in Christ.

[Xian Hong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spiritual Formation in discipleship today helps us to grow deeper in our faith. I love Ps Ed’s books. Always enlightening and changing my paradigm on the way I understand my life and our God.

A must read for everyone on a discipleship journey.

[Benjamin Tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book with valuable insights that changed my perspective on spiritual growth. Would definitely recommend to anyone who seeks to grow in intimacy with our true love Jesus Christ.

[Rafael Abinion · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a great book it can help you to detect if you are spiritually toxic, i encourage our youth and also the workers of the church to take this book , it is a big help in our generation..

[Danny Lagdamen]

In my ministers view and perspective.reaching the wider and broader range of your ministry,lies upon taking the responsibility to go spiritually deeper.

[Delulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart."

[Jonah K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how Edmund Chan explained how a follower of Jesus can grow in depth of his/her walk with God. It was simple, easy to understand, but can speak straight to the heart. Edmund Chan was able to articulate the complex issues of one's heart, but at the same time give help through his simple methods.

[Phallen (Helen) Sakhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read this book, through all the chapters I can hear my inner person said Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! 😖😖 I’ve read another book of this Pastor before called - Growing Deep in God, very powerful. I saw this pinkish hard cover laid on the table at my church by the usher team. I usually walk to the table to screen all the books there. This book jumped out. I know people will say DON’T judge the book by its cover. I know, but my artistic mind is always judging the design and the art work 😂😂 some might even wanted to quote the Bible verse to me after reading this knowing I choose the book by the cover - “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” - 1 Samuel 16:7.
I also know that.

But this book is different, the cover does match the context perfectly. Wah! Chapter 3! Oooh! Scary!

The greatest incongruence in Christianity is wanting God but not surrendering to Him. Absolute surrender is the key to absolute victory!

Take care of the depth of your life, and let God take care of the breadth of your ministry. “What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I know.” Chinese proverbs.

The defining keys to life - live life from the inside out, live life wholeheartedly, and live life with God at the very center!

We don’t have church problems; we have people problems. Serving God is the easy part. The harder part is serving people.

God’s glory is at the heart of worship. Intimacy with God begins with God. And is rooted in Him. True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

There’s a quiet place in the deep center of our life where God quietly waits to meet us!

Intimacy is neither earned nor deserved. The chief goal of spiritual formation is Christ- Likeness.
Do not say we don’t have time. For we always have time for the things that are valuable to us.
Spiritual formation starts with a deeper search for God and his ways.

To live, we must die. To lead, we must serve. To gain, we must give.

When there is no surrender, we cannot cultivate our inner life. Because there is no authenticity!

We have to learn to stop 🛑 comparing.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this book, I am reminded and have learned many things on how a Christian should grow in his/her spiritual pilgrimages with the Lord. It's a wonderful book to read as it shows how one should cultivate his inner life for the glory of God. All Christians were given the gift of the spirit to discern what the will of God is. And this book I believe is one of the many books that would stir the thoughts of every Christian regarding their inner life, walk with God, discipleship, service in the church, and many more! :)

God bless you Rev. Edmund Chan. To God be the glory. :)

[Jeremy Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this performance and facade driven culture, spiritually has been warped and skewed. This book is an excellent and timely reminder of what an effective Christian life is built upon...

[Elton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep thoughts warranted through real life experience.

[Jema Estacio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edmund Chan gets to the basics! A great book to read by servant leaders. Spiritual formation is a daily, moment by moment conscious discipline in Christ.