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Sacred Pathways Bible Study Guide: Nine Ways to Connect with God
Discover new ways of connecting with God by understanding how he uniquely created you to worship him. The Sacred Pathways video study will help you
How you naturally express yourself in your relationship with GodHow to develop new ways of drawing near to himKey biblical figures who share your spiritual temperamentHow to understand others who connect with the Creator differentlyAs believers in Christ, many of us today fall into the trap of thinking we have to approach God in a certain way. But our Creator made us all unique, and he designed us to connect with him in our own ways. For some, this might look like quiet contemplation. Others express praise through caregiving or theological discussions. It's important to discover the particular pathway that will best help you to experience God's presence.
Bestselling author and speaker Gary Thomas reveals nine distinct spiritual temperaments to give you insight into how you naturally worship and how your personal walk with God might look different from those around you.
Unlike the Enneagram and other personality assessment tools, Sacred Pathways gives you tools to investigate how you naturally relate to God. You will discover the strengths and impulses in your devotional approach so that you can eliminate the barriers that keep you locked into scripted methods of worship and praise.
There is one thing that each of us as Christians can do that nobody else can--give our personal love and affection to God.
This Study Guide
Discussion questions, reflection questions, and a personal assessment test to discover your pathwayPersonal Bible study for between sessionsA guide with best practices for leading groupsSessions
The Journey of the Soul – Introduction to the PathwaysPathways of Wonder – the Naturalist, Sensate, and TraditionalistPathways of Contemplation – the Intellectual, Ascetic, and ContemplativePathways of Action – the Caregiver, Activist, and EnthusiastTending the Garden of the Soul – How the Pathways Apply to Your LifeDesigned for use with the Sacred Pathways Video Study available on DVD or streaming video, sold separately.
How you naturally express yourself in your relationship with GodHow to develop new ways of drawing near to himKey biblical figures who share your spiritual temperamentHow to understand others who connect with the Creator differentlyAs believers in Christ, many of us today fall into the trap of thinking we have to approach God in a certain way. But our Creator made us all unique, and he designed us to connect with him in our own ways. For some, this might look like quiet contemplation. Others express praise through caregiving or theological discussions. It's important to discover the particular pathway that will best help you to experience God's presence.
Bestselling author and speaker Gary Thomas reveals nine distinct spiritual temperaments to give you insight into how you naturally worship and how your personal walk with God might look different from those around you.
Unlike the Enneagram and other personality assessment tools, Sacred Pathways gives you tools to investigate how you naturally relate to God. You will discover the strengths and impulses in your devotional approach so that you can eliminate the barriers that keep you locked into scripted methods of worship and praise.
There is one thing that each of us as Christians can do that nobody else can--give our personal love and affection to God.
This Study Guide
Discussion questions, reflection questions, and a personal assessment test to discover your pathwayPersonal Bible study for between sessionsA guide with best practices for leading groupsSessions
The Journey of the Soul – Introduction to the PathwaysPathways of Wonder – the Naturalist, Sensate, and TraditionalistPathways of Contemplation – the Intellectual, Ascetic, and ContemplativePathways of Action – the Caregiver, Activist, and EnthusiastTending the Garden of the Soul – How the Pathways Apply to Your LifeDesigned for use with the Sacred Pathways Video Study available on DVD or streaming video, sold separately.
- GenresChristian
102 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2021
44 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Gary L. Thomas
62 books645 followersGary Thomas is a bestselling author and international speaker whose ministry brings people closer to Christ and closer to others. He unites the study of Scripture, church history, and the Christian classics to foster spiritual growth and deeper relationships within the Christian community.
Gary is the author of 20 books, including "Sacred Marriage" and "Cherish", that together have sold over two million copies, have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and won numerous awards . His writings have established him as a thought-leader in the areas of marriage, parenting, and spiritual formation.
Gary holds a B.A. in English Literature from Western Washington University, an MA degree in systematic theology from Regent College (Vancouver, BC), and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Western Seminary (Portland, OR).
He serves on the teaching team (and as Writer in Residence) at Second Baptist Church, Houston—a congregation with six campuses and 70,000 members—and is an adjunct faculty member at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon and Houston Theological Seminary in Houston Texas.
Gary’s speaking ministry has led him to speak in 49 states and nine different countries, and on numerous national television and radio programs, including multiple appearances on Focus on the Family and Family Life Today. Gary’s interviews on Focus on the Family have been chosen among the “Best of 2013,” “Best of 2014” and “Best of 2017.” Gary is a lifelong advocate of using the Christian classics to bring people closer to Christ.
Gary enjoys running in his spare time and has completed 14 marathons, including the Boston Marathon three times. He and his wife Lisa have been married for 35 years and they have three adult children and the smartest, cutest, most adorable granddaughter on the planet.
Gary Thomas – Bringing people closer to Christ and closer to others.
Gary is the author of 20 books, including "Sacred Marriage" and "Cherish", that together have sold over two million copies, have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and won numerous awards . His writings have established him as a thought-leader in the areas of marriage, parenting, and spiritual formation.
Gary holds a B.A. in English Literature from Western Washington University, an MA degree in systematic theology from Regent College (Vancouver, BC), and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Western Seminary (Portland, OR).
He serves on the teaching team (and as Writer in Residence) at Second Baptist Church, Houston—a congregation with six campuses and 70,000 members—and is an adjunct faculty member at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon and Houston Theological Seminary in Houston Texas.
Gary’s speaking ministry has led him to speak in 49 states and nine different countries, and on numerous national television and radio programs, including multiple appearances on Focus on the Family and Family Life Today. Gary’s interviews on Focus on the Family have been chosen among the “Best of 2013,” “Best of 2014” and “Best of 2017.” Gary is a lifelong advocate of using the Christian classics to bring people closer to Christ.
Gary enjoys running in his spare time and has completed 14 marathons, including the Boston Marathon three times. He and his wife Lisa have been married for 35 years and they have three adult children and the smartest, cutest, most adorable granddaughter on the planet.
Gary Thomas – Bringing people closer to Christ and closer to others.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 15, 2022
I cannot finish this book. I liked the premise, the idea that we each have our own spiritual pathway that leads us closer to God … however, the author injects too much of his personal evangelical opinions into it and I just can’t stomach it anymore. Someone who is pro-choice (ME) is NOT pro-abortion! I will always stand beside my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters, and I will also not say that Islam, Buddhism, and any other religion is WRONG. Sorry - I am done with this book at the 57% point.
August 24, 2022
Different personalities find close communion with God in different ways.
According to the author, there are nine sacred pathways: Naturalists, Sensates, Traditionalists, Ascetics, Activists, Caregivers, Enthusiasts, Contemplatives, and Intellectuals.
By which pathway do I most closely experience the Presence of God?
According to the author, there are nine sacred pathways: Naturalists, Sensates, Traditionalists, Ascetics, Activists, Caregivers, Enthusiasts, Contemplatives, and Intellectuals.
By which pathway do I most closely experience the Presence of God?
May 2, 2022
This book gave me perspective on how I connect with God differently than others. It really changed my thinking
February 6, 2024
Jezus noemt het hart, de ziel, het verstand en de kracht als uitingen van de liefde tot God (Mk. 12:30). T. werkt deze veelvormigheid uit in maar liefst negen vorm van geloof. Volgens hem heb je naturalisten, gevoelsmensen, traditionalisten, asceten, activisten, zorgverleners, enthousiastelingen, contemplatieven en intellectuelen. Hoe hij aan deze indeling komt is niet helemaal duidelijk. Het doel is evenwel om eenzijdigheid tegen te gaan. Stille tijd en op zondag naar de kerk gaan zijn doorgaans de traditionele imperatieven om tot spirituele groei te komen. Niets mis mee, maar er zijn ook andere mogelijkheden zonder buiten de spelregels van de kerk te vallen. De uitwerking van T. is qua werkwijze vergelijkbaar met die van Isabel Briggs Myers die samen met haar moeder een veelgebruikte persoonlijkheidstest ontwikkelde. Het gaat dan om de volgende onderdelen: wat zijn de kenmerken, zijn er voorbeeldfiguren en hoe zit het met sterke en zwakke kanten? Het is niet per se (natuur)wetenschappelijk, maar wel behulpzaam om, onder andere, in het protestantse pastoraat oog te krijgen voor vormen van geloof die minder gestoeld zijn op articulatie en intellect.
August 20, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
This book was a long glass of ice cold water on a hot day. My word of the year has been “delight” and this book widened my perspective immensely on worship and delighting with God. I’ve been thinking about it every day since I started and I’ll think about it for many days and months and probably years to come.
As someone who believed (in action, I suppose my mind knew differently) that the only way to truly experience God was through a rigid quiet time each morning, reading through a book of the Bible, studying it, and praying all within an hour, I’ve felt shame in my post college years when that hasn’t cultivated joy or delight in the Lord, or I just simply haven’t done it. Don’t get me wrong, I am absolutely team Bible reading through and through. Those are God’s words and we should absolute eat them up. BUT. to hear that there’s so many ways in which we were uniquely created to experience intimacy with the Father, whether it be in nature, through activism, a sensical experience, etc, felt freeing. God is gentle, and He’s also far far bigger than experiencing him in a prescribed way.
This book was a long glass of ice cold water on a hot day. My word of the year has been “delight” and this book widened my perspective immensely on worship and delighting with God. I’ve been thinking about it every day since I started and I’ll think about it for many days and months and probably years to come.
As someone who believed (in action, I suppose my mind knew differently) that the only way to truly experience God was through a rigid quiet time each morning, reading through a book of the Bible, studying it, and praying all within an hour, I’ve felt shame in my post college years when that hasn’t cultivated joy or delight in the Lord, or I just simply haven’t done it. Don’t get me wrong, I am absolutely team Bible reading through and through. Those are God’s words and we should absolute eat them up. BUT. to hear that there’s so many ways in which we were uniquely created to experience intimacy with the Father, whether it be in nature, through activism, a sensical experience, etc, felt freeing. God is gentle, and He’s also far far bigger than experiencing him in a prescribed way.
July 5, 2023
It was an amazing book. Author gave made you think to look at people and yourself in a different perspective. Showed there are several different ways to worship God as long as you have an established relationship with the creator of the world!
December 18, 2023
People connect with God in different ways. I loved exploring the different pathways of connection, learning about how I best connect with God and respecting the ways others do.
April 17, 2025
This book was amazing. It is like a live language for spirituality. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to grow closer to God.
November 28, 2023
5 Sterne für "Sacred Pathways"!
Eigentläch isches nid dr Study-Guide, sondern z ganz normale Buech (aber das tuet's mir mit "Der heilige Hafen" vermischle).
Am 25.11.23 hani no dr Study-Guide fertig gläse (am 21.11. scho chli aagfange, aber eigentläch meh gschnöigget - u när richtig am 25.11. düregschnutzt). I würdi säge: 4 Stärne füre Study-Guide.
Eigentläch isches nid dr Study-Guide, sondern z ganz normale Buech (aber das tuet's mir mit "Der heilige Hafen" vermischle).
Am 25.11.23 hani no dr Study-Guide fertig gläse (am 21.11. scho chli aagfange, aber eigentläch meh gschnöigget - u när richtig am 25.11. düregschnutzt). I würdi säge: 4 Stärne füre Study-Guide.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews