9-Week Study & Discussion Guide

Sacred Rhythms

by Ruth Haley Barton·71 discussion questions

Lead your group with the discussion already prepared: a reading plan, thoughtful questions, and printable handouts for everyone.

Get the complete guide — $29
Week 1 — FreeRead the Introduction of Sacred Rhythms.

Discussion question your group will work through:

1.Barton opens by describing a kind of spiritual exhaustion — a sense of going through religious motions without experiencing real transformation. How honestly does that description land for you right now? What brought you to this book or this group?

Read all of Week 1 — free, no card

Week 1 is free. Get this guide for $29 once, or every guide for $79/year.

Yearly access renews at $79/year unless canceled · 7-day guarantee before downloading the PDF or handouts

About This Study Guide

At a glance: this is a 9-week study and discussion guide for Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton, with 71 questions organized by reading assignment. Week 1 is free to read, with no card required.

Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation by Ruth Haley Barton is a gentle but searching guide to the ancient practice of spiritual disciplines. Drawing on the Benedictine tradition of the "rule of life" — a personal rhythm of prayer, silence, Scripture, and community that structures the soul's journey toward God — Barton walks readers through seven core practices: solitude, Scripture, prayer, honoring the body, self-examination, discernment, and a rule of life itself. Her central thesis is that transformation is not something we manufacture through willpower or religious effort; it is something we cooperate with by creating space for God to work. The disciplines are not the destination — they are the "means of grace," the conditions under which the Holy Spirit can do what only the Holy Spirit can do.

This study guide is designed for use in a small group or personal study setting, following the book chapter by chapter over ten weeks. The rhythm each week is simple: read the assigned chapter before the group meets, spend some time journaling with the questions on your own, and then bring your reflections into conversation with others (or, if you are studying solo, into prayer). You do not need any prior theological training — only a willingness to be honest about where you are and a genuine longing to grow. Barton herself writes for people who are "tired of being tired" spiritually, and these questions are designed to meet you in that weariness with both challenge and hope.

By the end of this guide, you will have examined your own soul in seven key areas, experimented (even briefly) with practices that may be unfamiliar, and begun drafting a personal rule of life — a sustainable, realistic rhythm for your own ongoing transformation. Our hope is that you finish not merely having studied a book, but having tasted something real: the quiet, unhurried presence of God in the ordinary hours of your days.

Week 1: Introduction — Desire as the Starting Point

Free — no card
Open Week 1 →

Read the Introduction of Sacred Rhythms.

Before exploring any spiritual practice, Barton asks us to begin with something more fundamental: the raw, honest desire beneath our spiritual seeking. Sit with these questions before rushing past them.

1.Barton opens by describing a kind of spiritual exhaustion — a sense of going through religious motions without experiencing real transformation. How honestly does that description land for you right now? What brought you to this book or this group?

2.She draws on the image of Jacob wrestling with God at the Jabbok river (Genesis 32) as a picture of honest, desperate spiritual desire. What do you think it means to 'wrestle' with God rather than simply performing religious duty? Have you ever had a moment that felt more like wrestling than routine?

3.Barton distinguishes between wanting the benefits of spiritual growth and actually wanting God himself. Be honest: when you imagine being more 'spiritually mature,' what are you really hoping for — peace, better relationships, relief from anxiety, or something else? Is there anything wrong with those motivations?

Checking your access to the other 4 questions…

Get the rest of Sacred Rhythms

All 9 weeks, 71 questions, closing prayers, and printable weekly handouts — plus the full PDF — so your prep is reading it over, not writing it from scratch.

Preview the group handout

See the questions, reading assignment, and space for notes your group can use at the table. The complete guide includes a printable handout for every week.

Week 1 sample · first 3 questions

Group handout: Sacred Rhythms

Week 1 sample · first 3 questions. Scroll to read the sample.

Where your receipt and sign-in link go. No password to remember.

For multiple studies

Full Library

Every guide in the library, all year

$59regular price $79

The first-year discount is already applied — there’s no code to type. $59 is the first-year price for new customers, then it renews at $79/year.

  • Every week of Sacred Rhythms on the web, plus printable weekly handouts
  • Every guide in the library (200+ and growing)
  • 4 full-guide PDF downloads every 30 days, so you can print a whole study ahead
  • If your group picks a book we don’t have yet, we write the guide — 3 included a year, $9 each after that
  • A leader email each week of the study: that week’s questions and a short prep note

$59 today, then it renews at $79/year.

First-year price for eligible new customers. Everything unlocks right away. We email you 30 days before it renews — cancel or pause online anytime, no phone call.

This Guide Only

One study, no renewal

$29once · yours forever

Nothing renews. 7-day money-back guarantee before downloading the PDF or handouts.

  • Every week of Sacred Rhythms (9 weeks, 71 questions)
  • PDF for you, printable handouts for the group
  • A link you can send to everyone in your group
  • One purchase covers your whole group — no per-person fee
  • No account to set up — we email you a sign-in link

Upgrade within 60 days and your $29 comes off the regular $79 year — you never pay for this guide twice.

Full Library, monthly — $25/month, renews monthly until you cancel. The same library, with 2 PDF downloads and 1 requested book a month. Worth knowing: four months of it costs more than a full year.

More than one leader at your church? Church Plan — 5 leader seats for $199/year, then $29 a year per extra seat. Renews yearly at that price plus any extra seats, unless canceled. Pay by card, or ask for an invoice your treasurer can pay. See the Church Plan

  • 30-day money-back guarantee on the year (with 2 or fewer guides downloaded)
  • A receipt you can hand your treasurer for reimbursement
  • Every guide you download stays yours — even if you cancel
  • Secure checkout by Stripe — we never see your card number

Why You Can Trust This

What You Get, and Our Promise

Here’s exactly what’s in every guide — and what happens if it falls short.

What’s in every guide

  • A week-by-week reading plan with a short orienting note for every session
  • Discussion questions, follow-up prompts, and closing prayers for group conversation
  • PDF download + permanent web link — every guide you download stays yours, share it with your entire group
  • Read Week 1 of any guide free before you decide
  • One membership covers the whole group — no per-seat fees. Or take just one guide for $29, one time.

Our money-back guarantees

This Guide Only has a 7-day money-back guarantee if you request it before downloading the PDF or printable handouts. The Full Library year has a 30-day money-back guarantee with 2 or fewer guides downloaded. Email support@bookstudyguide.com from the address used at checkout and we’ll review your request.

A note from the founder: I’m Josh, and I built this because most Christian books don’t come with study materials — leaving volunteer leaders to build discussion questions from scratch on a Saturday night. That shouldn’t be the default. If anything about your guide isn’t right, reply to your order email and it comes straight to me.

You’ve previewed Week 1 of Sacred Rhythms. Choose the complete guide once or full-library access above; both include printable handouts and a church-ready receipt.

Review both options

9-Week Schedule

  1. Week 1Introduction — Desire as the Starting Point7 questions
  2. Week 2Chapter 1 — Solitude: Creating Space for God8 questions
  3. Week 3Chapter 2 — Scripture: Encountering God in the Word8 questions
  4. Week 4Chapter 3 — Prayer: Intimate Conversation with God8 questions
  5. Week 5Chapter 4 — Honoring the Body: Flesh-and-Blood Spirituality8 questions
  6. Week 6Chapter 5 — Self-Examination: Reclaiming the Examined Life8 questions
  7. Week 7Chapter 6 — Discernment: Recognizing and Responding to the Presence of God8 questions
  8. Week 8Chapter 7 — A Rule of Life: Cultivating Rhythms for Spiritual Transformation8 questions
  9. Week 9Review & Reflection — Looking Back, Looking Forward8 questions

Week 2: Chapter 1 — Solitude: Creating Space for God

All 8 questions →

Read Chapter 1 of Sacred Rhythms. Key Scripture: Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16.

1.Barton describes solitude not simply as being physically alone, but as an inner quieting — what she calls 'the practice of being absent from the world in order to be present with God.' What is the difference between solitude and mere aloneness or loneliness?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 3: Chapter 2 — Scripture: Encountering God in the Word

All 8 questions →

Read Chapter 2 of Sacred Rhythms. Key Scripture: Psalm 119:105; Luke 24:13-35.

1.Barton draws a distinction between reading Scripture for information — to gain knowledge, prepare a lesson, or win an argument — and reading Scripture for formation — to be transformed by an encounter with the living God. How would you characterize your own primary mode of engaging the Bible? Be specific.

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 4: Chapter 3 — Prayer: Intimate Conversation with God

All 8 questions →

Read Chapter 3 of Sacred Rhythms. Key Scripture: Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 6:5-13.

1.Barton opens by acknowledging that many Christians feel a persistent gap between how they think they should pray and how prayer actually goes. How would you describe your own prayer life honestly — not how you wish it were, but how it actually is most of the time?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 5: Chapter 4 — Honoring the Body: Flesh-and-Blood Spirituality

All 8 questions →

Read Chapter 4 of Sacred Rhythms. Key Scripture: Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

1.Western Christianity has often treated the body with suspicion — as a problem to be managed rather than a gift to be honored. How have you absorbed this attitude, perhaps without realizing it? Where does it show up in how you think about sleep, food, exercise, rest, or physical pleasure?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 6: Chapter 5 — Self-Examination: Reclaiming the Examined Life

All 8 questions →

Read Chapter 5 of Sacred Rhythms. Key Scripture: Psalm 139:23-24; Lamentations 3:40.

1.Barton distinguishes between self-examination and introspection — the former being a Spirit-guided openness to truth, the latter being a self-focused rumination that can easily become either self-justification or shame. How do you tell the difference in your own experience? Which do you tend toward?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 7: Chapter 6 — Discernment: Recognizing and Responding to the Presence of God

All 8 questions →

Read Chapter 6 of Sacred Rhythms. Key Scripture: Romans 12:2; 1 Kings 19:11-13.

1.Barton defines discernment not as a technique for making decisions, but as a way of life — a cultivated attentiveness to God's presence and movement in all of life. How is this different from how you have typically thought about 'knowing God's will'?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 8: Chapter 7 — A Rule of Life: Cultivating Rhythms for Spiritual Transformation

All 8 questions →

Read Chapter 7 of Sacred Rhythms. Key Scripture: Psalm 1:1-3; John 15:4-5.

1.The term 'rule of life' comes from the Latin regula, meaning a straight edge or guide — not a rigid set of laws, but a trellis on which the soul's growth can be supported. How does this metaphor reframe what a rule of life is and what it is not?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 9: Review & Reflection — Looking Back, Looking Forward

All 8 questions →

No new reading this week. Review your notes, journal entries, and any reflections from the previous eight weeks.

1.Looking back across the seven disciplines Barton explores — solitude, Scripture, prayer, honoring the body, self-examination, discernment, and a rule of life — which one opened something in you that you did not expect? What made it surprising?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide
Book Club QuestionsMore by Ruth Haley BartonSpiritual Growth & DisciplinesFor Small GroupsFor Individual StudyFree Question GeneratorMake a reading schedule for this book

Related Study Guides

If your group enjoys Sacred Rhythms, these studies pair well with it.

Liturgy of the Ordinary

by Tish Harrison Warren

Garden City

by John Mark Comer

Knowing God

by J.I. Packer

About the Sacred Rhythms guide

How many weeks is the Sacred Rhythms study guide?

This study guide covers Sacred Rhythms in 9 weeks, with week-by-week discussion questions, reading references, and closing prayers for each session.

How many discussion questions are included?

The complete guide includes 71 discussion questions across 9 weeks — an average of 8 questions per week, designed for group conversation.

Can I use this guide for a book club?

Yes — the questions are written for group discussion and work well for small groups, book clubs, church studies, and couples reading together.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What books can I get a study guide for?

Any published book — not just bestsellers that come with a curriculum. If the book is already in the library you can read Week 1 right now. If it isn't, we write the guide for you after you join: the Full Library includes 3 on-request books a year, and This Guide Only covers the one book you pick.

How long does it take to get my guide?

If the book is in the library, it's ready the moment you join. If we're writing it for you, we email the link as soon as it's ready.

What's included in each study guide?

Every guide is organized week by week, with a reading assignment, a short orienting note, discussion questions and follow-up prompts, a closing prayer, web access, a full-guide PDF, and printable weekly handouts.

Do my group members pay?

No — one membership covers your whole group. Share the PDF or a read-only link with everyone in your group; there's no per-person fee or seat limit.

Do I need to create an account?

No password to remember. Your receipt email is your account — when you want to sign in, we email you a sign-in link (or a six-digit code) and you're in.

Sign in →
What renews and when?

Full Library renews yearly at $79 — your first year is $59 with the current code. Month to Month renews monthly at $25. We email you 30 days before yearly renewals and two weeks before monthly renewals, and you can cancel or pause in one click from your account. This Guide Only ($29) is a one-time purchase and never renews.

Manage your membership →
How do I get reimbursed by my church?

You get one receipt, and you can add your church's name to it from your account page. If several leaders at your church want access, the Church Plan puts everyone on one invoice.

See the Church Plan →
What if we finish early or take the summer off?

Pause your membership for up to 6 months from your account page. You keep the time you've paid for, and we email you a week before it resumes.

Pause your membership →
What if I'm not happy?

There's a 30-day money-back guarantee on the Full Library year (as long as you've downloaded 2 or fewer guides) and a 7-day money-back guarantee on This Guide Only if you request it before downloading the PDF or printable handouts. Week 1 is free to preview first. Email support@bookstudyguide.com from the address used at checkout and we'll review it.

How do I cancel?

One click from your account page — no phone call, no forms. Your access continues to the end of what you've paid for, and everything you've downloaded stays yours.

Cancel from your account →
How are the discussion questions different from what I'd find online?

Free discussion questions online tend to be surface-level — "What did you think of chapter 3?" Our guides include questions designed to spark real conversation: questions that connect the book's ideas to personal experience, draw out different perspectives, and help group members open up and share honestly.

Still have questions? Email support@bookstudyguide.com

Read all of Week 1 free