Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney

Week 7: Chapter 6 — Serving

Read Chapter 6 of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Key Scriptures: Mark 10:45; Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 4:10-11.

Serving others in the name of Christ is not a program to join — it is a discipline to cultivate, and Whitney shows how a life of intentional service reshapes us into the image of the One who came "not to be served, but to serve."

Discussion Questions

8 questions

1.Whitney defines serving as a spiritual discipline — something we do intentionally, regularly, and with the goal of godliness — rather than just a nice thing Christians do when they feel like it. What changes about how you approach service when you see it through that lens?

2.He draws attention to the danger of serving out of compulsion, guilt, or people-pleasing rather than out of a genuine love for God and people. How do you know when you are serving from the right motives — and what should you do when you discover your motives are mixed?

3.Whitney emphasizes that every Christian has been given spiritual gifts specifically for the purpose of serving others (1 Peter 4:10). Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? How are you currently using them — or how are you avoiding using them?

4.He challenges readers to serve in both the church and in the world — not limiting service to organized church programs, but looking for opportunities to serve neighbors, strangers, and the vulnerable in everyday life. What would a more intentional posture of service look like in your particular neighborhood, workplace, or family?

5.Whitney argues that serving has a sanctifying effect on the servant — it crushes pride, builds humility, and gradually forms in us the servant-heart of Christ. Can you think of a time when serving someone in a humble or inconvenient way actually changed *you* more than it helped them?

+ 5 more questions in this week

Get all 104 questions across 13 weeks

Get Full Guide — $24.99

Closing Prayer

Full guide

Lord Jesus, You came not to be served but to serve, and to give Your life as a ransom for many. We confess that our natural posture is to seek comfort, recognition, and ease — not the towel and basin. Forgive us for the ways we have served only when it was convenient, only when people were watching, or only when we felt like it. Make us more like You. Use the discipline of service to break our pride, soften our hearts, and form in us the servant-heart that You wore all the way to the cross. May those around us experience Your love through our hands. In Your name, Amen.

Week 6 View Full Guide Week 8

Get the Complete 13-Week Study Guide

All 104 discussion questions, weekly reading schedule, closing prayers, and a downloadable PDF for your group.

Get Your Guide — $24.99

All Weeks in This Guide

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13

More by Donald Whitney Spiritual Growth & Disciplines