The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard
Week 8: Chapter 7 — The Disciplines of Engagement
Read Chapter 7 of The Spirit of the Disciplines. Key Scripture: Colossians 3:16; Acts 2:42–47.
Previewing Week 8 of The Spirit of the Disciplines
Read 3 of 6 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
If the disciplines of abstinence create space, the disciplines of engagement fill that space with the richness of God and community — study, worship, prayer, service, confession, and fellowship.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Willard describes study as the primary discipline of engagement — not Bible study narrowly construed, but the sustained, attentive engagement of the mind with truth. Why does he give study such priority? What does undisciplined thinking cost us spiritually?
2.On the discipline of worship, Willard argues that worship is not primarily an emotional experience we seek for ourselves, but an act of attention directed fully toward God. How does this reframe the way you evaluate a worship service — or your own private worship — from 'Did I get something out of it?' to something else?
a.What does worship as 'full attention to God' look like in practice, outside of Sunday mornings?
b.How might the discipline of worship reshape your desires and emotions over time?
3.Willard treats prayer as a discipline of engagement — not just petition, but the sustained, conversational orientation of the whole self toward God. He draws on the model of the early church in Acts 2, who devoted themselves to prayer as a corporate practice. What would it mean for your church or small group to treat prayer as a discipline rather than a formality?