The inner disciplines
- Prayer — daily conversation with God.
- Fasting — abstaining from food to seek God. See the Spiritual Fast guide.
- Scripture meditation — slow, ruminating reading.
- Study — disciplined learning of the Word and the world.
The outward disciplines
- Simplicity — uncluttering of possessions and ambitions.
- Solitude — chosen aloneness with God.
- Submission — laying down the self-life.
- Service — hidden, unrewarded acts.
The corporate disciplines
- Confession — to God and to a trusted brother or sister.
- Worship — gathered praise.
- Guidance — discerning God's voice in community.
- Celebration — feasting in God's goodness.
Where to start
Daily prayer + daily scripture + one weekly fast. Build that triangle for 21 days, then add a fourth. The Christian self discipline pillar walks through the stacking method.
Free Spiritual Fast guide
Free guide: The Avodah Dynamics Spiritual Fast.
A 30-page biblical fasting blueprint — types of fasts, what to pray, how to break a fast, and the day-by-day rhythm. Free in exchange for your email.
FAQ
The classical list (Richard Foster, Dallas Willard) names 12: prayer, fasting, scripture meditation, worship, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, guidance, and celebration. They're the historic Christian practices for forming Christ in you.
Start with the inner trio: daily prayer, daily scripture, and a weekly fast. Layer the others as the foundation holds. The mistake is starting with all 12 and lasting two weeks.
Yes — every discipline on the list is modeled in scripture by Jesus, the apostles, or Old Testament saints. The list is descriptive of the historic Christian life, not a man-made program.