At our men’s breakfast one Friday, Brian asked me about my spiritual disciplines. My view has changed over the years.

I originally thought the purpose of the disciplines was to bring about spiritual conformity. To accomplish this, we set up routines (the more rigid the better) and repeat them with great discipline — Bible reading, prayer, fasting, church attendance, and so on. That’s likely what every young believer thinks when they hear the word “discipline.”

But what I told my new friend Brian is that the purpose of spiritual disciplines is to deepen our relationship with Jesus so that He can continue to transform our lives. That’s it. And because that’s it, I call any repeated habit or practice that helps deepen our relationship with Him a spiritual discipline.

It doesn’t have to be at precisely 7:30 AM, six days a week, either. It might be once or twice a week, or whenever you are in a specific place or enjoying a certain activity. For example, I wrote this article next to a campfire on a Sunday morning. That was where I was worshiping that morning. The Sandhill Cranes were my choir, the woods my cathedral, and the dancing flames like sparks that ignited my spirit. I was moved. In this retreat from civilization, camping in Creation became a “spiritual discipline” because there I could experience deeper connection in my relationship with Jesus. And isn’t that what it’s really all about?

I refer to this discipline as “a man and Creation” in my book A Man’s Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines. Recently updated and expanded, it includes 11 other disciplines to help you and the men you grow with hear from God more clearly.

Right now, I’m offering a special to help you prepare for a small group this fall: Save 40% on eight or more copies of the book at this link! Whether you use it with men you’re mentoring, with an existing small group, or to invite some men to form a new group, I hope it leads you to experiencing a deeper relationship with Jesus so that He can continue to transform your lives.