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Richard J. Foster

Richard J. Foster

Renovaré Founder

Richard J. Foster

Articles & Essays by Richard J. Foster

2018-02-22 Jesus Wash Feet Mosaic
Book Excerpt from Celebration of Discipline

Self-Denial Without Self-Hatred

Published December, 1977 • Featured February 2, 2020
“Most of us have been exposed to such a mutilated form of biblical submission that either we have embraced the deformity or we have rejected the Discipline altogether,” Foster writes. This Celebration of Discipline excerpt explains why true submission has nothing to do with self-hatred.
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Book Excerpt from Sanctuary of the Soul

Heart Transformation and Friendship with Jesus

Published December, 2010 • Featured January 31, 2020
Can there be progress forward in our life with God? From Sanctuary of the Soul, Richard Foster looks at what changes we can expect to happen as we follow Jesus and keep asking, listening, and obeying.
Potter Hands
Article

Becoming Like Christ

Published February, 1996 • Featured January 12, 2020
For Christians, heaven is not the goal. The goal is for Christ to be formed in us. Richard Foster shows how that forming happens through experiential, formal, and instrumental means.
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Journal/Magazine Article

Getting the Big Picture

Published April, 1986 • Featured November 5, 2019
In this classic article from Christianity Today, Richard Foster encourages Christians to embrace the authority and wisdom God has invested in his witnesses — Bible writers and examples in scripture, as well as saints and followers of Christ down through the ages.
Colorful Handprints
Book Excerpt from Streams of Living Water

Defining the Social Justice Tradition: The Compassionate Life

Published October, 1998 • Featured October 17, 2019
Social justice is where love meets the road. From Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster opens up three great themes of the Social Justice Tradition that are wonderfully summed up in the Hebrew words mishpat, hesed, and shalom.
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Book Excerpt

The Danger of Spiritual Disciplines

Published February, 1983 • Featured October 1, 2019
Disciplines of the spiritual life put us in a place where we can experience inner transformation as a gift. Richard Foster warns of pitfalls that can hinder our way.
Power Healing Excerpt
Article

Intro to John Wimber's Book _Power Healing_

Published September, 1987 • Featured September 19, 2019
Power Healing by John Wimber and Kevin Springer, first published in 1987, continues to provide valuable insight for Christians into the Why, What, and How of seeking healing from God. Richard Foster penned the intro.
Woman Comforting Another
Letter

Sitting with Suffering

Published April, 1992 • Featured September 17, 2019
How do we address the suffering of others? What can we say or do to alleviate their pain? Richard Foster offers some wise words on the spiritual practice of presence that will help fill their seasons of grief and tragedy with healing and grace.
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Book Excerpt from Streams of Living Water

Defining the Charismatic Tradition: The Spirit-Empowered Life

Published October, 1998 • Featured September 3, 2019
“Frankly, there are no ​‘noncharismatic Christians.” In this excerpt from Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster validates supernatural spiritual gifts and reminds us that in exercising them the end goal must always be love and unity.
Ghent Lamb
Journal/Magazine Article

A Life of Prayer and Holy Obedience in a War-Wracked World

Published February, 1983 • Featured August 29, 2019
A substantial piece by Richard Foster on the relationship between spiritual warfare, prayer, and holy obedience.
Linen Sea Glass
Book Excerpt from Streams of Living Water

Defining the Holiness Tradition: The Virtuous Life

Published October, 1998 • Featured August 6, 2019
In this excerpt from Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster reveals the beauty of a virtuous life by laying out what holiness is and is not.
Black Woman Praying
Article

Five Misconceptions that Hinder Prayer

Published February, 1994 • Featured July 30, 2019
Richard Foster corrects some common misunderstandings that get in the way of a conversational friendship with the Lord.
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Book Excerpt

How to Start a Prayer Journal

Published May, 1994 • Featured July 25, 2019
Richard Foster invites us to follow the lead of disciples such as St. Augustine, Julian of Norwich, and Blaise Pascal in the practice of journaling our prayers.
Heart On Fire
Book Excerpt from Streams of Living Water

Defining The Contemplative Tradition: The Prayer-Filled Life

Published October, 1998 • Featured July 9, 2019
“The two most common words used to describe the contemplative way of life are fire and love. Purging, purifying fire. Enveloping, comforting love.” In this excerpt from Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster introduces us to the contemplative life.
Laundry At Home
Book Excerpt from Streams of Living Water

Practical Ways to Live All of Life With God

Published October, 1998 • Featured June 26, 2019
In this excerpt from Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster provides very practical ways to live all of life — everyday home and family and work life — with God.
Woman Making Food
Book Excerpt from Streams of Living Water

Defining The Incarnational Tradition: The Sacramental Life

Published October, 1998 • Featured June 5, 2019
God likes matter and uses it ​“to make present and visible the invisible realm of the spirit”. In this excerpt from Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster invites us to live sacramentally in all of life.
Bible Open 1Corinthians
Book Excerpt from Streams of Living Water

Defining The Evangelical Tradition: The Word-Centered Life

Published October, 1998 • Featured May 30, 2019
From Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster defines the three themes of the Evangelical Tradition: the faithful proclamation of the gospel, the centrality of Scripture, and the confessional witness of the early Christian community.
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Journal/Magazine Article

The Day God Died

Published March, 1977 • Featured April 3, 2019
Richard Foster digs deeply into the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross and the healing it makes available.
Tree Roots Waterfall
Letter

Maturing the Spiritual Formation Movement

Published August, 2010 • Featured March 19, 2019
Some of us have been at this spiritual formation work for a while now, long enough to see quite a mixture of helpful and decidedly unhelpful things set forth. Richard Foster assesses where we are and proposes a way forward.
Man Holding Bible
Book Excerpt from Celebration of Discipline

The Path to Joy

Published March, 1976 • Featured February 12, 2019
In the spiritual life, the only thing that will produce genuine joy is obedience. Richard Foster explains why in this piece from Celebration of Discipline.