FAMILY OF RESOURCES

The Companions Family of Resources includes the Companions in Christ adult series, The Way of the Child, and The Way of Pilgrimage. All resources in the family build habits of spiritual practice and small group community. The Way of the Child offers a formational experience for children ages 6-11; The Way of Pilgrimage is designed for high school youth through college freshmen.

The Companions Family of Resources includes the Companions in Christ® adult series, The Way of the Child, and The Way of Pilgrimage. All resources in the family build habits of spiritual practice and small group community. The Way of the Child offers a formational experience for children ages 6-11; The Way of Pilgrimage is designed for high school youth through college freshmen.

Companions for Adults

All of the resources in the Companions in Christ series for adults are designed to build on the foundational 28-week resource, with the exception of Exploring the Way. The following guide offers insights on how the adult series works together.

Exploring the Way
Meeting time: 60-90 minutes
Group Size: 5-50
Duration: 7 weeks (6 weeks and a preparatory meeting)
A prequel to the 28-week Companions in Christ foundational resource, this six-week study (plus a preparatory meeting) provides an excellent introduction to the language of spiritual formation and some basic practices of the Christian spiritual life. No previous training or experience is required. This 6-week experience can be used in a Sunday school class with a larger group or in a small group setting, and is expandable in content for use in other settings.

The Companions in Christ foundational 28-week resource
Meeting time: 2 hours
Group Size: 6-12
Duration: 28 weeks (26 weeks, preparatory meeting, closing retreat)
This is the original Companions resource. Five major sections introduce participants to the Christian life as a spiritual journey, scriptural meditation, prayer, our call as followers of Christ, and spiritual guidance. The course need not be completed in a 28-week period. Breaks can be taken between each of the five parts. It is recommended that this course be completed before participating in other Companions studies.

The Way of Grace
Meeting time: 2 hours
Group Size: 6-12
Duration: 10 weeks (9 weeks and a preparatory meeting)
This small-group resource invites participants to travel with 8 biblical characters (or groups of characters) who discover God's grace through their encounters with Jesus. More than a survey of biblical stories, it is a transforming interaction with the events and characters from the Gospel of John. This resource may be used by groups prior to experiencing the 28-week Companions in Christ resource. It is also a good study to follow the 28-week resource.

The Way of Blessedness
Meeting time: 2 hours
Group Size: 6-12
Duration: 10 weeks (9 weeks and a preparatory meeting)
The Way of Blessedness is a 9-week study using The Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. The journey invites participants to discover Jesus' vision of the kingdom of God on earth, and to develop a personal “rule of life” that helps us reside in that kingdom. It is recommended that participants complete the 28-week Companions in Christ course before participating in The Way of Blessedness.

The Way of Forgiveness
Meeting Time: 2 hours
Group Size: 6-12
Duration: 9 weeks (8 weeks and a preparatory meeting)
This resource encourages individuals in small groups to live a forgiven and forgiving life in response to God's call. Weekly themes explore living in God's blessing, releasing shame and guilt, dealing constructively with anger, receiving God's forgiveness, forgiving others, and becoming a community of reconciliation. It is highly recommended that participants complete the 28-week Companions in Christ course before participating in The Way of Forgiveness.

The Way of Transforming Discipleship
Meeting Time: 2 hours
Group Size: 6-12
Duration: 6 weeks (5 weeks and a preparatory meeting)
* A great Lenten study or preparation for mission trip
This resource by Trevor Hudson and Stephen Bryant challenges Christians from the viewpoint of a white South African pastor who has lived through the political changes in that country and experienced with rare vulnerability the spiritual struggles inherent in the process of truth-telling, reconciliation, deep pain, and poverty. Trevor Hudson brings a message of vital, transforming spirituality through knowing who we are, changing from the inside out, listening to the groans of others, and discovering the deep spirituality of belonging. This resource may be used by groups prior to experiencing the 28-week Companions in Christ resource. It is also a good study to follow the 28-week resource.

The Way of Prayer
Meeting Time: 2 hours
Group Size: 6-12
Duration: 11 weeks (10 weeks and a preparatory meeting)
This resource is designed to help people expand their understanding of the nature and practice of prayer. Most Christians grow up with a limited vision of what prayer is and how to pray. The Way of Prayer offers many forms to explore through experience, both individually and as a group. It helps persons of different temperaments, spiritual types, and learning styles find expressions of prayer that draw them closer to God. It also enables them to integrate their spiritual lives more fully -- between body, mind, and spirit, and between the inner and outer life. With creative leadership, this resource will help bring greater scope into the prayer life of the congregation.

The Way of Discernment
Meeting Time: 2 hours
Group Size: 6-12
Duration: 11 weeks (10 weeks and a preparatory meeting)
Whether experienced as a simple desire to follow God’s way, a deep longing or a satisfaction when we find a fulfilling path, discernment beckons believers. This ten-week study focuses on the spiritual discipline of discernment for individuals and small groups, and points toward elements and processes critical to faithful discernment in congregations, or larger bodies of the church. (It follows the familiar Companions in Christ format of a weekly reading, daily exercises, and a weekly two-hour small group meeting.) More of a journey in discernment than a how-to-guide, this group study gently leads to the prayerful path of a richer, wiser life for both individuals and the larger church.

Companions for Youth

The Way of Pilgrimage
An Adventure in Spiritual Formation for the Next Generation
Meeting Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Group Size: various
Duration: 30 weeks; each of 5 volumes can be used for an individual 6-week session
Ages: senior-high youth and college freshmen

The Way of Pilgrimage is an experiential, 30-week group study thatintroduces practices of prayer and contemplation to help young people find new ways to go deeper spiritually. Participants can engage in readings and reflective exercises every day, and meet weekly with their small group. The Leader’s Guide is straight-forward, enabling volunteers, youth leaders, college chaplains, and other students to lead the weekly group sessions.

The Way of Pilgrimage can be used in small groups or cell groups, Sunday school classes, various settings of youth groups, camp and retreat settings, or to prepare the hearts and minds of young people before a mission trip or pilgrimage. Group members can be the same age, or a variety of ages from senior-high to early college.

Companions for Children

The Way of the Child : Helping Children Experience God
Meeting Time: 1 to 1 _ hours
Group Size: various
Duration: 39 sessions, short-term use or full school year
Ages: 6-11
The Way of the Child focuses on the spiritual formation of children, helping them learn and experience spiritual practices that will lead them into a deeper awareness of God’s presence in their lives. The Leader’s Guide includes 5 chapters on the spiritual nature of children and theory of faith formation as well as 39 sessions to use with groups of children. The sessions are in modules grouped in these themes: God’s Love and Care, Prayer, Advent and Epiphany, Acts of Love, Lent, Easter, Parables, and Meaningful Passages of Scripture. The Way of the Child product line also includes a Resource Booklet of reproducible art for the reflection stations, Family Booklet for use in homes, a music CD, an Interpretive DVD, and now a Training DVD that prepares leaders to guide children formationally.