Practices that Shape Us

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” — Acts 2:42

Discipleship is not a seminar we attend; it’s a way of life we practice. Theologian Diana Butler Bass describes a “practicing congregation” as one that roots itself in habits like hospitality, storytelling, discernment, Sabbath, and healing prayer. These practices are not projects to complete but postures that shape who we are.

Hospitality makes room for others and reminds us that every guest may be Christ in disguise. Storytelling connects us to memory, rehearsing God’s faithfulness until gratitude becomes our language. Discernment trains us to listen for the Spirit in decisions big and small. Sabbath re-centers us in belovedness, declaring that our worth does not depend on production. Healing prayer opens hearts to God’s renewing power and names pain that needs grace.

When such practices become our rhythm, they form us slowly, like water shaping stone. A congregation that practices faith becomes a people who embody it. Worship turns into witness; fellowship becomes formation. The world doesn’t need a perfect church, it needs a practicing one.

At Hilldale, these habits already pulse through our life together: meals shared, stories told, prayers lifted, songs sung, sabbaths kept. Each is a way of saying, “Here we are, Lord—shape us.” 

As you reflect on these realities, which practice (hospitality, storytelling, Sabbath, prayer, or discernment) speaks most to your soul right now? How might you incorporate these practices into your daily or weekly rhythm?

Pastor Jeff