Rhythms for Life - by Alastair Sterne (Paperback)

About the Book

In this practical book Alastair Sterne shows how we can craft a life of more intentionality, offering fourfold rhythms that point us upward to God, inward to self, withward in community, and outward in mission.

Book Synopsis

Spiritual transformation is not a one-size-fits-all journey-we each need distinct spiritual rhythms that align us with our unique identity and calling in Christ. In this practical book Alastair Sterne shows how we can craft a life of more intentionality, offering fourfold rhythms that point us upward to God, inward to self, withward in community, and outward in mission.

Review Quotes

"Rhythms for Life is a practical guide to spiritual formation within Christian community for missional engagement where you live, right now. And it's written by a pastor who understands how people work and how the Holy Spirit changes hearts. Work through this book with friends or family--or your whole congregation--and you will be enriched."

--Brandon J. O'Brien, director of content development and distribution for Redeemer City to City

"Rhythms for Life is a practical guide to spiritual formation within Christian community for missional engagement where you live, right now. And it's written by a pastor who understands how people work and how the Holy Spirit changes hearts. Work through this book with friends or family-or your whole congregation-and you will be enriched."

"A big part of following Jesus is knowing who you are and how he created you to be, so you can use your unique gifts to glorify his kingdom. This book will guide you through the process of discerning just that and establishing rhythms to live out your vocation. It is a must-read for any season and rhythm of life."

"All theology should be applied theology, at least that was the argument of one of the best teachers I know, and the insight is ancient. As Jesus said to Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel, 'The reason you don't understand is that you don't do the truth.' That disconnect is a perennial problem, even when we yearn for more integrity. Alastair Sterne has written a book for all of us, but specially so for those who want to understand the integral relationship of what they believe with the way that they live. In Rhythms for Life he has woven together theology and experience with a rare wisdom born of his years of loving people who long for more flourishing in their lives for the sake of their cities."

"All theology should be applied theology, at least that was the argument of one of the best teachers I know, and the insight is ancient. As Jesus said to Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel, 'The reason you don't understand is that you don't do the truth.' That disconnect is a perennial problem, even when we yearn for more integrity. Alastair Sterne has written a book for all of us, but specially so for those who want to understand the integral relationship of what they believe with the way that they live. In Rhythms for Life he has woven together theology and experience with a rare wisdom born of his years of loving people who long for more flourishing in their lives for the sake of their cities."

--Steven Garber, author of The Seamless Life and professor of marketplace theology at Regent College

"As people on a faith journey, an essential ingredient to our continued development is the ability to take the intangible and make it tangible, to make the foreign and unfamiliar personal and intimate. This book provides an invitation for the intangible, foreign, perhaps vast and unfamiliar aspects of faith to have invitations in the daily, the present, and the very much 'right here' of our lives. I'm grateful that this book exists to help us know and experience what is always true: that God loves us and can be found right here in the rhythms of life."

"At once deeply personal and immensely practical, Alastair has written a powerful book that can change the way we move through the world. He inspires us to cultivate rhythms that enable us to experience deep contentment, joy, and peace in our everyday life with God."

"I've known Alastair Sterne for over a decade now. From our initial introduction in one of my courses, he stood out as a deeply formed and committed disciple of Jesus. We connected over our shared interest in church planting and missional engagement. This book shows the 'secret sauce' that allows Alastair to remain a deeply formed and committed disciple of Jesus. Better yet, he points the way for all of us. Rhythms for Life is not simply another book on spiritual formation. There are plenty of those. This is a field manual that all God's people can follow to set themselves up for long-term growth in God's grace. Alastair writes with theological and biblical depth in a fully accessible manner for our post-Christendom contexts. He begins with the critical need to uncover our true identity in Christ and then moves to the crafting of a personal rule of life. I found the worksheets and exercises to flow seamlessly from the teaching and to be profoundly enriching. In short, Alastair introduces the great tradition of spiritual formation for a new generation. I hope this book becomes a classic with a long shelf life. I know that my soul has been warmed anew while reading this and working through the exercises."

"I've known Alastair Sterne for over a decade now. From our initial introduction in one of my courses, he stood out as a deeply formed and committed disciple of Jesus. We connected over our shared interest in church planting and missional engagement. This book shows the 'secret sauce' that allows Alastair to remain a deeply formed and committed disciple of Jesus. Better yet, he points the way for all of us. Rhythms for Life is not simply another book on spiritual formation. There are plenty of those. This is a field manual that all God's people can follow to set themselves up for long-term growth in God's grace. Alastair writes with theological and biblical depth in a fully accessible manner for our post-Christendom contexts. He begins with the critical need to uncover our true identity in Christ and then moves to the crafting of a personal rule of life. I found the worksheets and exercises to flow seamlessly from the teaching and to be profoundly enriching. In short, Alastair introduces the great tradition of spiritual formation for a new generation. I hope this book becomes a classic with a long shelf life. I know that my soul has been warmed anew while reading this and working through the exercises."

--Brian Russell, professor, associate provost, and dean of the Asbury Theological Seminary Orlando School of Ministry

"In virtually every area of life, the condition of flourishing is supported by an unwavering commitment to practices. Flourishing athletes work out and eat well, flourishing musicians repeat their scales, flourishing students abide by rigorous study schedules, and flourishing family members engage attentively, to name a few. Likewise, the flourishing that comes from being formed into the likeness of Jesus Christ doesn't just happen to us as we sit passively 'letting go and letting God.' Rather, it happens as we respond to God through active participation in long-standing, proven practices that support the flourishing of our entire selves. In Rhythms for Life, Alastair Sterne has provided an excellent road map for this very purpose."

"In virtually every area of life, the condition of flourishing is supported by an unwavering commitment to practices. Flourishing athletes work out and eat well, flourishing musicians repeat their scales, flourishing students abide by rigorous study schedules, and flourishing family members engage attentively, to name a few. Likewise, the flourishing that comes from being formed into the likeness of Jesus Christ doesn't just happen to us as we sit passively 'letting go and letting God.' Rather, it happens as we respond to God through active participation in long-standing, proven practices that support the flourishing of our entire selves. In Rhythms for Life, Alastair Sterne has provided an excellent road map for this very purpose."

--Scott Sauls, senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and author of Jesus Outside the Lines

"It seems to me that the healthiest Christians are the most ordinary people--but they did not arrive there by accident. They have had the painstaking struggle of knowing themselves, being faithful in the small things, not ignoring the gifts of their community, appreciating the discipline of Scripture, and . . . voila! An ordinary, faithful Christian. God give us more of them! Thankfully Alastair provides a clear path for churches who desire to be a breeding ground for Christians like this."

--Julie Canlis, lecturer for Whitworth's graduate studies in theology program, author of Calvin's Ladder and A Theology of the Ordinary

"It seems to me that the healthiest Christians are the most ordinary people-but they did not arrive there by accident. They have had the painstaking struggle of knowing themselves, being faithful in the small things, not ignoring the gifts of their community, appreciating the discipline of Scripture, and . . . voila! An ordinary, faithful Christian. God give us more of them! Thankfully Alastair provides a clear path for churches who desire to be a breeding ground for Christians like this."

"There is only one you. God's creative design template for your life includes rhythms and relationships that express the true you in the context of your community. Alastair Sterne gently encourages his readers to pay attention to God's unique thumbprint graced upon them and embody it abundantly."

"Who did God make me to be? is seldom asked. We tend to focus on our sins, weaknesses, and inabilities. And even when the question is asked, it is not easy to find true wisdom. Rhythms for Life by Alastair Sterne is a happy exception. It assists us to see the reality of who each of us is uniquely created to be and then gives a grace-filled path to get there."

"Who did God make me to be? is seldom asked. We tend to focus on our sins, weaknesses, and inabilities. And even when the question is asked, it is not easy to find true wisdom. Rhythms for Life by Alastair Sterne is a happy exception. It assists us to see the reality of who each of us is uniquely created to be and then gives a grace-filled path to get there."

--Todd Hunter, bishop in the Anglican Church in North America, author of Christianity Beyond Belief

About the Author

Alastair Sterne is the founding and lead pastor of St. Peter's Fireside in Vancouver and serves as canon of church planting for the Anglican Network in Canada. He previously worked in communications and design. He is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary and is currently working on a doctorate in intercultural studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. He also serves on the board of Always Forward, the church planting initiative of the Anglican Church in North America. He lives in Vancouver with his wife and children.