Check out our current and upcoming Practicing the Way and companion spiritual disciplines classes!
Spiritual formation at Bridgeway happens through three tracks: spiritual disciplines, biblical literacy, and theological understanding. The classes below feature our latest selections for the spiritual disciplines track.
Practicing the Way serves as our foundational curriculum here, side-by-side with resources produced by 24-7 Prayer. While these are distinct ministries, their leaders are good friends and frequent collaborators. Because their resources share a deep theological alignment and kingdom vision, you will see both seamlessly represented on this page.
Practicing the Way is a multidimensional entry into Christian spiritual formation that helps organize daily life around Jesus. Through simple, approachable rhythms like Sabbath, Scripture reading, prayer, generosity, and community, it invites believers to practice the kinds of habits we see in the life of Jesus.
Rather than focusing on theory alone, Practicing the Way puts emphasis on practices that shape us over time. These spiritual disciplines are not meant to feel burdensome or rooted in obligation. They are invitations to explore rhythms that are accessible, life-giving, and centered on Jesus, no matter where you are in your faith journey.
Practicing the Way also helps clarify familiar spiritual disciplines, such as Sabbath and fasting, in ways that often challenge common misconceptions and invite a deeper understanding of what Scripture actually teaches about these practices. Rather than presenting spiritual disciplines as a way to earn God’s approval, it encourages thoughtful, grace-filled engagement with rhythms that Jesus Himself practiced.
At Bridgeway, we believe spiritual practices are essential in becoming more like Jesus. Growth does not happen through knowledge alone, but through intentionally living in the way of Jesus and practicing the things He practiced.
Practicing the Way helps us develop habits of grace that form our everyday lives around Christ. It gives practical guidance for following Jesus faithfully in the rhythms of ordinary life and helps us grow in becoming more like Him.
Many people come into Practicing the Way with preconceived ideas about spiritual disciplines, and leave surprised by how practical, approachable, and transformative the experience is. Below are testimonials from people from Bridgeway who have experienced the impact of these courses on their spiritual walk with the Lord.
"We were new to Bridgeway and were looking for a way to get connected. So, we joined the Practicing the Way: Reclaiming Community class. Our class leaders made us feel so welcomed, and they set the example of hospitality. Based on that great experience, we then joined the Start class for Community Groups. We have now become Community Group leaders, and our small group meets in our home. Our Practicing the Way leaders demonstrated that warm, sincere hospitality does not need to be difficult or complex, but the important thing is to be in community with our fellow believers. We are working to emulate the example they set for us."
"Joining the 4-week focused courses from Practicing the Way turned a lightbulb on in my whole being! I quickly became hungry and thirsty for more; I craved a greater understanding and desired growth in my intimacy with God. These courses have been a launching pad to a mindset shift that has infiltrated my entire life - how I use my time, my resources, even cleaning up habits of my physical body and family household. The Practicing the Way courses have also become a community of accountability and joy in this journey - from table discussions to sharing meals together at the end of the practice focus. These courses are a part of my healing process, an act of restoration, realigning me to be in communion with my Creator, and I will continue this process until I meet Him face to face."
"Practicing the Way covers nine topics. Before opening the booklet on my first PTW study, 'Community,' I expected a job-training session on the do's and don'ts of acting like Jesus. I was even hesitant to take the others, worried I'd come away feeling inadequate. Instead, PTW lovingly and gently guided me toward becoming an apprentice under Jesus within my own uniqueness — practicing, not perfecting, his ways! WOW! The videos and discussions are thought-provoking, and learning alongside fellow apprentices — their struggles and successes — was a gift. I learned more about the why and how of what Jesus does, and that perfection was never the goal. 'The greatest of these is love.' I'm now enthusiastic about taking all nine subjects, and continuing to learn, mature, and practice as a Jesus apprentice."
"We are all being formed. The question is, what are we allowing ourselves to be formed into? I grew up in church but didn't truly accept Jesus until my 30s. Since then, I've been amazed by how many of my core beliefs about "following Jesus" actually had little to do with Him. I'd been taught more about law and tradition than about the way of Jesus. Through the nine practices, I've discovered a fuller, more joyful way to live, free of distraction and noise. Sabbath was so misunderstood before; now I look forward to it all week. What I love about the practices of Jesus is how simple, pure, and practical they are. They aren't just ideas to agree with, they're meant to be lived, each one experiential, each one building on the last, deepening my relationship with Jesus and my community with others. This journey has been life-altering. Just start where you are. It only gets better from there."
"The Practices have taught me how to intentionally incorporate the ways of Jesus into my everyday life — not by adding one more thing to an overwhelming to-do list, but by subtracting the distractions that compete for my attention and reconnecting with God. Each four-week guide let me begin right where I was, gradually building a new rhythm centered on God rather than the pace of the world. Practicing the ways of Jesus has brought greater peace, taught me to slow down, and helped me hear the Lord more clearly. I've been a Christian since I was six, yet every class has taught me something new. I once worked through the practices on my own (that’s valuable), but learning alongside others at Bridgeway has deepened my experience in ways I couldn't have anticipated. I look forward to every class, eager to keep growing in my relationship with Jesus."
"We showed up to PTW: Sabbath knowing we needed rest, but not sure what Sabbath could look like for our family of four. Outside of Sunday church, our weekends didn't look much different from the rest of the week—chores, emails, work squeezed in, the week ahead to prepare for. Little time to slow down and be intentional with God and each other. The first class stopped me in my tracks, and I (Julie) left in tears. The teaching revealed how beautiful a Sabbath practice could be, and how much my body and soul were longing for it. Each week I learned something new, which surprised me. I've been a Christian my entire life. I was challenged in the best way, and together, Scot and I made this change for our family. We loved discussing each teaching with our small group and our kind, generous leaders. We've taken two PTW courses and look forward to more."
