Sparkhouse

Animate: Practices

Core practices of the Christian faith to enrich your faith

Why choose Animate: Practices?

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    Focus on building conversation

    Use videos—which blend live action with animations—to introduce a question, provide a thought-provoking perspective, and beckon discussions.

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    Offer a hands-on experience

    Supplement discussions with the Animate: Practices Journal, which encourage participants to sketch, doodle, create, and share, as well as continue the discipline throughout the week.

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    Listen to contemporary voices

    Gain perspectives on prayer, food, worship, sacraments, money, service, and community from seven Christian thought leaders.

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    Make it easy for leaders

    Allow leaders to guide conversations, giving them the tools they need to engage groups, let them explore and even participate in discussions.

How it works

In each Animate: Practices session, the group will watch a video featuring a leading voice from the Christian faith, spend time on personal reflection and journaling, and share ideas with the group. The order of the session is up to you and what works best for your group. Session resources are available as a complete curriculum or a la carte.

“One of the small groups at my last church loved Animate. They appreciated not being told what to believe and being challenged to be active in pursuing what they believe.”
Brian Tillman , Ben Hill UMC

Course contents

Each Animate course explores a key topic in seven sessions. Download a summary of course contents.

Prayer: Oriented toward God
Brian McLaren
Food: Eating, with Jesus
Sara Miles
Worship: Seeking God’s Presence
Mike Slaughter
Sacraments: A Tapestry of Traditions
Phyllis Tickle
Money: The Joy of Sharing
Shane Claiborne
Service: The Needs Right in Front of You
Enuma Okoro
Community: An Unexpected Family
Doug Pagitt

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