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Sacred Compass: The Way of Spiritual Discernment

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J. Brent Bill's latest and most ambitious book in recent years should carry a warning label on the back cover:

1.) Your spiritual path may be dangerous to your health.
2.) Do not attempt this journey alone.

It's those two truths that set Brent's voice apart from a host of other spiritual writers who are crowding into bookstores these days with promises of 10 (or 30 or 365) Steps to Your Spiritual Success and often seem to send you off all alone on this personal quest for spiritual satisfaction.

Brent is a Quaker writer, rooted so deeply in the wisdom of this centuries-old tradition that he can't help but be honest about life's destination (which always lies is death and, in some cases, involves tragic death). At age 57 as this book is released, Brent can feel it in every fiber of his being that God doesn't want us to take this journey alone. God intends us to live in communities and to draw on the wisdom of those communities to help us discern the wisest spiritual paths ahead of us.

Now, don't get me wrong. This book isn't somber. It's not a downer. The golden Midwest meadow and bright blue sky on the cover of Brent's book reflects his own grounding in the steady ethics and expectations of middle-American life. After all, he lives near Indianapolis on a small farm and he works for the Indianapolis Center for Congregations, which is funded by the Lilly Endowment with a specific mission to help local congregations solve their problems. Over the years, he's helped to solve hundreds of thorny problems.

As a writer, Brent most recently wrote books focused on Quaker spiritual wisdom involving the simplest elements of life: light (that book is "Mind the Light: Learning to See with Spiritual Eyes") and sound (that book is "Holy Silence: The Gift Of Quaker Spirituality"). I've read and can heartily recommend both of them.

He's a practical Midwestern farmer, fixer and facilitator - drawing deep water from a denomination that stretches back more than 350 years and played a key role in shaping American values from our colonial era. This makes him a substantial spiritual guide, but never in a flashy way. Think of - oh, perhaps something like Mister Rogers Meets the Dalai Lama.

It's only natural that such a writer would point us toward a tool as the central metaphor for this journey. And the tool he selects is a compass - the hand-held device with a magnetic needle that points sort-of true North.

Unlike a host of other books you'll find in the inspirational sections of bookstores, this isn't a book with lofty passages designed to lift your spirits in the morning - but leave you sinking fast later in the day. This is a book jam packed with tips for organizing and shaping your journey into discernment.

And, note that I said "into," because it's not "toward" spiritual discernment - or "to" spiritual discernment - as if you'll arrive at a golden sign, hand lettered by the finger of God. Brent argues persuasively that this journey never ends and we're never quite sure where it will take us. It's that plain-and-simple honesty that I like best about this book. No false promises here. And, by the end of his book, just in case you didn't "get" the solid tap-tap-tap of Brent's rubber mallet to your forehead -- one of his final chapters is about a Quaker who felt led to a war zone and never returned.

If you've got a stack of those slickly produced spiritual books near your breakfast table, but they only seem to leave you hungry for the next hit of chicken soup - then try this more substantial diet from the heart of middle-American spiritual wisdom.

If you're part of a small group, you'll find that men and women will enjoy this book over a couple of months. You can even experiment with a sampling of the many ideas Brent describes throughout the book. The text is easy to read, the practical benefits of the ideas are crystal clear - and you should spark a good round of conversation each week.

Here's one last suggestion: If you plan to read "Sacred Compass" with a group, a fascinating companion book to read along with it is Nanette Sawyer's, "Hospitality the Sacred Art: Discovering the Hidden Spiritual Power of Invitation and Welcome (Art of Spiritual Living)." At first glance, these two books seem to be two quite different spiritual toolboxes - but the core of both books is an affirmation of communal connection.

I've read and enjoyed all of Brent Bill's books. While they all were enriching, this book is uniquely helpful. Its common-sense approach to the spiritual life makes this a wonderful book for more seasoned saints, but also appropriate for those new to the life of faith. This book is a grand slam. Buy three copies. One for yourself, and two for your friends. You'll be doing them a favor.

Phil Gulley

I was reading this book while admist discerning a major leading. This book supplied me with tools and clarity that I so desperatly been seeking. I advise this book to everyone--we all have discernment at some points in our life and this is a book one can turn to time and time again.

As a spiritual director and instructor of spiritual directors I have read many books on discernment. I found that Bill takes us beyond the step 1,2,3 outlines many give us to a way to pay attention to the gentle nudges of the Spirit that go on moment by moment in our daily life. This seems to be a more realistic approach to following "the Way" in everything we do as compared to a method that one "uses" for decision making periodically. Here one pays attention to the Spirit within who guides us through our own feelings, thoughts and bodily responses to the events of our lives.
This is a book I want to recommend.

Two authors (J. Brent Bill and Philip Gulley) have somehow settled on me (having been mostly resistant when it comes to spiritual books) as writing with a great deal of honesty and belief in their messages. Nothing before has ever really stuck with me. "Sacred Compass: The Way of Spiritual Discernment" is a treasure. It's not intimidating and most importantly you don't have to be a theologian to understand it. It's a beautifully written guide, and I might add that there is a poem about Mother Theresa included that you do not want to miss. It's a calming book, and that alone is worth 10x the price.

J. Brent Bill, a friend who's a Friends (Quaker) pastor blogs at Brent Bill dot com and at the highly sacramental-sounding Holy Ordinary. Sacred Compass is about discerning, trusting and following the direction(s) of Jesus' leadings in our lives. I love the size and heft of Sacred Compass and the jacket design is beautiful, featuring my favorite yellow and blue color palette!

The circular rhythms of the liturgical year keep coming round again, despite our insisting God of the prophets, God of Israel, God and Father of Jesus Christ is God of history ...in one of my commonplace books I quoted, "You won't know where you're going if you are always looking back!" But on the same page I also wrote, "The road that leads you away will turn and lead you home."

As part of writing our stories, Brent suggested answering why we have chosen or stayed in our particular church tradition--a great one for me to ponder. Despite a few sojourns elsewhere, I've remained mostly in the Reformation tradition whose theology, liturgy, activism and style first, attracted, then enticed and captured me and continues to shape and form me. I appreciate its consistent ecumenicity and catholicity, an emphasis on the sacraments and a sacramental worldview, a justice and advocacy oriented public identity and confessional theology; besides, these are the means of grace churches!

As we often observe, life is a long, strange trip. To name a handful who have walked in trust, like Abraham, Jacob and Paul and exactly like Bonhoeffer and MLK, those of us who commit to an often precarious path quickly discover it's far stranger and way more exciting than any human could invent. We all walk by Spirit-inspired faith rather than being led by physical human senses and plodding reason and in order to not stay stuck, everyone frequently needs to follow what seem like illogical signals. Sometimes by radically rooted trust and sometimes with reasonably clear vision and hearing, often by gracefully perceiving subtle signs and obvious ones, each of us can discern and follow our own particular compass. Brent Bill's own experience and this book can become a helpful part of that way you might decide to revisit and read through again.

This gem of a book appeals to men and women alike. We used it in our coed small group at church, and at the end of our six sessions people seemed to feel they had gained some practical tools for the spiritual journey. Here are some of their comments.

Sacred Compass "helped me to know God is with me and others in my life."

" . . . a positive and enriching experience, knowing that whatever the challenges confronting me at any time, the sacred compass needle is always directing me to God's compassion and love."

"It has helped me to open up, dig deeper, and learn how to hear the leadings of my Higher Power more carefully."

"The author raises many thought-provoking questions that provide rich prompts for anyone who enjoys journaling. For small group discussion, it's one of the best books I've come across."

Brent Bill provides provocative and encouraging questions to ask as you move through a journey of discerning whether to take the left or right road - or forge a new path in the center (or off center). The tone is gentle and warm, reflecting Bill's personality. I highly recommend this book.