A Fruitful Life

"Ashley and Bryce Hales have collaborated to teach on the Sermon on the Mount. Even though much has been written on the Sermon on the Mount-in both books and Bible studies-Ashley and Bryce desire to gently guide participants through spiritual growth as they engage with Jesus' most famous sermon. This study places a high emphasis on the rhythms necessary to sustain personal and corporate faith, leaning on Dallas Willard's three-fold path of incorporating vision, intention, and methodology. Each week there is space for participants to imagine or envision a fruitful life based on the passage of scripture, a day to see Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise or command discussed, as well as a focus on intention (a "setting our hearts towards fruitfulness" section) and a methodology ("becoming a person who bears fruit"). Fruitfulness allows for various seasons of tilling, or times where the ground is fallow, and also times of growth and harvest. But over time, the Christian who is rooted in God's life will be like a tree planted by streams of water (Psalm 1) who bears fruit in season"--

Ashley Hales (PhD, University of Edinburgh) is editorial director, print for Christianity Today. She is the author of Finding Holy in the Suburbs and A Spacious Life, and her work focuses on the surprising and renewing work of a Christian imagination. She is a Kirby Laing Centre Academic Fellow, an advisor to the Covenant College board of trustees, and a cofounder of The Willowbrae Institute. Ashley lives on the central coast of California with her husband Bryce and their four children.
Bryce Hales (BTh, University of Glasgow) is the pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA) in San Luis Obispo, California. A cofounder of the Willowbrae Institute, he has been a pastor since 2006 and has served in college ministry and church planting in California, Utah, and Colorado. Bryce is completing his DMin at Covenant Theological Seminary, studying secularism and church leadership. He lives on the central coast of California with his wife, Ashley, and their four children.