How to Experience God A Handbook for Evangelical Mystics John Boruff Foreword by Mark Virkler Unless noted, all Bible quotes in this book are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version , © Interna- tional Bible Society 1973, 1978, 1984. Used by permis- sion. Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Ver- sion of the Bible. Verses marked NKJV are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version , © Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1982. Used by permission. Verses marked RSV are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, © Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America 1946, 1952. Used by permis- sion. Verses marked NCV are taken from The Holy Bible, New Century Version , © Word Publishing 1987, 1988, 1991. Used by permission. John Boruff’s E-Mail:
[email protected] HOW TO EXPERIENCE GOD: A HANDBOOK FOR EVANGELICAL MYSTICS Copyright © 2009 by John Boruff LifeTree Publishing Dedicated to the glory of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. CONTENTS Foreword by Mark Virkler 5 My Statement of Faith 8 Introduction 12 PART 1: MYSTICAL PRACTICES AND EXPERIENCES 1. Worship 38 2. Meditation 47 3. Contemplation 66 4. Spiritual Experiences 85 PART 2: EVANGELICAL MYSTICISM DEFENDED 5. Contemplative Bible Verses 218 6. Alvarez’s Defense of Contemplation 225 7. The History of Christian Mysticism 242 8. 50 of the Greatest Mystical Texts in Church History 267 9. Is Contemplative Prayer a Pagan Practice? 270 A Final Word 292 Further Reading 294 About the Author 340 Foreword 5 FOREWORD BY MARK VIRKLER How to Experience God is a much needed book.