Toolkit for Spiritual Growth

A Practical Guide to Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving

By: Evan Armatas

Narrated by: Evan Armatas

Are you a new Orthodox Christian, confused about what you need to do to grow in your faith? Or perhaps you've been Orthodox for some time but could use a refresher course in basic spirituality. Popular podcaster Fr. Evan Armatas explains the fundamentals of the three-legged stool of Orthdoox practice - prayer, almsgiving, and fasting - in terms that everyone can understand and implement. Let Fr. Evan help you establish your life in Christ on a firm footing.

©2020 Evan Armatas (P)2020 Evan Armatas

Great intro for those wanting to know more about orthodoxy

Great intro for those wanting to know more about orthodox Christianity. I will keep a few copies of these books handy in my parish for those interested.

Very good!

Father was very clear and to the point. Though I was aware of some things already it was good to hear again. This has been very helpful.

Great book

easy to understand with good points to reflect on. Great audio book. Will listen again

Great balanced authentic perspectives on Spirituality

Father Evan speaks from the heart about Spiritual practice in the Orthodox Church in North American English. His presentation is tempered, and balanced between the various facets of Christian tradition as lived and practiced by Orthodox Christians, based on the Apostolic tradition of the Church, the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, Church Fathers and Mothers, and his life in the Church in his role as Priest and Spiritual counsellor.

A Fantastic Encouragement for Orthodox Christians

Fr. Evan has composed a perfectly prosed encouragement to modern Orthodox Christian’s. Calling us to return to the ancient practices of the Church. The wisdom contained in this small but powerful book is the wisdom from everlasting. May Christ our God help us, save us, and have mercy us +

The book I've been searching 5 years for.

When I became an Orthodox Christian, Father Evan was one of the priest I turned to for many of the "ABC's" of Orthodoxy. His podcast on Ancient Faith Radio were and still are a huge resource for me to learn how to enter into the traditions of the Orthodox faith. Oh how I wish I had this book 5 years ago. What I pieced together from different podcast and random homilies has been beautifully gathered in this practical guide. The guide begins with a very practical tour through the traditions of the Church lived out through the services and at home. What seems simple and what's seamlessly passed down to one born into the Orthodox Christian Church is sometimes missed to a convert like myself. This book sheds light on many of those practices such as setting up an icon corner at home, why and how we prostrate and so much more. I particularly loved the section on fasting and the journey Fr. Evan takes us through the Church calendar and the different fasting periods of the Church. As an inquirer I never fully understood why my friends who were Orthodox spent so much time fasting. This book clearly explains the why for many things we do as Christians. The final section on Alms giving was the part I approached with a bit of fear. It's been the one instruction of our Lords that I never fully had a grasp on. I know it's more than just tossing money at a charity though that may be good. After reading the chapters on Almsgiving I have a much better grasp on the mind of the Church concerning this. Again, I do wish this book was written 5 years ago. However I'm extremely thankful that I've found something that will be included with all gifts to any future friend or godchildren entering into the Church. It's the perfect toolkit.

Excellent concise book on growing in faith

I'm not Orthodox but rather am Catholic. I found this to be the best book on prayer, fasting and almsgiving I've ever read or heard. It has actionable steps and golden nuggets of advice to help one grow in faith. I could not put it down.

Tools to get started in the spiritual disciplines

Sometimes, when facing an intimidating project, all that is needed to inspire confidence and get started is simply having the necessary tools and good instructions. In Toolkit for Spiritual Growth, Fr. Evan Armatas offers the necessary tools to get started in a life of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. He draws on the Holy Scriptures, the example of Christ and the saints, as well as his experience as a parish priest to present the Christian reader with a beginner’s guide to the basics of spiritual discipline. As an introduction, this book is not too lengthy or verbose. It is divided into three chapters, one for each of the disciplines, and each chapter can be read or listened to on Audible in less than an hour. It is not an academic or polemical work, but Fr. Evan does offer some biblical justification for these practices as he interacts with anticipated questions and objections. In his chapter on prayer he answers the questions, “What should prayer look like, physically? How is it done? Where should one pray? What should one say and when?” He discusses liturgical prayer, according to the “rhythm and method of the Church,” versus extemporaneous prayer. And he outlines how to set up a prayer corner. The chapter on almsgiving encourages Christians to view charitable giving as more comprehensive than feeding and clothing the poor, and to not overlook the use of individual gifts and talents in meeting the varying needs of others, starting within one’s own home. In his final chapter, Fr. Evan explains the purpose and meaning of the regular fasting days and seasons of the Orthodox Church calendar, and he offers some guidelines for fasting. I appreciated Fr. Evan’s constant reminder that “matter matters” and “what we do with our physical selves’ matters”. When we pray, our prayer space, lighting, direction, routine, posture, and attire all mean something. When we give to others, putting ourselves in a space of real physical contact is important. When we fast, we fast from physical food. I also appreciated his stress on seeking the guidance of one’s priest as these practices are communal and Christians are not meant to go it alone. This book gives the reader the practical guidance and encouragement to get started in these disciplines and it whets the appetite to learn more about them from the fathers and saints of the church.

very practical guide and enlightning

very practical guide and enlightning. I highly recommend for establshing a good Orthodox life. Love it.

Good introduction or refresher

A straightforward book of crucial practices. Good for refreshing or introducing or helping explain why Orthodox Christians live this way. Fr Armitas offers his explanations with a firm base on our physical needs as human beings, a welcome approach and much needed. Highly recommended.