An Advent Journey: Preparing the Way of the Lord

The Rev. Dr. Larry Kalajainen's An Advent Journey (1993) is a companion to his earlier A Lenten Journey (1990) in providing a workbook for Christians that brings out deeper implications of the church season in question. Readers are ideally to complete one day's activities (with one "chapter" corresponding to each day) for the duration of the 4-week season. The study can be done individually or in conjunction with a small group. At the end of the study, the individual reader will have in his or her possession a personal spiritual journal connected with the season. While A Lenten Journey aimed to help Christians become more serious disciples, An Advent Journey has a tougher challenge in line with the different season: to help Christians wait on God's promises. As the theme illustrates, this is an Advent workbook, not a Christmas one. Each week, a different gospel's Advent-related passages are covered (in order: Mark, Matthew, Luke, John). And Kalajainen has enhanced and intensified the workbook features from his first effort: classic Christian quotes, hymns, and poems are longer and deeper; commentaries on the day's Scripture reading are longer and more in-depth; and a greater engagement with the larger congregation is encouraged, particularly through detailed instructions for weekly small-group meetings. As a result, An Advent Journal both demands more out of and encourages greater church involvement by its readers than A Lenten Journey did. It is less personal and more corporately focused, as probably befits an Advent study in comparison with a Lenten one. An Advent Journal could very well propel individuals, small groups, and congregations in their spiritual growth, and for that reason would make an excellent study for the season -- or any time of year.