In 1960, The Upper Room, a global ministry dedicated to supporting the spiritual life of Christians, published a book of daily reflections on the scriptures from a variety of different Christian writers. Called the Disciplines, its intended audience was members of the clergy, professional workers in the church, and theological students and professors.
Then something interesting happened: Christian laypeople began reading the Disciplines, using the daily reflections for their solo contemplations and Bible-study groups. “It was soon discovered that a much broader readership enjoyed in-depth, thoughtful, and thematic devotions on scripture,” says Upper Room editorial director Michael Stephens. “So the targeted readership expanded to laypeople and small groups.”
The project has continued for more than six decades, most recently with the publication of The Upper Room Disciplines 2024: A Book of Daily Devotions. The only lectionary devotional available to the general public, the Disciplines features thoughtful and challenging reflections on scripture from 53 Christian thought leaders. “There are few resources that encourage laypeople to wrestle honestly and faithfully with the scriptures,” Stephens says. “Our writers show that critical thinking, questioning, seeking, and doubt are all part of taking the Bible seriously. I believe that this kind of freedom in biblical interpretation is essential to building a strong Christian faith.”
An intentionally ecumenical ministry of the United Methodist Church, The Upper Room strives to provide resources that help believers of all ages and denominations move to a deeper level of faith and service. Editors of the Disciplines have always sought out diverse viewpoints, though Stephens says that their definition of “diverse” has evolved. “Over the years, our understanding of what constitutes a ‘diverse group’ has changed, as has our understanding of what constitutes important topics for Christian devotionals,” he says.
Stephens notes, however, that the first issue of the Disciplines included reflections from Georgia Harkness, a Methodist theologian and an important voice in the movement for women’s ordination in American Methodism. It also included a contribution from D. Elton Trueblood, an influential Quaker who was a senior adviser to President Eisenhower. “That was definitely some diversity for the time,” Stephens says.
More recent volumes have further expanded the Disciplines’ scope. In the 2023 edition, Chanequa Walker-Barnes argues that being “woke” is nothing less than following Paul’s instruction to “stay awake!” And the 2025 edition will include reflections from the Disciplines’ first transgender writer, who discusses gender transition as a resurrection from the dead into new life. For the 2024 edition, the Disciplines editors focused on gaining a more international perspective. It’s the first volume to feature work first written in a language other than English, with Cristina Dinoto, a member of the National Liturgy Commission in Argentina, providing her perspective in Spanish. “It adds a degree of difficulty—everything from having to pay by wire transfer to working through differing positions on masculine language for God—but it is worth it,” Stephens says.
He adds that the editorial department is always on the lookout for new voices—checking for speakers at conferences, seeking recommendations from faculty members at seminaries and divinity schools, and paying attention to developments in denominations. “Then, every spring, we have a big meeting where we fill out the grid of people we are going to invite,” Stephens says. “We also have backups because some will say no, and some won’t be able to finish the assignment. We always end up with a great group of writers, but it is nerve-racking every year."
The reward comes when he hears from readers. “Some write because they have just discovered the Disciplines and had no idea this kind of resource existed,” he says. “Some tell us that they have been reading it their whole lives because their grandmother gave them a copy every Christmas.”
For Stephens, maintaining this tradition is a spiritual practice in itself. He quotes an All Saints’ Day reflection from Ray Buckley, director of the Center for First Nations Spirituality: “We wear upon ourselves, like blankets, the testimonies of those who have walked ahead of us."
