Description
Essentials In Spiritual Formation is all about discipleship – being transformed into the likeness of Christ by caring for our spiritual development. You’ll explore spiritual habits essential to every 21st century worshiper and spiritual leader. Based on a metaphor of the “elements,” you’ll rediscover the grounded life (earth), the inspired life (wind), the empowered life (fire) and the communal life (water). Learn from historic, Benedictine, Ignatian, Celtic and contemporary ideas in discipleship. For Premium Members, this course is available in multiple formats for you and your worship team.
Ways To Take This Course
- As a Scheduled Online Worship Class (Mar. 16 – Apr. 13; July 13 – Aug. 10; Nov. 16 – Dec. 14)
- As a Self-Directed Online Worship Class
- As a Downloadable Worship Retreat
- As a Downloadable Media Training Course
- As a Downloadable eBook Curriculum
- As part of The WorshipTraining Program
- As part of a Certificate for University Credit
- As Individual Sessions (choose from the list below)
Sessions & Media
- Essentials In Spiritual Formation eBook
- What Is Spiritual Formation? (8:10)
- Are You Living In Your Element? (Audio 10 Minutes)
- How Do You Stay Grounded? (4:53)
- How Do You Stay Inspired? (6:26)
- How Do You Stay Empowered? (5:28)
- How Does Staying Connected In Community Affect Our Faith? (5:02)
- What Is A Worship Artisan? ( 7:54)
Objectives
- Define terms such as spiritual formation, Christ-centered leadership, personal renewal and the “via affirmativa.”
- Identify key spiritual formation ideas that could aid us in sustaining our followership of Jesus across a lifetime.
- Demonstrate an ability to effectively discuss and apply the ideas reflected on and their application in your local faith community.
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Course Outline (Scheduled Online Course)
Earth – A Grounded Life
In this section, we will explore the necessity of living within the Story of God as its riches, promises and reminders fill our hearts and minds through the study of the Scriptures. We will also explore the importance of reading and thinking “outside” of our current faith tradition, and even our current worldview. We’ll look at our devotional patterns, life habits and other elements that create a life rooted solidly in Jesus in the midst of change.
Wind – An Inspired Life
In this section, we will begin by listening to ancient voices calling us to the habits of prayerful conversation and meditation. It is not until we have embraced the silent place, the ways of a life lived in inner quietude, that we can truly learn to pray. Prayer was never intended to emerge from an ongoing, inner angst about the world, but rather from the soil of a soul that listens to the whispers of the Father. Meditation becomes the natural fruit of such a prayerful life – we linger in the presence of God not because we are compelled, but because His presence has become our source of life. We’ll talk about the importance of remaining inspired in all arenas of life, as well – exposing ourselves to renewing experiences unique to each of us.
Fire – An Empowered Life
In this section, we reflect on our vital need to have a constant outflow of spiritual life from us as we learn to receive the empowering gifts of the Father. We turn our attention to action in this week, but action that overflows from a life that has a substantial centering in intimacy with God. Here, our shared mission with Christ rises to the surface, and we embrace the call to “go into the all world” by understanding what exactly the good news is that we are called to exemplify to the human family. Again, ancient voices will give us clues to being missional peoople in a self-absorbed world. We will discuss the importance of being prayed for, living a life empowered by the Spirit, and inviting the Spirit of God to constantly renew our minds.
Water – A Communal Life
In our final section, we will bring all of the elements together that we have reflected on in a rich statement of personal formation. This creative week will involve embracing the most compelling Story of faith imaginable, and then seeking to incorporate our own lives into that rushing river. The power of symbolic actions, personal liturgies, and more will form our final week’s learning together. The importance of spiritual friendships will also be explored as we talk about the necessary habit of community-building in the life of the follower of Jesus. His friends were his disciples, and the life-to-life exchange the Spirit of God initiates happens within true community.
