VI - Spiritual Formation Outline

Spiritual Formation
VIMIN-1000
Steve Summerell, D.Min.

Edited by:
Steve Summerell
Angela Suarez
©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 1 of 55

Course Components 1-12 .............................................................................................................. 4
Lecture 1 – The Leader’s Personal Responsibility for Soul Care ............................................. 6

13. Introductory issues ............................................................................................................................................... 6
14. Church-related ministry is dangerous territory .................................................................................................... 6
15. Our responsibility for soul care in our relationship with God ............................................................................. 7
16. Ending where we began—more ministry realities ............................................................................................... 9
Lecture 2 Spiritual Formation as the Foundation for the Practice of the Spiritual
Disciplines ..................................................................................................................................... 12
17. The foundation of spiritual formation ................................................................................................................ 12
18. Spiritual formation is the process of becoming like Christ ................................................................................ 13
19. The New Testament and spiritual formation ...................................................................................................... 15
20. Why is spiritual formation important? ............................................................................................................... 15
21. How does one actually move into the spiritual formation process?................................................................... 17
Lecture 3 – Busyness & the Spiritual Disciplines ..................................................................... 19
Busyness........................................................................................................................................ 19
22. Recap .................................................................................................................................................................. 19
23. The issue of busyness ......................................................................................................................................... 19
24. Busyness is a global issue .................................................................................................................................. 20
25. The problem of busyness has been around a long time ..................................................................................... 20
26. Dave Jacobs’s observations of pastors ............................................................................................................... 21
27. How does busyness impact a leader’s spiritual life? .......................................................................................... 21
28. There is a payoff to our busyness ....................................................................................................................... 21
29. We are immersed in this cultural busyness ........................................................................................................ 22
30. Three effects of busyness on ministry leaders ................................................................................................... 22
31. Steps in balancing busyness—creating a new pattern........................................................................................ 23
Lecture 4 The Place, Practice and Pitfalls of Spiritual Disciplines ....................................... 24

32. VIM - Dallas Willard’s proposed pathway for progressing in the formation process ....................................... 24
33. How do we usually think of the word “discipline”? .......................................................................................... 25
34. Descriptions of growing in Christ ...................................................................................................................... 25
35. What growing in Christ requires on our part—the importance of desire and intentionality.............................. 26
36. The example of Jesus ......................................................................................................................................... 26
37. Classical spiritual disciplines (Willard’s categories) ......................................................................................... 27
38. Misconceptions regarding spiritual disciplines .................................................................................................. 27
39. The dangers and pitfalls (rooted in us, not the disciplines)................................................................................ 27
40. Benefits of spiritual disciplines .......................................................................................................................... 28
41. You and the disciplines ...................................................................................................................................... 28
42. Excursus on contemplative spirituality .............................................................................................................. 29
43. Focusing on the Contemplative tradition ........................................................................................................... 30
44. Why give special focus to the Contemplative tradition? ................................................................................... 30
Lecture 5– Approaching Scripture and Prayer ....................................................................... 32

45. Informational vs. Formational reading of Scripture ........................................................................................... 32
46. Lectio Divina ...................................................................................................................................................... 34
47. Questions related to Lectio Divina ..................................................................................................................... 35
48. Experiencing the process of Lectio Divina ........................................................................................................ 35
Lecture 6 Varieties in Prayer ..................................................................................................... 36

49. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 36
50. Kataphatic and Apophatic Prayer....................................................................................................................... 37
51. Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................................... 39
52. Options in Prayer................................................................................................................................................ 40
Lecture 7 – Silence, Solitude & a Rule of Life .......................................................................... 45
The Primacy of Silence and Solitude ......................................................................................... 45

53. Solitude and Silence in Jesus’ Life .................................................................................................................... 45
54. Why solitude and silence are important in our lives .......................................................................................... 46
55. Solitude .............................................................................................................................................................. 46
56. Silence ................................................................................................................................................................ 47
57. In beginning to engage these disciplines, we REST and we DO NOTHING. ................................................... 47
58. What might we experience in solitude and silence? .......................................................................................... 48
59. What benefits can be gained from solitude and silence? ................................................................................... 48
Lecture 8 The Primacy of Silence and Solitude (continued) ................................................... 50

60. Practical, beginning steps in solitude and silence .............................................................................................. 50
Developing a Rule of Life (rhythm of life)................................................................................. 50

61. Putting it all together and making the spiritual disciplines practical ................................................................. 50
62. The concept of a Rule of Life has been present in the Christian tradition since its earliest days ...................... 51
63. Definitions .......................................................................................................................................................... 51
64. Why develop a Rule (rhythm) of Life? .............................................................................................................. 51
65. Things to consider in developing a Rule of Life ................................................................................................ 52
66. Putting together a Rule of Life ........................................................................................................................... 53
67. Structuring your rule .......................................................................................................................................... 53

Course Components 1-12
There are several important aspects to the Course Outlines which you should be aware of as you proceed through the
VI coursework.
1. Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives – be able to:
These are statements of what you must know for the exam. Each 1. Recognize ...
and every learning objective is fair game for its particular exam; 2. You might see verbs used to begin an
objective (examples include: identify,
you should expect to see every learning objective on the exam. interpret, analyze, compare, explore and
• Learning objectives take the form of, “Be able to: …” followed summarize). These verbs require a higher
by a numbered list of objectives. The exam will consist of level of processing than just recognizing.
multiple-choice questions. However, if a matching question will This is not an exhaustive list.
be asked you will be asked to “Match…” in the learning
objective.
• Learning objectives apply to all course content and are included in the course Syllabus.
2. Lecture Outlines
The lecture Outline material may follow the sequence of the learning objectives. We strive to keep the most
important information easily identifiable by placing it at the higher outline levels (levels 1 and 2). The details
that support the more general objective will often be covered at the deeper outline levels, and exam questions
will sometimes need to go deeper into the outline in order to most fully test certain concepts. Therefore, every
level of the outline should be considered important if needed to fully answer a particular learning objective on
an exam
3. Interactive Components
The Interactive Sections are included in the Course Syllabus. These are times when students will interact with
and/or minister to one another in accordance with an area covered within a particular lecture. The interactive
components will vary based on your local Hub/site where you are taking your course. Please check with your
Hub/site for scheduling.
4. Bible Reading
Each course will have Scripture references that you should read. This information may relate to a learning
objective.

5. Scholar’s Corner Boxes
One or more Scholar’s Corner Boxes are included in many lectures.

Polemic: An aggressive refutation
They are identified by the small scholar’s cap in the box’s upper- of another’s position or principle.
left corner. They contain definitions for important terms and
concepts and other significant background material. The instructor
may or may not discuss this information during the lecture due to time limitations. The Scholar’s Corner Boxes
will complement your understanding of the learning objectives.
6. Scholar’s Debate Boxes
One or more Scholar’s Debate Boxes are included in some Scholar’s Debate – Topic of Debate
lectures. Each is a summary of the two main sides of an For centuries there was no debate over xyz…:
important debate amongst scholars. These are meant to help Side A Side B
students appreciate how reasonable people could draw • Point 1 • Point 1
surprisingly different conclusions in certain areas of • Point 2 • Point 2
scholarship. Scholar’s Debates will generally be discussed
in the lecture, though at times instructors are limited by time constraints. However, it is important for students
to be able to articulate the different sides of debatable arguments in biblical scholarship. Therefore, students
can expect to be tested on the Scholar’s Debate Boxes if the material covered applies to a learning objective.
7. Table Talk Topics
One or more Table Talk Topics are included in some lectures. Each Table Talk
addresses a topic that may be of special interest to the average person. These Q: Isn’t it …?
topics will help the student see one way that they may apply their learning to A: The xyz teaches us about ….
a current topic of interest. The instructor may or may not discuss this
information during the lecture due to time limitations.
8. Questions and Feedback
If you have any questions concerning the above aspects of the lecture outlines, if you find typographical or
semantic errors in the lecture outlines, or if you have any other general suggestions for improving the format of
the outlines, please document the lecture title and page number and send it in writing via a ticket.
9. Exam Structure
Please be diligent about your study preparation. You will have 180 minutes/3 hours to take each of the quizzes.
You will have two attempts to take each quiz.
10. Required VI Textbook(s) Reading

Read through the learning objectives carefully. All material, whether from course text(s) or video lectures will
help you to understand the content of the course. The learning objectives apply to all of the course materials.
11. Text(s) for Spiritual Formation

The text(s) for this course can be located in the course Syllabus.
12. Further Reading

A list of recommended reading may be supplied in the course Syllabus. These books are to further your
understanding of the content. They are not a requirement for the completion of the course.

Lecture 1 – The Leader’s Personal Responsibility for Soul Care
Learning Objectives – located in syllabus
13. Introductory issues

13.1 The topics that we are going to discuss over the next few days are quite practical
and call for integration and implementation into the routine of your daily life, and
your ministry. You need to take personal responsibility for the care of your
soul.
13.2 Before dealing with spiritual disciplines directly, there are some preliminary items
that need to be addressed in order to lay a foundation for those discussions.
14. Church-related ministry is dangerous territory

14.1 Truth be known, people who are moving into church-related ministry are venturing
into dangerous territory.
14.2 New York Times article, August 1, 2010, entitled, Taking a Break from the Lord’s
Work, reported:
14.2.1 The findings have surfaced with ominous regularity over the last few years, and with
little notice: Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at
rates higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen,
while their life expectancy has fallen. Many would change jobs if they could.
14.2.2 But while research continues, a growing number of health care experts and religious
leaders have settled on one simple remedy that has long been a touchy subject with many
clerics: taking more time off.

14.2.3 The Lilly Endowment, a philanthropic foundation based in Indiana, has awarded grants of
up to $45,000 each to hundreds of Christian congregations in the past few years, under a
project called the National Clergy Renewal Program, for the purpose of giving pastors
extended sabbaticals.
14.2.4 Clergy health studies say that many clerics have “boundary issues” — defined as being
too easily overtaken by the urgency of other people’s needs.
14.2.5 In May, the Clergy Health Initiative, a seven-year study that Duke University began in
2007, published the first results of a continuing survey of 1,726 Methodist ministers in North
Carolina. Compared with neighbors in their census tracts, the ministers reported significantly
higher rates of arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma. Obesity was 10 percent
more prevalent in the clergy group.
14.2.6 The results echoed recent internal surveys by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, which found that 69 percent of its ministers reported being overweight, 64 percent
having high blood pressure and 13 percent taking antidepressants.
14.2.7 A 2005 survey of clergy by the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church also took
special note of a quadrupling in the number of people leaving the profession during the first
five years of ministry, compared with the 1970s.
14.2.7.1 “The pressures in ministry are enormous; the demands are increasing, and the
satisfaction diminishing. How can we expect to remain full of creative vitality, of zeal
for the Word of God, of desire to serve, and of motivation to inspire our often numbed
congregations? Where are we supposed to finds nurture and strength? How can we
alleviate our own spiritual hunger and thirst?
I hope to offer some ideas and some disciplines that may help in our effort to remain
vital witnesses of Christ in the coming years; years that no doubt will be filled with
temptations to unfaithfulness, a comfortable self-centeredness, and despair.”
Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart, 12-13
15. Our responsibility for soul care in our relationship with God
15.1 The reality is that one can be involved in vocational ministry and not be
experiencing close communion with God.
15.2 When we are called into ministry, we are called to carry it out with a sense of
priority. But when we get involved in ministry, we can sometimes lose our sense
of priority.
15.3 The priorities of Jesus

[13]
15.3.1 “Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called the ones he wanted to go with
him. And they came to him. [14] Then he selected twelve of them to be his regular companions,
calling them apostles. He sent them out to preach, [15] and he gave them authority to cast out
demons.” (Emphasis mine.) Mark 3:13-15

15.3.2 Before the Twelve were sent out to “do” ministry, they were called to “be with” Jesus.
15.4 The primary call and responsibility in a leader’s life is to develop a relationship of
intimacy with God.
15.4.1 It is out of the foundation of companionship with Christ that we as leaders are to carry
out our ministry responsibilities.
15.5 “Doing” vs. “being”

15.5.1 The difficulty is that we live in a culture that is thoroughly committed to a priority of
“doing”… this is true in lots of churches as well.
15.5.2 When “doing” becomes the priority over “being” in a leader’s life, the essence of what
ministry is begins to be constricted in the leader’s life.
15.5.3 One can become a “professional” instead of a personal apprentice of Christ.
15.5.3.1 “The outward success of our church came with a steep price tag. We had grown
the church, but we were not more like Jesus. Growing the church did not require that
we be like Jesus.” Renovation of the Church, Kent Carlson & Mike Lueken
• Jesus is the model.
15.5.3.2 C.S. Lewis said, “Put first things first and we get second things thrown in: put
second things first and we lose both first things and second things.” (God in the Dock)
15.5.3.3 True ministry is entering into and participating in what God is ALREADY
DOING!
• It’s not our ministry. It’s HIS ministry.
15.5.3.4 Understanding what God is doing is a result of communion/union with God.
• This is the paradigm that Jesus ministered from: John 5:19, 30; 6:38; 7:16; 8:28-29;
8:42; 12:44-50; 14:8-10.
15.5.4 Our “doing” is to flow out from “being”

15.5.4.1 John 15: 1-11 tells us that fruitfulness is the natural outcome of learning to
remain/abide in union with Christ.
15.5.4.2 Knowledge about God, without a corresponding experience of God, falls short
of what God intends for us.
15.5.4.3 A life of deep communion with God requires TIME!

15.5.4.4 A deep life with God cannot be formed or sustained on the run.

15.6 Knowing and experiencing the love of God is essential
15.6.1 In Ephesians 3, Paul prays for the Ephesian believers and us as well. He prays that we
would understand and experience God’s love at ever-deepening levels in our lives. Even
though God’s love is so immense, we will never plumb its depths.
15.6.2 Ephes. 3:16-20 (NLT)

[16]
“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength
through his Holy Spirit. [17] And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your
hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.
[18]
And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how
long, how high, and how deep his love really is. [19] May you experience the love of Christ,
though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness
of life and power that comes from God. [20] Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at
work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or
hope.”
This passage alone is worthy of multiple months of personal interaction, reflection, and
pondering.
The experience of God’s love_________________________________________________
16. Ending where we began—more ministry realities

16.1 A survey of pastors reveals the negative effects of being in pastoral ministry.
These stats are collected from a number of websites, a few of which are… Scot McKnight
www.jesuscreed.org, Burnout for Pastors, posted on August 13, 2007, accessed August 13, 2007, and
Alan Fadling, http://alanfadling.com/2009/06/03/ministry-burnout-stats/
16.1.1 90% of pastors report working between 55 to 75 hours per week.
16.1.2 80% believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. Many pastors’
children do not attend church now because of what the church has done to their parents.
16.1.3 33% state that being in the ministry is an

outright hazard to their family.
August 2011- Lifeway
16.1.4 90% feel they are inadequately trained to cope Research by Ed Stetzer surveyed 1000
Protestant Pastors
with the ministry demands and 50% feel unable to 98% feel privileged to be pastors
meet the demands of the job. 55% find it is easy to get discouraged
80% say family is not negatively
impacted because they are pastors.
16.1.5 70% say they have a lower self-image now
than when they first started.
16.1.6 70% do not have someone they consider a close

(research cont.)
friend. 18% have more than 10 friends in
the congregation
38% 3-5 friends in the church
16.1.7 33% confess to having been involved in
inappropriate sexual behavior with someone in the church.
16.1.8 94% of clergy families feel the pressures of the pastor’s ministry.
16.1.9 56% of pastors’ wives say they have no close friends.
16.1.10 40% of pastors considered leaving the pastorate in the past three months.
16.1.11 1,500 pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or
contention in their churches.
16.1.12 50% of pastors’ marriages will end in divorce.
16.1.13 50%of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but
have no other way of making a living.
16.1.14 80%of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the
ministry within the first five years.
16.1.15 70% said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their
sermons.
16.1.16 51% of pastors say that Internet pornography is a possible temptation for them; 37%
admit that it is a current struggle.
16.2 This is depressing!

16.2.1 You need to know what you are up against.
16.2.2 Realize that IT IS UP TO YOU to guard and deepen your relationship with God.
16.2.2.1 In general, the culture and church are not going to be all that helpful in this
regard;
because___________________________________________________________
16.3 Wise words from Parker Palmer and Dallas Willard

16.3.1 Parker Palmer
“I have become clear about at least one thing: self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good
stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others. Anytime we
can listen to true self and give it the care it requires, we do so not only for ourselves but for the
many others whose lives we touch.” Palmer, Parker J., Let Your Life Speak, 30-31.
16.3.2 Dallas Willard
“If you fill your calendar with important appointments,

you will have no time for God.

If you fill your spare time with essential reading,
you will starve your soul.
If you fill your mind with worry about budget and offerings,
the pains in your chest and the ache in you shoulders will betray you.
If you try to conform to the expectations of those around you,
you will forever be their slave
Work a modest day, then step back and rest,
this will keep you close to God.”
(Part of an address given by Dallas Willard to pastors at a luncheon for the Institute for
Spiritual Formation, Biola University, March 21, 2003.)

Lecture 2 Spiritual Formation as the Foundation for the Practice
of the Spiritual Disciplines
17. The foundation of spiritual formation

17.1 Understanding spiritual formation is the foundation from which one begins to
practice the disciplines of the faith.
17.2 We enter into the practice of spiritual disciplines for a reason. An understanding of
spiritual formation provides us with that reason.
17.3 Romans 8:29 (NLT)

29 “
For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son
would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
17.3.1 Romans 8:29 (NRSV)

29 “
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,
in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.”
17.3.1.1 From eternity past, it was in the Father’s heart that we, followers of Christ,
would be conformed to the image of Jesus himself.
17.3.1.2 When we talk about spiritual formation, we are talking about the process of the
Father’s eternal desire being worked out in our lives.
17.3.1.3 “The Church cannot create, bring in, or build the kingdom, but it can and does
witness to it. Clearly this witness happens in word and deed, in miracles, in signs and
wonders, in the transformation of the lives of people, in the presence of the Holy Spirit,
in radical recreation of humanity. (Charles Van Engen, God’s Missionary People, 111-
112).

17.4 What is Spiritual Formation?
17.4.1 “Spiritual formation is a process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake
of others.” (M. Robert Mulholland Jr., Invitation to a Journey)
17.4.2 The focal point of our formation journey is to know God. One result of truly knowing
God will be a life that takes on the character of Christ.
17.4.3 It is extremely important that we make “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb.12:2) our primary
activity.
17.5 Things to remember as we think about spiritual formation

17.5.1 We are all being formed spiritually whether we recognize it or not.
17.5.2 Classic and contemporary understandings of Christian spiritual formation contain the
element of intentionality on the part of the Christian in the formation process.
17.5.3 Although the Spirit of God is the initiator and sustainer of the formation process in our
lives, we are called to recognize and respond to the Spirit’s activity.
17.5.4 This is to be ongoing and ever deepening, and we play a part in the process.
17.5.4.1 2 Peter 3:18, we are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.”
• Spiritual Formation is a combination of God’s initiation and our being as diligent

and obedient as possible in response.
18. Spiritual formation is the process of becoming like Christ

18.1 Now we do not need to worry ourselves about attaining some sort of sinless state,
or perfection in this life.
18.1.1 Progress, not perfection, is our goal in our spiritual journeys
18.2 Spiritual formation is a process empowered by the Holy Spirit.

18.2.1 Spiritual formation is about BEING FORMED… no easy button…

18.2.2 It is NOT about forming ourselves to be like Christ
18.2.2.1 Part of our struggle with the process of BEING FORMED is recognizing that
there is little we can do to transform ourselves into persons who love and serve as Jesus
did…EXCEPT to make ourselves available for God and to respond to his initiatives in
our lives…this results in the work of transforming grace in our lives.
18.2.3 It is learning the dance of God
18.3 The process changes a person’s inner and outer life.

18.3.1 Jesus was always more interested in what was going on in the inside of people than he
was with mere outward activity. Spiritual formation is about having the inner recesses of our
lives touched by God’s Spirit.
18.4 The result of the formation process is that the believer’s life will be progressively
conformed to the likeness of Christ.
18.4.1 In the life of Jesus we see what true humanity was intended to be. God’s desire is that we
be reshaped into his image.
18.5 Spiritual formation is a communal activity, not an individual journey.

18.5.1 We need the encouragement, strength, love, and relationship of others as we walk the
pathway of formation.
18.6 Formation is a process that occurs over a lifetime.

18.6.1 We live in a “hurry up” culture and world. Spiritual formation is a gradual, life-long
experience of shaping and forming by God’s Spirit.
18.7 The key word in all of this… PROCESS!

18.7.1 Spiritual formation is a process, but it does have an end in mind. Andrew Murray
describes the intended end:
“True Christianity aims at having the character of Christ so formed in us that in our most
ordinary activities His temperament and attitudes reveal themselves. The Spirit and the will of
Christ should so possess us that in our relationships with people, in our leisure time, and in our
daily business it will be second nature for us to act like Him. All this is possible because
Christ himself, as the Living One, lives in us.” (Daily Experience with God)

19. The New Testament and spiritual formation
19.1 Galatians 4:19 (NLT)
“But oh, my dear children! I feel as if I am going through labor pains for you again, and they will
continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.”
19.2 Romans 8:28-29 (NIV)

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed into the
likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
19.3 What does this renewed life look like?

2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:17–5:21; Galatians.2:20, Galatians 5: 16 - 26; Colossians 3:1–17;
1 Peter 2:1–12; and, 2 Peter 1:3–11
20. Why is spiritual formation important?

20.1 Spiritual formation is important because it is God’s desire for every follower of
Christ.
20.2 God’s intention is that the process of spiritual formation would be an ongoing part
of every believer’s life.
20.2.1 “God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to
shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son
stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our
lives there in him.” (Message)
20.3 Spiritual formation is an essential aspect of the gospel.

20.3.1 The invitation of Jesus includes forgiveness and the assurance of heaven, but he also
invites us into a relationship of deep rest and trust through which he can teach us to live as he
did.
20.3.2 “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I
will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle
at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I
give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)
20.3.3 “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch
can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you
are joined with me. "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I
with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you
can't produce a thing.” John 15:4-5 (Message).
20.3.4 ”A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and
eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” John 10:10 (Message)
20.4 Spiritual formation is critical in our outreach to others.

20.4.1 The watching world longs to see is a group of people who not only know the teachings of
Jesus, but who also have his teachings incarnated in their lives.
20.4.2 As this process takes root in our lives, we will become people who…
20.4.2.1 Live with joy and gratefulness
20.4.2.2 Bless our enemies (difficult people)

20.4.2.3 Don’t hold grudges
20.4.2.4 Are not resentful

20.4.2.5 Care deeply about others
20.4.2.6 Don’t run off at the mouth/gossip, but offer caring words
20.4.2.7 Go the extra mile for others
20.4.2.8 Live with purposeful intentionality

20.4.2.9 Are humble (by letting go of pride, not grabbing the credit or engaging in power
struggles)
20.4.2.10 Don’t need to judge (that’s God’s job) (Jan Johnson, Invitation to the Jesus
Life, 19)
20.5 A discussion like this can engender guilt and condemnation

20.5.1 That is NOT Jesus’ or my intention!
20.5.2 My hope is that in looking at these texts, each of us will catch a new glimpse of the
invitation of the New Testament to a life that is actually reflective of the life of Jesus.
20.5.3 Instead of nurturing guilt and condemnation, I trust that it will stir up a deep longing to
experience in our own lives all that Jesus is calling us into.

21. How does one actually move into the spiritual formation process?
21.1 VIM acronym (Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart, 85-91)
Vision… Intention…Means
21.1.1 V… The VISION of life in the Kingdom
21.1.2 I… The INTENTION to be a Kingdom Person
• “Perhaps the hardest thing for sincere Christians to come to grips with is the level of real
unbelief in their own life: the unformulated skepticism about Jesus that permeates all
dimensions of their being and undermines what efforts they do make toward
Christlikeness.” (Dallas Willard)
21.1.3 M… MEANS
21.1.3.1 There are steps and practices can we engage that will advance us in a life of
formation and transformation… spiritual disciplines/practices
21.1.3.2 They are methods by which we obey the command to "put off" the old person
and to "put on" the new person who is in the likeness of Christ. (Col. 3:9-10; Eph. 4:22-
24)
21.2 “Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a
Christian is simply nothing else.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (153)
21.3 “The best thing any of us have to bring to leadership is our own transforming
selves.” Ruth Haley Barton, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership (19)
21.4 Questions to ask yourself

21.4.1 What is your response to the prospect of actually/truly being formed into the likeness of
Jesus in this life?
21.4.2 Does your “vision” of the kingdom include the element of deep life transformation?

21.4.3 Where are you in responding to Willard’s VIM?
21.5 Additional reflection questions & exercises…go out and be alone with GOD
Now that you understand what spiritual formation is, and why it is important, what might be your next
steps?
21.5.1 Ask the Spirit to stir up a greater desire for spiritual formation in your life. Ask him to
help you catch the vision of how your life could be different if it was formed more and more
into the likeness of Jesus. Spend some time journaling about what this vision may be and look
like.
21.5.2 Use Galatians 4:19, Romans 8:29, and 2 Corinthians 3:18 as a basis for pondering what
God desires for your personal life. Notice any resistance that may arise within you and talk to
God about what it is, what it may be based in, and what God may be inviting you into in the
midst of it.
21.5.3 Sit with Matthew 11:28-30, John 15:1-17, and John 10:10. Hear the invitation of Jesus to
you personally. Make it personal by inserting your name into the text. Do you feel like your
burden is light and that your soul is at rest? Why or why not? Ask God to show you what it
might look like in your life to live in Jesus, to make your home in him? What feelings arise
within you as you ponder those possibilities? As you hear Jesus’ invitation, interact with him
regarding your desires, longings, and any questions or feelings that surface for you.
21.5.4 Ask Jesus to begin to show you what it might look like to have his “real and eternal life”
released in you and through you. Ask him to be your teacher/ instructor as you give yourself
to the life-long journey of spiritual formation.

Lecture 3 – Busyness & the Spiritual Disciplines
Busyness
22. Recap
22.1 New York Times article, August 1, 2010, entitled Taking a Break from the Lord’s
Work
22.1.1 But while research continues, a growing number of health care experts and religious
leaders have settled on one simple remedy that has long been a touchy subject with many
clerics: taking more time off.
22.1.2 Why don’t ministry leaders and others take more time off???
22.1.2.1 Our lives are too busy!
22.2 “Being” vs. “doing”

22.2.1 It isn’t Being vs. Doing… it isn’t “either/or”… it is BOTH/AND…it is finding a healthy
and God-honoring balance.
22.2.2 One problem is that, “we live and move and have our being” in a culture and society that
is drowning in busyness and is committed to a life of “doing” over a life of “being.”
23. The issue of busyness

23.1 Busyness is one of the chief obstacles that ministry leaders must overcome if we
want to develop a deep life in God.
23.2 George Barna surveys of Christians in general.

23.2.1 60% of those surveyed expressed a desire to grow spiritually.

23.2.2 75% of those surveyed said they had no plan or process for growing spiritually.
23.2.3 66% (2/3) said they were too busy to give the time that was required for the process of
spiritual growth.
24. Busyness is a global issue

24.1 A five year study collected data from 20,000 Christians age 15 to 88, across 139
countries
24.1.1 When they looked at Hurried Professionals
24.1.1.1 Pastors ranked #1 in response to the statement, “I rush from task to task.”
24.1.1.2 The survey posed the statement, “The busyness of my life gets in the way of
developing my relationship with God.”
• 65% of pastors responded with “often” or “always” regarding that statement
24.2 Leadership Journal did a survey dealing with the obstacles to spiritual growth in
Pastors
The results found that the #1 issue was busyness (83%).
Lack of Discipline (73%)
Interruptions (47%)
Sin (33%)
25. The problem of busyness has been around a long time

25.1 Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
He shared great wisdom with his friend when he wrote, “Nothing is so fixed in the soul as not to
decay with neglect and time” (26).
25.2 Evelyn Underhill – in 1926

“The pace and pressure of life is now so great, the mass of detail supposed to be necessary to
organized religion has so immensely increased, that it has created an entirely new situation. It is more
difficult than ever before for the pastor to obtain time and quiet of soul for the deepening of their own
devotional life.
“Now the life of a pastor in these days is usually and inevitably extroverted to excess. Their attention
is incessantly called outwards towards the multitudes of details and demands… And the result of this,

unless they are very careful, is a lack of depth, a spiritual impoverishment, and with it an insidious
tendency to attribute undue importance to external details.” Concerning the Inner Life, 1926
26. Dave Jacobs’s observations of pastors

Dave Jacobs offers coaching, consulting, and resources for pastors of smaller churches on his site,
www.smallchurchpastor.com.
26.1 Three things are true of almost every pastor he works with…Pastors are:
26.1.1 Overworked
26.1.2 Underpaid
26.1.3 And NOT taking care of their souls.
27. How does busyness impact a leader’s spiritual life?

27.1 When pastors and ministry leaders get caught up in the busyness of life and
ministry, more times than not, it is their personal time with God that usually is
neglected.
27.2 “Hurriedness has become a distinguishing characteristic of the age we live in. Life
has quite literally ‘speeded up.’” Archibald Hart, Adrenaline and Stress.
27.3 Leighton Ford, in his book, The Attentive Life, states, “There is a connection
between our speed and the health of our spirit,” and, “Hurry is the great enemy of
the life of the spirit.” (105, 109)
28. There is a payoff to our busyness

28.1 When we are busy, it makes us feel important. And we like feeling important, so
we stay busy.
28.2 Eugene Peterson writes, “I live in a society in which crowded schedules and
harassed conditions are evidence of importance, so I develop a crowded schedule and
harassed conditions. When others notice, they acknowledge my significance, and my
vanity is fed.” (The Contemplative Pastor, 18)
28.3 Many are uncomfortable with not actively doing something. It stirs up feelings of
anxiety and restlessness. The one sure way to avoid that anxiety is to stay busy.
28.4 For many of us, the opposite of being busy is often seen as laziness or idleness, and
we do not want to be lazy.

29. We are immersed in this cultural busyness
29.1 “Fast Food” outlets
29.2 Cell phones today can do more than what computers used to do 20 years ago.
29.2.1 There are very few islands of solitude that have NOT been invaded.
29.2.2 The communications industry markets itself by appealing to our desire for getting things
faster than ever before.
29.3 None of these are inherently bad in themselves. But they all point to this culturally
induced need and desire for quickness, for getting things done in a hurry, for fast
results and for needing things NOW!
30. Three effects of busyness on ministry leaders

30.1 Excessive busyness can also impact one’s physical health and marriage and family
relationships.
30.2 John Ortberg wrote, “As ironic as it may seem, ministry involvement can actually
reinforce inattentiveness to God.”
30.3 Excessive busyness can lead to burnout. Burnout is real and it is prevalent!
30.3.1 Burnout has been defined as:

30.3.1.1 “A persistent, negative, work-related state of mind that is:
30.3.1.2 characterized by exhaustion,
30.3.1.3 a sense of reduced effectiveness,

30.3.1.4 decreased motivation, and the
30.3.1.5 development of dysfunctional work attitudes and behaviors.”
(Jonathan Golden, Ralph L. Piedmont, Joseph W. Ciarricchi and Thomas Rodgerson,

“Spirituality and Burnout: An Incremental Validity Study,” Journal of Psychology and
Theology 32 (no. 2, 2004): 116.)

30.3.2 In 2001, Pulpit & Pew reported a study that sought to discover reasons why pastoral
leaders were leaving local church ministry. (Dean R. Hoge and Jacqueline E. Wenger,
“Experiences of Protestant Ministers Who Left Local Church Ministry,” (October 25, 2003;
www.pulpitandpew.duke.edu/otherpub.html)
30.3.2.1 The most commonly cited reason was, “I felt drained by the demands on me.”
30.3.2.2 Pastors ranked, in order of importance, the issues which were problematic on a
day-to-day basis.
• The number one rated day-to-day problem that clergy face was “finding time for
recreation, relaxation, or personal reflection.”
31. Steps in balancing busyness—creating a new pattern

(Adapted from Charles Bello, Prayer as a Place, 132- 133)
31.1 Your new pattern needs to be DOABLE.

To establish it, something must change.
31.2 Your new pattern needs to be SUSTAINABLE

Start small and build over time.
31.3 Your new pattern needs to be PROFITABLE

Is it working for you?
31.4 Your new pattern needs to be FLEXIBLE

Be flexible, BUT also guard your time.
31.5 Your new pattern needs to be PERSONAL

31.5.1 This is your pattern. What others do might not work for you.
31.5.2 Find a place and time.
• A retreat center, Catholic Church at lunch, parks, lakes, mountains, a room in ones home.
31.6 Recognize the SEASON IN LIFE your are in

31.6.1 Moms with young children are not going to have lots of time
31.7 Your new pattern should be ROOTED IN COMMUNITY

Lecture 4 The Place, Practice and Pitfalls of Spiritual Disciplines
“A spiritual life requires human effort. The forces that keep pulling us back into a worry-filled life are far from easy
to overcome.
Here we touch the question of discipline in the spiritual life. A spiritual life without discipline is impossible… The
practice of a spiritual discipline makes us more sensitive to the small, gentle voice of God… Through the practice of
a spiritual discipline we become attentive to that small voice and willing to respond when we hear it.
From all that I said about our worried, over-filled lives, it is clear that we are usually surrounded by so much inner
and outer noise that it is hard to truly hear our God when he is speaking to us. We have often become deaf, unable
to know when God calls us and unable to understand in which direction he calls us. Thus our lives have become
absurd. In the word absurd we find the Latin word surdus, which means “deaf.” A spiritual life requires discipline
because we need to learn to listen to God, who constantly speaks but whom we seldom hear. When, however, we
learn to listen, our lives become obedient lives. The word obedient comes from the Latin word audire, which means
“listening.” A spiritual discipline is necessary in order to move slowly from an absurd to an obedient life, from a
life filled with noisy worries to a life in which there is some free inner space where we can listen to our God and
follow his guidance.
A spiritual discipline, therefore, is the concentrated effort to create some inner and outer space in our lives, where
this obedience can be practices.” (Henri Nouwen, Show Me the Way, 73-74)
32. VIM - Dallas Willard’s proposed pathway for progressing in the

formation process
32.1 VIM
32.1.1 V = VISION of life in the Kingdom… this vision breeds desire.
32.1.2 I = INTENTION to learn to live one’s life in the Kingdom.
32.1.3 M = MEANS, the steps and practices we can engage that will advance us in a life of
formation and transformation.

33. How do we usually think of the word “discipline”?
33.1 Discipline as a negative term, a term of correction, often connected with
punishment
33.1.1 Deut. 4:36, 11:2; Job 5:17; Proverbs 1:7, 19:20; 1 Tim. 1:20; Heb. 12:5-8; Rev. 3:19.
33.2 New Testament references that emphasize “training,” not correction

The New Testament contains a number of references with an emphasis on “training,” not correction.
33.2.1 Matthew 7:24 (NIV) 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts
them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
33.2.2 Matthew 7:24 (MSG) 24 “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your
life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words
to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who
built his house on solid rock.”
33.2.3 Romans 8:13 (NLT) 13 “For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the
power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.”
33.2.4 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NLT) 27 “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it
should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”
33.2.5 Ephesians 4:20-24 (NLT) 20 “But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you
have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old
sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead,
let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like
God—truly righteous and holy.”
33.2.6 1 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) 7 “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales;
rather, train yourself to be godly.”
33.2.7 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) 7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of
power, love, and self-discipline.”
34. Descriptions of growing in Christ

As followers of Jesus, we are to
34.1 Become “mature in Christ,” Col. 1:28 (NRSV)

34.2 Have “the mind of Christ” in us, Phil. 2:5 (NRSV)
34.3 To have Christ, and his life, “fully developed in us,” Gal. 4:19 (NLT)
34.3.1 No one just drifts into a life/state of spiritual maturity.
34.3.2 It takes some level of participation on our part. It takes TRAINING.

35. What growing in Christ requires on our part—the importance of desire
and intentionality
35.1 Maturing in Christ is like preparing to run a marathon
35.1.1 We train to be able to do so.
35.1.2 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NIV)
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I
worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”
35.1.3 1 Timothy 4:7-10 (NLT)
7
“Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to
be godly. 8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising
benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 9 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should
accept it. 10 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living
God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.”
35.1.4 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)
24 “
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such
a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
26
Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
27
No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself
will not be disqualified for the prize.”
35.1.4.1 Part of our training program in the spiritual journey is the practice of spiritual
disciplines.
35.1.4.2 Our personal trainers in this endeavor are:
• Jesus, “Let me teach you.” (Matt. 11:28-30)
• The Holy Spirit, “He will teach you everything.” (John 14:26).
36. The example of Jesus

36.1 Solitude, silence, fasting, prayer, sacrifice, worship, study, scripture, submission,
service, simplicity, and memorization of scripture were all a part of Jesus’ life.
36.2 Dallas Willard: “People want to be like Jesus, to do the things he did, but they do
not want to do the things he did that helped enable him to live as he did.”
36.3 Training vs. Trying… Running to win… disciplining the body… having a plan
36.3.1 “The classical disciplines of the spiritual life call us to move beyond the surface to living
in the depths.” (Richard Foster)
36.3.2 “The disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that God can transform us.”
(Dallas Willard)

37. Classical spiritual disciplines (Willard’s categories)
37.1 Disciplines of Abstinence: Solitude, Silence, Fasting, Frugality, Chastity, Secrecy,
and Sacrifice. 1Peter 2:11
37.2 Disciplines of Engagement: Study, Journaling, Service, Fellowship, Submission,
Worship, Celebration, Prayer, and Confession.
38. Misconceptions regarding spiritual disciplines

38.1 The faulty belief that these activities are for the “Super Christian”
38.1.1 In truth, the disciplines are intended for “ordinary” people and busy pastors. They are to
be practiced within the normal routine of daily life.
38.2 Our cultural commitment to instant gratification

38.2.1 People sometimes view the disciplines as a type of “spiritual” human growth hormone
that will provide instant and noticeable results.
38.2.2 The spiritual disciplines are not a magic formula. If that is what you are looking for, you
had better look somewhere else.
38.3 “Spiritual disciplines are a way of achieving ‘extra credit’ from God”
38.3.1 The spiritual disciplines are not works of righteousness; they are wisdom. They do not
“earn” us anything with God.
38.4 “Spiritual disciplines are legalistic”

38.4.1 God’s grace does not eliminate the need for any sort of effort on our part as we move
along in our spiritual lives.
38.4.2 “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.” (Dallas Willard)

38.4.3 Richard Foster is correct when he says, “God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual
life as a means of receiving his grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God
so that he can transform us… they put us where He can work within us and transform us. By
themselves the Spiritual Disciplines can do nothing; they can only get us to the place where
something can be done.”
39. The dangers and pitfalls (rooted in us, not the disciplines)
39.1 Manipulating God
39.2 Activities & Duty vs. Relationship & Desire
39.3 The means become the end: “My growth and development is evidenced by my
practices of the disciplines.”
39.4 Being legalistic and judgmental in our practice and attitudes toward others

39.5 Becoming the “Expert”—in fact, we are always beginners
“In the spiritual life there are no tricks and no short cuts…One cannot begin to face the real
difficulties of the life of prayer and meditation unless one is first perfectly content to be a beginner
and really experience oneself as one who knows little or nothing, and has a desperate need to learn the
bare rudiments. Those who think they ‘know’ from the beginning, never, in fact, come to know
anything… We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be
anything else but beginners, all our life.” (Thomas Merton, Contemplative Prayer, 36-37)
39.6 Misplaced focus in the process

Evelyn Underhill states that the primary condition which is to govern a person’s spiritual life is, “the
unspeakable perfection, beauty and attraction of God, absolute in His independent splendor, and
calling forth our self-oblivious adoration.
40. Benefits of spiritual disciplines

(From Marjorie Thompson, Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life)
40.1 We become settled and focused on God.

40.2 We open ourselves to God.
40.3 Disciplines facilitate an abiding relationship with God.
40.4 We cooperate with God in formation and change.
40.5 We discover who we really are (the good parts and the not so pleasant).
40.6 We experience an increasing awareness of God.
40.7 We become aware of and able to respond to the movements and desires of our
hearts.
40.8 We are able to make choices in line with who we are in Christ.
40.9 We experience God’s love and faithfulness to us.
40.10 We are renewed by God.
40.11 We grow and continue to grow in Christlikeness.
40.12 We experience increasing satisfaction and an increasing desire for God.
40.13 We begin to discover and experience the reality of God in and around us.
41. You and the disciplines

41.1 Your personal uniqueness
41.1.1 There is no set pattern or guideline regarding the disciplines… one size does not fit all.
41.1.2 Eugene Peterson, “Tools in a tool shed… you employ what is needed at the time.”
41.1.3 Jesus is the teacher, trainer, and discipler. He knows which tool is needed. He wants to
teach us (Matt. 11:28-30).

41.2 Over time, they really do impact one’s life
41.3 Rhythm of life
41.4 Begins with desire, not should’s and ought’s
41.5 Take baby steps to success…remember:

41.5.1 We cannot achieve spiritual growth through sheer grit and willpower.
41.5.2 Spiritual growth is essentially a work of divine grace with which we are called to
cooperate.
41.5.3 Opening ourselves up to the work of the Spirit requires discipline and effort.
42. Excursus on contemplative spirituality

Renovaré is a nonprofit organization that models, resources, and advocates intentional living through
Christian spiritual formation and discipleship. Drawing from the example and practices of Jesus and of the
historical Church, Renovaré encourages us towards a renewed, sustainable, and enriched life with God. It
was founded in 1988 by Celebration of Discipline author Richard J. Foster. (http://www.renovare.us/)
42.1 Renovaré uses a grid of six “traditions” of spirituality

42.1.1 The Holiness Tradition: The Virtuous Life
42.1.2 The Charismatic Tradition: The Spirit-Empowered Life

42.1.3 The Social Justice Tradition: The Compassionate Life
42.1.4 The Evangelical Tradition: The Word-Centered Life

42.1.5 The Incarnational Tradition: The Sacramental Life
42.1.6 The Contemplative Tradition: The Prayer-Filled Life
42.2 In looking at these various traditions/streams, keep a few things in mind:

42.2.1 Each of these traditions/streams is rooted in the life and ministry of Jesus.
42.2.2 If we are looking for a well-rounded and balanced spirituality, we want to see aspects of
each of these traditions being evidenced in our lives and ministries.
42.2.3 We are all naturally drawn to one or more of these streams due to temperament,
experience or upbringing.
42.2.4 Conversely, our apprehension or fear of other traditions is often rooted in the fact that it
has been outside of our history and experience, and we have probably been warned about
“those people” in those traditions.

43. Focusing on the Contemplative tradition
43.1 Contemplative spirituality can be defined as:
“The Contemplative tradition is a response to God’s longing that we spend time with him, that we
create space in our lives for him. Our lives are busy and full of worries and anxiety…Practicing the
disciplines of the Contemplative Tradition equips us to create space in our lives, the ‘space’ that God
longs for and the intimacy that we need.” (James Bryan Smith and Lynda Graybeal, A Spiritual
Formation Workbook, 34.)
43.2 The goal in Contemplative Spirituality is “simply” to know God more deeply.
“It is not to ‘get’ anything from God or the world. It seeks to know the heart of God, that is, to
appreciate God in and for himself.” (Robert Spitzer, Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life, 101)
43.3 The contemplative life is not a withdrawal from the world, is not opposed to the
active life, and does not lack a sense of mission (the both/and).
43.4 Contemplation is not simply a way of praying but is a way of living, a way of
loving.
43.5 Leighton Ford writes:

“Contemplate is a two-part word, compounded from the Latin con (meaning ‘with’) and templum
(temple), thus to observe things within a special place, and especially to observe in the presence of a
deity. So a contemplative is one who looks at life in the presence of God, or we might say with the
eyes of God, or through the eyes of Christ—at any time, not just at special times; anywhere, not just
in certain places; toward anyone, not just ‘special people.’” (The Attentive Life, 83)
Ford goes on to state that, “Eugene Peterson understands contemplation simply as living by the
biblical revelation. “It has nothing to do with whether we spend our days as a grease monkey under
an automobile or on our knees in a Benedictine choir…The contemplative life is not a special kind of
life; it is the Christian life, nothing more but also nothing less. But lived.’” (84)
44. Why give special focus to the Contemplative tradition?
44.1 John 5:17-20 (NLT)

“But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” So Jesus explained, “I tell you the
truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the
Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing.”

44.2 This is basic Vineyard Practical Theology
44.2.1 The Contemplative tradition is built into our DNA as a Vineyard Movement!
44.2.2 “Dialing Down”

44.2.2.1 Dialing down, listening to and listening for what the Father is doing has mostly
been confined to ministry situations.
44.2.2.2 Perhaps we can adopt a contemplative posture as a way to live our lives?

Lecture 5– Approaching Scripture and Prayer
45. Informational vs. Formational reading of Scripture

45.1 Informational reading
45.1.1 As we read Scripture, we need to realize that we approach it with a “way of reading”
already in place. We have been taught a particular way of reading, and it has been reinforced
through our educational system.
45.1.2 This process of reading has been referred to as “Informational reading.”
45.2 Informational reading has a number of characteristics

45.2.1 Informational reading seeks to cover as much as possible as quickly as possible.
45.2.2 Informational reading is linear.

45.2.3 Informational reading seeks to master the text.
45.2.4 Informational reading is analytical, critical, and judgmental.
45.2.5 Informational reading is characterized by a problem-solving mentality. We tend to read

in order to find out something that will work for us.
45.3 Formational reading

45.3.1 Informational reading is not the only way to approach the Bible. Another way of
engaging the Scripture is through “Formational readings.” (BOTH/AND)
45.3.2 Eugene Peterson says that one of the most neglected aspects in the lives of many
Christians “is reading the Scriptures formatively, reading in order to live.” (Eugene H.
Peterson, Eat This Book, xi.)
45.4 Characteristics of Formational reading

45.4.1 In Formational reading, the object is not to cover as much as possible as quickly as
possible. The point in Formational reading is meeting God in the text, not getting a lot of
pages read.
45.4.2 Formational reading is about allowing the text to open up to you its deeper meaning, or
layers of meaning.

45.4.3 In Formational reading, you allow the text to master you. We come with an openness to
hear, to receive, and to respond to whatever the Spirit speaks to us from the text.
45.4.4 If Informational reading is about critique and analysis, Formational reading requires a
humble, receptive, and loving approach to the Scripture.
45.4.5 While Informational reading employs a problem-solving mentality, Formational reading

has an openness to mystery.
45.5 Scot McKnight’s chart summarizes these two approaches to reading Scripture
Informational reading Formational reading
Cover as much as possible Cover what we need to
Read line after line Read for depth, perhaps only a word
Have a goal of mastering the text Have a goal of being mastered by the text
Treat the text as an “object” Treat ourselves as the objects of the text
Read analytically Read receptively
Solve problems Are open to mystery
(McKnight, Scot. The Jesus Creed, 195-196) (A detailed discussion of informational and
transformational reading can be found in M. Robert Mulholland Jr., Shaped by the Word (Nashville:
Upper Room Books, 2000), 49–63.)
45.6 The Formational approach to reading is a practice that needs to be developed in our
lives. This type of reading takes some preparation on our part. Slow down and
prepare your heart.

46. Lectio Divina
46.1 One way of learning to read Scripture in a formational manner is through an ancient
practice known as Lectio Divina.
46.2 Lectio Divina’s purpose is to read Scripture for formation, not information.
46.2.1 The Progression of Lectio Divina (adapted from Charles Bello, Prayer is a Place. Time
frames are just suggestive.)
46.2.2 WHY STEPS? (Time frames are suggestive, not legalistic)
46.2.2.1 Ready (3 minutes)
• Find a place where you can be quiet and undisturbed.
• Choose a brief passage of scripture.
• Quiet your heart, sit in silence, and ask God to meet you during this time of prayer.
• Invite the Holy Spirit, who inspired the Word, to illumine its message to your heart.
46.2.2.2 Read (5 minutes)

• Read the passage slowly, letting your awareness rest on each word.
• Read the passage again slowly, but this time read it out loud.
• Make it personal. Insert your name or a personal pronoun into the text to make it
your own.
• Listen for the still small voice of God as you read.
• Be aware of any word or phrase that catches your attention.
• Do not stress out about this! It is not up to you to get God to speak to you. He is
more than able to do so if He chooses.
46.2.2.3 Reflect (10 minutes)

• Meditate and reflect on the word or phrase that attracted you or caught your
attention.
• As you reflect, listen and allow God to speak to you.
• Be aware of any emotion or memories that the word or phrase may stir up.
46.2.2.4 Respond (10 minutes)

• Respond to the word or phrase.
• Ask God why this word caught your attention. What is he trying to say to you?
• Dialogue with God about what you are hearing or feeling.
• Ask God about things you do not understand.
• Take time to sit and listen for God’s response.
46.2.2.5 Rest (5 minutes)

• Rest in God’s presence. Wordless, quiet rest in the presence of God is called
“contemplation.”
• Simply be with God, resting in the unique, one-of-a-kind, unconditional love that
God has for you.
46.2.2.6 Return
• As you go through your day, keep returning to the passage and your reflection.
• Keep returning with the intention of integrating the word into your life.
47. Questions related to Lectio Divina
47.1 Which word or phrase has caught my attention?
47.2 What is my response to that word or phrase (e.g., anxiety, fear, comfort, joy,
longing, peace)?
47.3 How does this apply to my current life circumstance?
47.4 What do I sense God inviting me to in this reading?

47.4.1 “Lectio Divina consists of four interlocking parts: reading a passage of scripture to
yourself aloud; meditating or thinking about what you have read; praying about what has risen
up in your mind and heart in meditation; and then contemplating—simply resting in God for a
time after you have prayed.” (Diogenes Allen, Spiritual Theology, 86.)
48. Experiencing the process of Lectio Divina

[The lecturer will give students the opportunity to take time to experience Lectio Divina on their own at this
point in the lecture.]—Psalm 23 (take 30 minutes)

Lecture 6 Varieties in Prayer
“Very few ministers will deny that prayer is important. They will not even deny that prayer is the most important
dimension of their lives. But the fact is that most ministers pray very little or not at all. They realize that they
should not forget to pray, that they should take time to pray, and that prayer should be a priority in their lives. But
all these should’s do not have the power to carry them over the enormous obstacle of their activism. There is always
one more phone call, one more letter, one more visit, one more meeting, one more book, and one more party.
Together these form an insurmountable pile of activities. The contrast between the great support for the idea of
prayer and the lack of support for the practice of it is so blatantly visible…” (Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart,
71-72)
49. Introduction
49.1 Two broad avenues of prayer: kataphatic and apophatic
49.2 Various types of prayer to employ in your life and ministry
49.2.1 Richard Foster’s book, Prayer: Finding the Hearts True Home, discusses 21 different
types of prayer.

50. Kataphatic and Apophatic Prayer
50.1 Kataphatic Prayer (via positiva/the positive way)
50.1.1 Kata: according to, in accordance with, corresponding to, with
50.1.2 Kataphatic prayer is based in images, words, perceptions, and ways we talk of or think
about God.
50.1.3 Kataphatic prayer is rooted in symbols and images
God is known/experienced through creation, light, sound, colors, senses, words, and images.
50.1.3.1 Romans 1:20, “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth
and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his
eternal power and divine nature.”
50.1.3.2 God is always close, immanent: Psalms 139:7 (NRSV)

“Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?”
50.1.3.3 Matthew 6:26, 28 (NRSV), “Look at the birds of the air; … Consider the lilies of
the field…”
50.1.3.4 John 14:9 (NLT), “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are
you asking me to show him to you?”
50.1.3.5 Hebrews 1:3 (NIV), “The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact
representation of his being.”
50.1.4 Most of us have learned to pray in the kataphatic manner.
50.1.5 Celtic spirituality
50.1.6 The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius are one of the clearest examples of the affirmative
way.
50.1.6.1 The directives in the Spiritual Exercises are meant to ensure that the person fully
utilize his/her senses, emotions, memory, reason, intellect, heart, and will in order to
interiorize the material of the exercise.

50.2 The dangers in the Kataphatic way
50.2.1 We may soon begin to focus on these human constructs that describe “God” rather than
on the living God.
50.2.2 All of our images, understandings, and perceptions of God, even at their best, are
woefully inadequate and fall short of the reality of who God truly is.
50.2.2.1 God is always greater than our best representations, images, and ideas about
him. God is bigger than His presence.
50.2.2.2 Isaiah 55:8-9
8
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
50.3 Apophatic Prayer (via negative/the negative way)

50.3.1 Apo: away from, out from.
50.3.2 Apophatic prayer is prayer without images, words, or symbols.
50.3.3 Apophatic prayer emphasizes that the all-transcendent God is incomprehensible and
wholly other.
50.3.3.1 Thomas Aquinas: “The ultimate in human understanding is to know that God
cannot be known.”
50.4 Apophatic spirituality/prayer calls for the abandonment of all concepts, thoughts,
images and symbols. The goal of this is nothing less than full union with God.
50.4.1 1 Timothy 1:17
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and
ever. Amen.”
50.4.2 1 Timothy 6:16
“…who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or
can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.”

50.4.3 The goal in apophatic prayer is not to get anything, not to hear a word, not to express
petitions or praise
50.4.3.1 The goal is simply being present to God, just being with God in love.
50.4.3.2 In this place we let go of our thoughts, images, and perceptions of God.
50.4.3.3 “Contemplative prayer is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus. ‘I look at him and he
looks at me.’” (CCC, 715)
50.4.3.4 Union with God, or Spiritual marriage, is the intended goal.
• The experience of this Union is not something one can “achieve” or attain to through
one’s own efforts in prayer.
• Contemplation is a pure gift from God.
• There is no set way/path the reach this Union.
50.5 The danger/trap in the Apophatic way

50.5.1 Along this path, there are many God “experiences” that one might have.
50.5.2 These experiences and revelations can become traps for spiritual pride, and they also can
have an addictive quality about them.
50.5.2.1 Teresa of Avila says that God gives these to people who are beginners because
experiences and revelations are somewhat weak in their faith and need the
encouragement.
50.5.2.2 The trap is that we memorialize these “blessed,” God-given experiences and
them make them the standard by which our future prayer times are judged/evaluated.
50.5.2.3 Ironically, in the journey into this type of prayer, God eventually begins to
withhold /remove the experiences, the “candy,” so that our relationship with him will
become one of pure faith.
51. Conclusion
Both Kataphatic and Apophatic avenues of prayer are inextricably linked to one another.
51.1 The unknowable, incomprehensible, and transcendent God has spoken in his word
and through the Living Word, Jesus. The transcendent God is also radically present
to us.
51.2 This presently revealed God is at some level always incomprehensible,
transcendent, and wholly other.
51.3 In our natural life we need to inhale and exhale to live. Practicing both of these
forms of prayer is very important; it is like inhaling and exhaling. It is not one or
the other, we need them both

52. Options in Prayer
52.1 Fixed-Hour Prayer
52.1.1 Fixed-Hour Prayer has its origins in Judaism, was practiced by the early church, became
foundational for monastic communities, and has had a place in the Christian church even to the
present day. (A brief history of Fixed-Hour Prayer can be found in, Phyllis Tickle, The Divine
Hours. 3 vols. (New York: Doubleday, 2000), viii-xii.)
52.1.2 The practice of Fixed-Hour Prayer calls for regular and consistent patterns of prayer
which lead to one being able to attend to God throughout the day.
52.1.3 Times designated for prayer:
52.1.3.1 Vigils/Matins – night prayers, about 3am

52.1.3.2 Lauds – waking-up prayer, the beginning of the day
52.1.3.3 Prime – prayers for beginning work

52.1.3.4 Terce – giving-thanks prayers in mid-morning
52.1.3.5 Sext – noon-day prayer of commitment
52.1.3.6 None (rhymes with “bone”) – mid-afternoon prayer

52.1.3.7 Vespers – as the day is over and evening comes, an evening prayer of stillness
52.1.3.8 Compline – when the day is complete and sleep begins, a going-to-sleep prayer
of trust
52.1.3.9 There is great freedom in how one practices the hours.
52.1.4 Benefits gained through the practice of Fixed-Hour Prayer.

52.1.4.1 It interjects set prayer times into the everyday routine of our lives.
52.1.4.2 It calls us to turn our hearts and minds back to God throughout the day.
52.1.4.3 It interrupts our daily routine and calls us to remember that all of our life is lived
before God.
52.1.4.4 It connects us with the people of God around the earth who are entering into the
rhythm of praying the Hours.
52.1.5 Flexibility and creativity can be employed in entering into this form of prayer. We can
set aside regular times to pray Scripture, read a Psalm, or recite other written and memorized
prayers, such as the Lord’s Prayer.
52.1.6 One advantage to using the Divine Office is that you have the prayer written out for you
and so do not have to generate the prayers on your own.

52.1.7 If three or four set times of prayer seems out of reach, you may take encouragement from
Calhoun:
“We begin where we are. We may already have one fixed time of prayer in the morning. So
we simply add one more time—perhaps in the middle of work—as a reminder that time is a
gift made for work and relationship, relationship with God and others. As we regularly honor
this one intentional moment with God, we begin to realize how the world and its demands
control us, leaving us frantic and overwhelmed. And stopping to pray, even if we have to set
the timer, cultivates an awareness of the unseen reality of God’s presence in all time and
things.” (Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, 225)
52.1.8 Resources
52.1.8.1 The Divine Hours, 3 vol., Phyllis Tickle.
52.1.8.2 The Paraclete Psalter, Paraclete Press.

52.1.8.3 One can find the Hours at the following links:
• www.explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/hours.php
• www.annarborvineyard.org/tdh/tdh.cfm
• For a Celtic Version of the Office go to:

www.northumbriacommunity.org/PraytheOffice/
52.2 Breath Prayers

52.2.1 This form of prayer flows out of the desire to live in an awareness of God’s presence, as
well as to begin to live out the biblical command to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17; see
also, Rom. 12:12; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2; Phil. 4:6).
52.2.2 The most well known Breath Prayer is what is known as the “Jesus Prayer.”
52.2.2.1 The original form of the prayer is, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.”
Other forms of the prayer add a few short phrases, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of David,
have mercy on me, a sinner.” Either form captures the essence of the prayer.
• Breath Prayers are intended to help prayer become as natural as one’s breathing.
The prayers are short and can usually be prayed in the cycle of inhaling and
exhaling. The repetition of the prayer helps to ingrain it into your life.
• “This short repetitive prayer frees you from linear thought and allows you to begin to
pray in your body, not just your mind. It is meant to be lived, breathing rhythm of
surrender. And it is a constant reminder of the One in whose presence you stand.”
(Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, 205)
52.2.3 The content of Breath Prayers can be as varied as the needs and desires of the
individual’s heart.
52.2.3.1 “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.”

52.2.3.2 “Lord Jesus, teach me to abide.”
52.2.3.3 “More of you Lord, less of me.”
52.2.3.4 “Lord Jesus, thank you for your love.”
52.2.3.5 “Lord Jesus, help me receive your love.”
52.2.3.6 “Lord Jesus, you are my life.”
52.2.3.7 “Lord Jesus, nothing can separate me from your love.” (Rom. 8:38-39)
52.2.3.8 “Your will be done.” (Matt. 6:10)
52.2.3.9 “The Lord is for me, so I will not be afraid.” (Ps. 118:6)
52.2.3.10 “Lord Jesus, you are always with me.”
52.2.3.11 “Jesus, help me receive your grace.”
52.2.3.12 “Lord Jesus, ground me in your love.” (Eph. 3:17)
52.2.3.13 “Jesus, be at home in my heart.” (Eph. 3:17)
52.2.3.14 “Lord Jesus, increase my desire for you.”
Breath Prayers allow us “to go through all the activities of our days in joyful awareness of
God’s presence with whispered prayers of praise and adoration flowing continuously from our
hearts.” (Richard Foster, Prayer, 124
52.3 Centering Prayer

Centering prayer is a popular method of contemplative prayer or Christian meditation, placing a
strong emphasis on interior silence. Its intention is not to use words, but to just “be” in God’s loving
presence. See Appendix 1 – Centering Prayer for more information.
52.4 Prayer of Examen

52.4.1 The Prayer of Examen (i.e., of examination) is a way of assessing one’s life before God
on a regular basis. This prayer was first developed by Ignatius of Loyola in The Spiritual
Exercises.

52.4.2 Ignatius took for granted that God is always present and at work. The spiritual challenge,
according to him, is to recognize how God is working and to respond in gratitude and
openness.
52.4.3 The purpose of this prayer is to help us to process each day before God.
52.4.4 It is a form of discernment because it enables us to look concretely at events and ask:
52.4.4.1 Where is God in this situation? How is God leading me? What is God saying to
me?
52.4.4.2 How was God there for me in that experience?

52.4.4.3 What in my present situation is leading me to God and others in love? What is
leading me away?
52.4.4.4 What is the underlying spirit in my dealing with others?
52.4.4.5 What is really going on in my life these days?
• The whole point of this self-examination is to become more God centered by

observing the moments when we are and are not God centered.
• We become aware of where we have responded in obedience to God and also where
we have resisted and turned away.
52.4.5 “It has two basic aspects, like two sides of a door. The first is an examen of
consciousness through which we discover how God has been present to us throughout the day
and how we have responded to his loving presence. The second aspect is an examen of
conscience in which we uncover those areas that need cleansing, purifying, and healing.”
(Richard Foster, Prayer, 27-28)
52.4.6 What the Prayer of Examen looks like
At the end of each day, prayerfully reflect on the internal and external events and experiences
of your life using any of the following sets of questions:
• For what moment today am I most grateful?

For what moment today am I least grateful?
• What was today’s high point?

What was today’s low point?
• What was it today that was most life giving?

What was it today that was most life draining?
• When today did I have the greatest sense of belonging to myself, others, and God?
When did I have the least sense of belonging today?
• When did I sense connection with God?

When did I sense a disconnect with God?
• When did I give and receive the most love today?

When did I give and receive the least love today?

• When was I happiest today?
When was I saddest?
52.4.7 The Prayer of Examen asks us to focus our recollection on the previous twenty-four
hours. This might seem easier than it actually is. We often find that most of our days go by
unnoticed. This prayer is one way to help prevent our daily lives from going by unexamined.
52.4.8 “In the end, the prayer of examen is about noticing: noticing the good gifts God gives us,
noticing the presence of God in our lives, and noticing the ways we fail God. When we notice,
we become more conscious. When we become more conscious, we grow.” (Richard Peace,
Meditative Prayer, 57)
52.4.9 An Outline of the Prayer of Examen (Timothy M. Gallagher, The Examen Prayer, 25)
52.4.9.1 Transition: I become aware of the love with which God looks upon me as I
begin this examen.
52.4.9.2 Step One: Gratitude. I note the gifts that God’s love has given me this day,
and I give thanks to God for them.
52.4.9.3 Step Two: Petition. I ask God for an insight and a strength that will make this
examen a work of grace, fruitful beyond my human capacity alone.
52.4.9.4 Step Three: Review. With my God, I review the day. I look for the stirrings in
my heart and the thoughts that God has given me this day. I look also for those that
have not been of God. I review my choices in response to both, and do so throughout
the day in general.
52.4.9.5 Step Four: Forgiveness. I ask for the healing touch of the forgiving God who,
with love and respect for me, removes heart’s burdens.
52.4.9.6 Step Five: Renewal. I look to the following day and, with God, plan concretely
how to live it in accord with God’s loving desire for my life.
52.4.9.7 Transition: Aware of God’s presence with me, I prayerfully conclude this
examen.

Lecture 7 – Silence, Solitude & a Rule of Life
The Primacy of Silence and Solitude

Dallas Willard writes, “It would be amusing, if it were not so tragic, to contemplate how the followers of great
religious leaders devise ways and rationalizations for not engaging in the practices their leaders and forerunners
found necessary. People we admit to be far greater than we are—and, in the case of Jesus himself, even divine—
found it necessary to practice disciplines and engage in activities with which we blithely dispense.” (Spirit of the
Disciplines)
53. Solitude and Silence in Jesus’ Life

53.1 Matthew 4 and Luke 4, Jesus’ temptation in the wildernesss
53.2 Mark 1:35, Jesus withdraws to pray

53.2.1 Jesus developed the regular habit of finding times for solitude, silence, and prayer in
order to receive direction from his Father.
53.3 Luke 6:12–16, Jesus chooses the Twelve
53.4 Matthew 14:13-21: Jesus feeds the 5,000
53.5 Luke 9:10: Jesus tries to draw the disciples away from the crowds
53.6 Matthew 26:36-46: Jesus in Gethsemane

53.6.1 It is clear that the spiritual practices of solitude, silence and prayer were foundational to
all that Jesus did. Jesus needed frequent retreat and solitude to do his work.
53.6.2 It seems foolish for us to think that we can do without what Jesus deemed essential.
53.6.2.1 Dallas Willard on Solitude in The Spirit of the Disciplines:
“We must reemphasize the ‘desert’ or ‘closet’ as the primary place of strength for the
beginner, as it was for Christ and Paul. They show us by their example what we must
do. In stark aloneness it is possible to have silence, to be still, and to know that
Jehovah is God (Ps. 46:10), to set the Lord before our minds with sufficient intensity
and duration that we stay centered upon him—our hearts fixed, established in trust (Ps.
112:7-8)—even when back in the office, shop, or home. [cf. Isa. 26:3; 40:28-31].”
54. Why solitude and silence are important in our lives

54.1 “Without solitude it is virtually impossible to live a spiritual life.” (Henri Nouwen)
54.2 Abba Poemen said, “If a person remembered that it is written, ‘By your words you
will be justified and by your words you will be condemned,’ he would more readily
choose to remain silent.” (Becoming Fire, 276)
54.3 “We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is a
friend of silence…We need silence to be able to touch souls.” (Malcolm
Muggeridge)
54.4 “The sole purpose of solitude is knowing God, and those who know God will care
for God’s children…It is out of solitude, out of being authentically present to God,
that the deepest care for God’s creatures comes.” (David Rensberger)
54.5 “Solitude molds self-righteous people into gentle, caring, forgiving persons who
are so deeply convinced of their own great sinfulness, and so fully aware of God’s
even greater mercy, that their life itself becomes a ministry.” (Henri Nouwen)
54.6 “There is nothing magical about solitude that makes God suddenly appear. God is
everywhere all the time. It’s just that most of the time we are so busy with
everything else that we don’t notice. But by practicing the discipline of solitude, we
are creating a space in our lives where God can be with us.” (John Michael Talbot)
54.6.1 For many, solitude and silence seem like a waste of time. We live under the illusion that
nothing can happen in quietness.
55. Solitude
55.1 Solitude is choosing to withdraw from human interaction.

55.2 Solitude is the spiritual discipline of voluntarily and temporarily withdrawing to
privacy for spiritual purposes. It may take place in an isolated closet, room, attic,
garage, basement, guest house, park, beach, retreat center, desert, mountains, etc.
55.3 “The practice of solitude involves scheduling enough uninterrupted time in a

distraction-free environment that you experience isolation and are alone with God.”
55.4 In practicing solitude, we are disconnecting from our habit of being joined to
people and things.
56. Silence
56.1 Silence is the practice of attending and listening to God in quiet, without
interruption and noise. Silence provides freedom from speaking as well as from
listening to words or music.
56.2 The practice of silence frees us from the distracting static of the noise that is all
around us.
56.3 Silence is the way to make solitude a reality. Without it, solitude has little effect.
Only silence will allow us life-transforming concentration upon God (Isa. 30:15).
56.4 We need to realize the addiction we have to noise. The convenience of sound in
modern life has contributed to the shallowness of our spiritual lives.
56.5 Silence makes us feel helpless because we are used to employing words to adjust
what we fear others are thinking about us.
57. In beginning to engage these disciplines, we REST and we DO

NOTHING.
57.1 For many, taking a nap would be the most spiritual thing they could do.

57.2 As we engage solitude and silence, God uses these practices to re-establish his
grace in our lives as he reminds us that we are saved and justified by his power, and
not by our strivings and achievements.
57.2.1 “Stillness of soul is increasingly rare in this world addicted to speed and noise.” (Jesus
Calling, April 4th)
58. What might we experience in solitude and silence?

58.1 Nagging voices
58.2 An inner sense of loneliness
58.3 We are often confronted by our deepest inner thoughts and motivations
58.3.1 “God loves us as we are, not as we should be.” Brennan Manning
58.3.2 Dallas Willard: “Silence is frightening because it strips us as nothing else does, throwing
us upon the stark realities of our life. It reminds us of death, which will cut us off from this
world and leave only us and God. And in that quiet, what if there turns out to be very little to
‘just us and God’? Think what it says about the inward emptiness of our lives if we must
always turn on the tape player or radio to make sure something is happening around us.”
59. What benefits can be gained from solitude and silence?

59.1 Countering the cultural tide…taking time to slow down and simply “be
59.2 We make space to hear God’s voice. Positioning yourself before God, just
listening for what he would say to you.
59.3 Spiritual and physical restoration (Mark 6:31; Matt. 11:28-30)
59.4 A deepened sense of peace and rest in one’s life
59.5 Growth in your personal intimacy with God
59.6 Growth in knowledge of God and self
59.7 A deeper reality of abiding in Christ (John 15)
59.8 A deeper sense of reliance on God and the ability to turn things over to him
59.9 A new and fresh revelation and experience of God’s overwhelming love and
concern for you (Eph. 3: 16-20)
59.10 An increased desire for God can emerge

59.11 Taking time for personal and ministry reflection
59.12 Learning to control your tongue and speech
59.13 Intentionally allowing God the opportunity to have access to your life
59.13.1 “French philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal observed that most of our human
problems come because we don’t know how to sit still in our room for an hour.” (Leighton
Ford, The Attentive Life, 173)

Lecture 8 The Primacy of Silence and Solitude (continued)
60. Practical, beginning steps in solitude and silence

60.1 Make room for it in your schedule
60.2 Start small
60.2.1 Do NOT begin with a 3-day, quiet retreat. If this is new to you, begin with 10 minutes of
silence before God in the morning and another 10 minutes in the evening.
60.3 Find a location

60.4 Get comfortable
60.5 Slow yourself down
60.5.1 Take a walk slowly (put your hands behind your back- it naturally slows you down)
60.6 Perceptions
60.6.1 Don’t seek anything sensational.
60.7 Purpose
60.7.1 The goal of these times is to be with and meet God, to be before him.
Developing a Rule of Life (rhythm of life)

61. Putting it all together and making the spiritual disciplines practical
61.1 Resources
61.1.1 Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton, 146-166.
61.1.2 The Pastor’s Guide to Personal Spiritual Formation, chapter by Marjorie Thompson,
138-148.
61.1.3 Living Faith Day by Day, Debra K. Farrington, iUniverse, 2006.
61.1.4 Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, 35-39.
61.1.5 Soul Feast, Marjorie Thompson.

62. The concept of a Rule of Life has been present in the Christian tradition
since its earliest days
62.1 Acts 2:42
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to
prayer.”
62.2 The concept was developed during the time of the desert fathers and mothers.
62.3 Firmly established in the 6th century when Benedict of Nursia developed a rule that
would govern the life of the monastic communities under his oversight.
63. Definitions
“A Rule of Life is an intentional pattern of spiritual disciplines that provides structure and direction for
growth in holiness. A Rule establishes a rhythm for life in which is helpful for being formed by the Spirit, a
rhythm that reflects a love for God and respect for how he has made us. The disciplines which we build into
our rhythm of life help us to shed the ‘old self’ and allow our ‘new self’ in Christ to be formed. Spiritual
disciplines are means of grace by which God can nourish us. Ultimately a Rule should help you to love God
more, so if it becomes a legalistic way of earning points with God or impressing others, it should be
scrapped. If the traditional, ancient term ‘rule’ concerns you because it sounds legalistic, think of ‘rule’ as a
‘rhythm of life’ or as a ‘Curriculum in Christlikeness’ (Dallas Willard), or as a ‘Game Plan for Morphing’
(John Ortberg).” http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/webfm_send/338)
63.1 A rule of life is “a guideline we choose to regulate our lives in order to facilitate
our spiritual growth.” (Leighton Ford, The Attentive Life, 20)
63.2 “A rule for life offers unique and regular rhythms that free and open each person to
the will and presence of Christ. The spiritual practices of a rule provide a way to
partner with the Holy Spirit for personal transformation.” (Calhoun, 35)
63.3 “A personal rule of life is a way of ordering our lives to catch the wind of grace.”
(Thompson, Pastors Guide, 140)
63.4 “A rule of life seeks to respond to two questions: Who do I want to be? How do I
want to live? Actually, it might be more accurate to say that a rule of life seeks to
address the interplay between these two questions: How do I want to live so I can
be who I want to be?” (Barton, 147)
64. Why develop a Rule (rhythm) of Life?

64.1 Helps one stay focused in the journey toward Christlikeness

64.2 Not intended to be restrictive and legalistic. Things included in one’s rule should
provide “a brief and realistic scaffold of disciplines that support your heart’s desire
to grow in loving God and others.” (Calhoun, 36)
64.3 “Ultimately a rule will help you love God more. If it becomes a legalistic way of
earning points with God, it should be scrapped.” (Calhoun, 36)
65. Things to consider in developing a Rule of Life

65.1 You are developing a rule for YOUR life.
65.2 It is critical to honestly consider your actual life circumstances and commitments in
this season of your life.
65.2.1 Are you married or single?
65.2.2 Do you have children?
65.2.3 Do you care for aging parents?

65.2.4 Do you have deep friendships that you cherish and are committed to nurturing?
65.2.5 Do you view your vocation as a calling from God?
65.2.6 What about your personality and character?
• Are you an introvert or extrovert?

• Energetic or reserved?
• Do you have physical or emotional limitations?
• Are you a procrastinator or perfectionist?
• Morning person or night person?
• Do you like clear structure and regular habits, or spontaneity and variation?
• Sensing and intuitive types might be helped by visual aids, candles, walking in
nature, icons, and symbols.
• Thinking types will be drawn to study and a solid, knowledge base for reflecting on
their faith.
65.2.7 What desires and longings are currently bubbling up in your spiritual life?
65.2.7.1 What do you think God is inviting you into these days?
65.2.7.2 Growth in prayer and engagement with scripture. What disciplines seem
attractive to you in these days?
65.2.7.3 Guarding you thoughts, withholding judgments, seeking to live in the present
moment, the cultivation of gratitude, etc.
65.2.7.4 Perhaps God is stirring you to attend to your physical body.
• Diet, sleep, exercise.

65.2.7.5 Are you dealing with issues of compulsive shopping?
66. Putting together a Rule of Life

66.1 Build in BALANCE
66.1.1 Include practices that come easy to you, as well as ones that stretch you and are a bit out
of your comfort zone. God will often call us to grow by stretching us to develop the non-
dominant side of our personality.
66.2 Build in FLEXIBILITY

66.2.1 Avoid becoming rigid and legalistic, especially in the beginning attempts to form a rule.
Life happens and we need to hold things loosely during those times when things do not go
according to “plan.”
66.2.2 Be flexible, but guard your time.
66.3 Recognize the seasons of your life

66.3.1 Life circumstances will help determine what you can actually do now. Each season of
life provides an opportunity for God to teach us valuable lessons.
66.4 Picking and Choosing

66.4.1 What do I need to let go of? What do I need to take up?
66.4.2 If you are going to establish a new rhythm for your life, it almost always means that you
will need to let something go in order to pick up something new.
67. Structuring your rule

67.1 A helpful skeleton for developing your rule is to think in terms of: “What will I
do… daily…weekly…monthly…half yearly…yearly?”
67.2 What schedule changes will need to be made in your current life in order to
accommodate those things that God is inviting you into?
67.3 Who will be impacted by your proposed changes? Whom will you need to talk to
about the changes you are thinking of making?

67.4 Make sure to include some fun, joy, and play in your rule!
67.5 Share your proposed rule with someone who knows you well. Get their input and
feedback about your rule.
67.6 Plan on evaluating your rule after about 6 months. This will provide enough time
for you to begin to see what is working and what isn’t.
67.7 Do not give up because you do not keep it perfectly.
67.8 It is critical to remember that each of us will need lots of God’s grace to begin to
actually live out our proposed Rule.
Ask God for grace to persevere, grace to recognize where things need to be adjusted, and grace to
accept the fact that you can’t keep it perfectly. The farther one travels on this journey toward
Christlikeness, the more one recognizes the need for God’s grace.

Appendix 1 – Centering Prayer
Psalms 62:1, “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.”
Centering prayer is a popular method of contemplative prayer or Christian meditation, placing a strong emphasis on interior
silence. Its intention is not to use words, but to just “be” in God’s loving presence.
Centering prayer is not a new form of prayer. It also is not a New Age practice. Centering prayer is an updated form of prayer
that was taught in the 14th century work, The Cloud of Unknowing, and before that in the writings of the Desert Fathers and
Mothers.
Guidelines for practicing Centering Prayer
1. Set aside 20 minutes of undisturbed time for the practice.
2. Sit comfortably with your eyes closed and quiet your heart and mind.
3. Choose a “sacred word,” which is a symbol of your intention to be in God’s presence. Repeat the word as you quiet
yourself and focus on God.
a. Any word which brings your attention to God can be used:Jesus, Father, Abba, Love, Peace, Rest, Grace, etc.
b. This is not a mantra, just a device to refocus ones attention when distractions come… and they will come!
4. The intention in Centering prayer is not to use words but to just “be” in God’s loving presence.
5. As you settle into God’s presence, you can begin to rest in that place.
6. When distracting thoughts come to mind, return again to the sacred word, which indicates your intention to rest in
God’s presence.
7. As your thoughts dissipate and you again rest in God’s presence, you can let go of the sacred word and just rest in the
stillness. When thoughts surface again, return to your sacred word.
8. At the end of the prayer time, take a few minutes to come out of the silence. You might use this time to express thanks
to God, or repeat the Lord’s Prayer.
a. The long term benefits of Centering prayer are usually realized not in the prayer time, but throughout the day
and throughout one’s life.
• “The only way to judge this prayer is by its long-range fruits: whether in daily life you enjoy greater
peace, humility and charity. Having come to deep interior silence, you begin to relate to others
beyond the superficial aspects of social status, race, nationality, religion, and personal characteristics.”
(Thomas Keating, Open Heart, Open Mind, 144)
• PRACTICAL TIP… Some type of timing device will eliminate the internal question of, “How much
time has gone by, how much time is left?”
9. Dealing with runaway thoughts
a. This is a struggle for EVERYONE! We can still and quiet our bodies, but our minds keep racing like a
runaway train.
b. Don’t enter into dialogue with random thoughts, and don’t beat yourself up that they are occurring.
c. Instead of fighting them, just return to your sacred word as a way of refocusing your attention on being
present to God.
Resources
Thomas Green, Opening to God, and, When the Well Runs Dry
Thomas Keating, Open Heart, Open Mind
Thomas Merton, The Inner Experience
The Cloud of Unknowing (anonymous 14th century writer)
Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle

VI - Spiritual Formation Outline

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Spiritual Formation

Steve Summerell, D.Min.

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 1 of 55

Lecture 1 – The Leader’s Personal Responsibility for Soul Care ............................................. 6

Lecture 3 – Busyness & the Spiritual Disciplines ..................................................................... 19

Lecture 4 The Place, Practice and Pitfalls of Spiritual Disciplines ....................................... 24

Lecture 5– Approaching Scripture and Prayer ....................................................................... 32

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 2 of 55

Lecture 6 Varieties in Prayer ..................................................................................................... 36

Lecture 7 – Silence, Solitude & a Rule of Life .......................................................................... 45

The Primacy of Silence and Solitude ......................................................................................... 45

Lecture 8 The Primacy of Silence and Solitude (continued) ................................................... 50

Developing a Rule of Life (rhythm of life)................................................................................. 50

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 3 of 55

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 4 of 55

One or more Scholar’s Corner Boxes are included in many lectures.

6. Scholar’s Debate Boxes

7. Table Talk Topics

8. Questions and Feedback

10. Required VI Textbook(s) Reading

11. Text(s) for Spiritual Formation

12. Further Reading

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 5 of 55

Learning Objectives – located in syllabus

13. Introductory issues

14. Church-related ministry is dangerous territory

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 6 of 55

15.3 The priorities of Jesus

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 7 of 55

15.5 “Doing” vs. “being”

15.5.3 One can become a “professional” instead of a personal apprentice of Christ.

• Jesus is the model.

• It’s not our ministry. It’s HIS ministry.

15.5.3.4 Understanding what God is doing is a result of communion/union with God.

15.5.4 Our “doing” is to flow out from “being”

15.5.4.3 A life of deep communion with God requires TIME!

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 8 of 55

15.6.2 Ephes. 3:16-20 (NLT)

The experience of God’s love_________________________________________________

16. Ending where we began—more ministry realities

16.1.1 90% of pastors report working between 55 to 75 hours per week.

16.1.3 33% state that being in the ministry is an

16.1.6 70% do not have someone they consider a close

16.1.9 56% of pastors’ wives say they have no close friends.

16.1.12 50% of pastors’ marriages will end in divorce.

16.2 This is depressing!

16.3 Wise words from Parker Palmer and Dallas Willard

“If you fill your calendar with important appointments,

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 10 of 55

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 11 of 55

Learning Objectives – located in syllabus

17. The foundation of spiritual formation

17.3 Romans 8:29 (NLT)

17.3.1 Romans 8:29 (NRSV)

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 12 of 55

17.5 Things to remember as we think about spiritual formation

• Spiritual Formation is a combination of God’s initiation and our being as diligent

18. Spiritual formation is the process of becoming like Christ

18.2 Spiritual formation is a process empowered by the Holy Spirit.

©Vineyard Institute ™ 2018 13 of 55

18.2.3 It is learning the dance of God

18.3 The process changes a person’s inner and outer life.

18.5 Spiritual formation is a communal activity, not an individual journey.