Sing4Him
June 27th, 2007, 11:45 AM
http://www.ncbaptist.org/index.php?id=566
Spiritual Formation desires to assist individuals, small groups, and congregations in their desire and efforts to invite and allow the Holy Spirit to work within themselves and their congregations. Our goal is to encourage and nurture the process of spiritual maturity.
Inviting God's Presence DVD and Listening Guide
Inviting God's Presence: Congregational Committees Seeking God DVD and listening guide will assist congregational committees in seeking God's presence, direction, and guidance as they make deliberations and important decisions regarding the life and work of the local church. Power is available through the Spirit.
If you are interested in purchasing this resource, you may order here.
I recently had opportunity to review some recent research of The Barna Research Group. I was saddened, but not surprised, by the findings posted on the Barna website (www.barna.org) on January 10, 2006 entitled "Surveys Show Pastors Claim Congregants Are Deeply Committed to God But Congregants Deny It!"
The surveys the Barna Group conducted of pastors revealed "that pastors believe a large majority of their congregants deem their faith in God to be the highest priority in their life. On average, pastors contend that 70% of the adults in their church consider their personal faith in God to transcend all other priorities. As many as one out of every six pastors (16%) contends that 90% or more of the adults in their church hold their relationship with God as their top life priority!"
The surveys the Barna Group conducted of parishioners revealed a very different situation. They showed that "only one out of every seven adults (15%) placed their faith in God at the top of their priority list." Among those who specifically attend Protestant churches, "not quite one out of every four (23%) named their faith in God as their top priority in life."
Barna went further with the analysis and asked pastors upon what they based their inadequate thinking. He found the typical responses of "church and Sunday School attendance, sermon comments as folks left worship services, participation in singing, and the availability of people to run the programs of the church."
These measures (although they may be the only ones pastors know to use) have always been inadequate in measuring spiritual maturity. They may give indication of local church involvement and commitment, but oftentimes that has very little to do with a growing love and passion for the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that spiritual maturity is difficult to measure, but it certainly can be done. In fact, it must to addressed if congregational leaders believe it to be a priority in congregational life.
It seems to me that the two great priorities for the church are clearly spelled out in Luke 10:27, "And he answered and said, 'You shall love the LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOU MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." This teaching is also found in Mark 12:30-31. Loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind point to spiritual formation and maturity. Loving our neighbor as ourselves indicates outreach and evangelism.
This issue of SpiritLines will look at potential spiritual assessment helps for individuals and congregations desiring to help parishioners in the spiritual formation process of making the Lord God the number one focus and priority in life.
Warmest Regards,
Wendy
To read Barna's full research article, click here.
Biblical Guidance for Measuring Spiritual Maturity
Gal. 5:22 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
I Thess. 5:16-18 - "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Col. 3:14 - "And beyond all these things put on love, which is the prefect bond of unity."
Ps. 78:1 - "LISTEN, O my people, to my instruction: Incline your ears to the words of my mouth."
Rom. 12:9-19 - "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the LORD; rejoicing in hope, persevering tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge."
Rom 5:5 - "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according the Spirit, the things of the Spirit."
The Writers Speak
"It is necessary to take particular care to begin, if only for a moment, your exterior actions with this interior gaze and that you do the same while you are doing them and when you have finished them."
The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence. Translated by John Delaney. New York: Doubleday Book Publishers, 1996.
"The English Puritans of 1550 to 1700 used to refer to ministers as 'physicians of the soul.' In our day, as in theirs, the timeless process of discerning one's spiritual health likewise involves questions and tests."
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2001, p. 13.
"Just as Jesus is the source of spiritual life, so also is He the standard of spiritual health."
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney, p. 14.
"Growing Christians increasingly long for a holy Heaven, not just a restful one. They look forward to holy relationships, not just nostalgic ones. They sigh to see a holy Jesus."
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney, p. 125.
"From this perspective of grieving for sin, there are two ways to evaluate your life - proximity to the ideal or progress toward it. You can look at what you ought to be - Christlike - and be discouraged because you are so far from it. Too much measuring yourself by the perfection of Jesus will dishearten you. Too little can breed spiritual pride. But you can also look at how far by God's grace you've come, and be hopeful. In the life of the growing Christian, there are times for both."
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney, p. 110.
"When a believer burns out, it's his own human resources that have been exhausted. God' infinite zoe can never be depleted. If He lives in each of us and is our life, then spiritual burnout is caused by the believer's failure to rest in and receive the continual flow of His life."
Spiritual Burnout: When Doing All You Can Isn't Enough, Malcolm Smith. Tulsa, OK: Pillar Books & Publishing, 1995, p.63.
"Some of us are so far into the later stages of spiritual starvation that we don't know what it is to be full and well. We have been feeding for so long on the emptiness of words and noise and activity that our soul is emaciated, but like an anorexic teen, we are past the point of desiring real food."
Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence, Ruth Haley Barton. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004, p. 128.
"One of the most pervasive problems in contemporary Western Christianity is that we mistakenly assume that information automatically translates into transformation."
Seeing is Believing: Experience Jesus through Imaginative Prayer, Gregory Boyd. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2004, p. 71.:woah:
"Three critical formation questions (for congregations):
Who are we?
What has God called us to do or be?
Who is our neighbor?"
Holy Conversations: Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations, Gil Rendle and Alice Mann. Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, 2003, p. xiv.
"Christianity is judged by its fruits, not by its religious observances."
Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth, Thomas P. Williamsen, Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, 1997, p. 113.
"Fruits We Are to Have in Our Lives:
* Fruit of our Lips
'Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name.' - Heb. 13:15
* Fruit of our Deeds
'That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.' - Col. 1:10
* Fruit of our Attitudes
'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.' - Gal. 5:22-23
Out of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament, fifteen mention the kinds of fruit we are to have in our lives."
Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life, Joanna Weaver, Colorado Springs, Colorado: Waterbrook Press, 2002, p. 84-85.
Spiritual Assessment Resources
Building Church Leaders, Your Complete Guide to Leadership Training From Building Church Leaders, published by Leadership Journal, 1998 Christianity Today, Inc.
To order: 800-806-7798; mention offer AS8F8 and product code LNSET.
Craig, Robert H. Dry Bones Life, Helping Congregations Discover New Life. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1989.
Frank, Thomas Edward. The Soul of the Congregation: An Invitation to Congregational Reflection. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000.
Kaster, Jeffrey. Editor, Janet M. Peterson-Haarman, Ann Marie Biermaier, and Jeff Fromm. Parish Faith Formation Assessment and Planning Tool. Franklin, Wisconsin: Sheed and Ward, 1999.
Melander, Rochelle and Harold Appley. Growing Together: Spiritual Exercises for Church Committees. Minneapolis, MS: Augsburg Fortress, 1998.
Whitney, Donald S. Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2001.
Williamsen, Thomas P. Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth. Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, 1997.
Spiritual Health Assessments
Personal Awareness Exercise
Rate each statement as to your own feelings about it.
A rating of 5 is the strongest agreement; 1 indicates no application of that statement to your life.
Since this is personal, you need not share it with anyone else. (Write the applicable number in the blanks following the statement.)
I am aware of God's presence in my life each day. _______
I look forward to worship services in my church. _______
I am aware of God during worship services in my church. ______
Before making major decisions I pray for God's leadership. _______
I find it natural to mention God in conversation with friends socially. _______
I make opportunities for personal devotional periods each day. _______
I find that God speaks to me through Bible reading. _______
My best definition of God is _____________________________.
Source Unknown.
Personal Spiritual Health Assessment
"Examine yourself, do you not know that God is in you?" That's what the apostle Paul encouraged. So we must examine ourselves.
How would you describe your spiritual life at the present?
How would you describe your relationship with God? Why do you give this answer? What about your relationship with others? Can you cherish your strengths and your weaknesses?
What is the growing edge in your life; that is, where is God leading you to grow?
In which area of life do you recognize a need for spiritual help? Jesus summarized God's will for us: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12: 30-31) He (JESUS!!)also assumed we would have some kind of spiritual practice; To introduce the "Lord's Prayer," he said "when you pray" not "If you pray."
Please respond by rating from 1-5 along a continuum that best describes where you are, realizing that your response would vary from day to day.
I am growing in my awareness of and love for God, in my appreciation of others and gratefulness for life. _______
As I receive God's love and forgiveness, I find it easier to accept and forgive myself. _______
I am growing in my ability to listen to God in sermons, scripture, and my life. _______
I am living in love and peace with others as far as it is within my power. _______
I contribute to the needs of the poor and powerless or abused so that justice is done in the world. _______
I am growing in my ability to cherish people who are different from me and to find the image of God in them. _______
I have a regular practice of prayer - listening to God and noticing where God is active in my life. _______
I have a person or group I meet with. Here I can be honest and share my struggles, including those of my spiritual life. _______
Adapted from Spiritual Awakening: A Guide to Spiritual Life in Congregations, John Ackerman, by permission of the Alban Institute, Inc., 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1250W, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3211. Copyright 1994. All rights reserved.
Congregational Spiritual Health Assessment
What is the history of your congregation, the style of your being together?
What is your recent congregational history, patterns, traditions, and treasures?
How is your congregation unique? What makes you different from other groups of believers in your area?
How do you see yourselves? How do you see God? How is God at work in your midst?
Is there an image, picture, or person that might symbolize your congregation?
What does your congregation stand for? For what would your congregation fall?
How does your congregation discern the will of God for its direction, purpose, and priorities?
How do personal values compare to the congregational values practiced in daily life?
Who gives the congregation feedback from outside the congregation? (Newcomers, on-the-street interviews, outside consultant, etc.?)
Where is God nudging you? Where is God present in your midst? Adapted from Spiritual Awakening: A Guide to Spiritual Life in Congregations, John Ackerman, by permission of the Alban Institute, Inc., 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1250W, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3211. Copyright © 1994. All rights reserved.
Annual Parishioner Interview
Schedule an annual personal interview with every professing believer in the congregation if you are in a smaller church. If the congregation is too large for you to meet with every individual, interview all the church leadership and train others to interview all other believers. The purpose of the interview is to help each parishioner discern their individual spiritual progress. Make notes and keep a file to assist them in their assessment the following year. This private information should help in determining sermon and study needs within the congregation.
Develop questions appropriate for your setting.
Potential questions are:
Tell me about the way your faith has changed throughout the years.
Think of the death of a friend or a relative. What do you suppose was going on? (Encourage the sharing of how this did/ did not alter their faith journey.)
How do you experience congregational life?
What changes have you noticed since you became a church member here?
At what point in the congregation's life do you feel closest to God (or) in danger of losing touch with God?
If you were to tell just one story that captures what this congregation is like, what story would you tell?
The Soul of the Congregation: An Invitation to Congregational Reflection. P. 164-165.
Other questions might include:
What spiritual practices are helping you to feel closer to God?
Where do you think you have grown the most as a Christian in the last year?
Where are you challenged the most in your spiritual journey? Who is challenging you the most in your spiritual walk?
When and how are you engaging spiritual reading, both Holy Scripture and trusted spiritual resources?
Where and how do you find the greatest joy in serving Christ?
How is your prayer life developing?
How do you think this congregation can help you to love the Lord Jesus more passionately?
What are you willing to do to open your heart to God's presence more fully?
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health
Do you thirst for God?
Are you governed increasingly by God's word?
Are you more loving?
Are you more sensitive to God's presence?
Do you have a growing concern for the spiritual and temporal needs of others?
Do you delight in the Bride of Christ?
Are the spiritual disciplines increasingly important to you? Do you still grieve over sin?
Are you a quicker forgiver?
Do you yearn for heaven and to be with Jesus?
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2001.
Book Review
Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth
Author: Thomas P. Williamsen
Bethesda, MD: The Alban Institute, 1997
127 pp.
Category: Spiritual Leadership
"The church's gifts to the world are spiritually alive lay people empowered to live out their faith active in love where they live and work", states Thomas Williamsen in Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth. Williamsen's entire work is based around the notion that the lay person's primary function is out in the world, living spiritually alive and rich lives. He even goes so far as to say that "there is a problem when the church becomes the primary focus of their lives." For you see, too much time and effort devoted to in-church activity drains valuable energy away from time with God and time to reveal the glory of God to those who so desperately need to see God at work in the world through the joyous lives of Christians.
In this great work Williamsen begins by addressing the need for God's people to experience all that God has to offer. Far too often we tend to settle for life eternal, :tsk:when our Lord is ready and willing to provide not only that, but the abundant life as well. This abundant and joyous life is only found in a deep and abiding relationship with God. In order to do this Williamsen suggests that lay people seek out in their congregations one place of service and one place of nurture. He provides some excellent suggestions for how churches can provide nurture, how they can assist individuals in developing genuine spirituality.
Invaluable tips are also provided for leadership in the church who attempt to build a culture of spiritual depth within the congregation.
Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth is truly one of the richest resources I have found to assist in meeting the ever growing spiritual hunger in today's world. This is not a book to read once and then put on the shelf, but one to read and read and read again.
Upcoming Retreats
Retreat Information is provided for informational purposes only. It does not include endorsements or recommendations.
The Gathering 2007
June 6-9, 2007
Hinton Rural Life Center, Hayesville, NC
Presenter: Michael Birkel Theme: Walking in the Light Engaging Scripture to Illuminate the Journey
Registration fee: $150
Housing and Meals fee: $140
To register or seek more information, please write adventcenter @verizon .net or call 828-689-8320.
Christ in You: New Covenant LivingScripture Focus: 2 Corinthians
June 29-July 1
The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove
What does it mean to live in Christ? Deepen your understanding of the riches of Christ's new covenant, the challenges you'll face, and your role in it.
For more information or to register, call 1-800-950- 2092 or 1-828-298-2092 or visit the website, billygraham.org/TheCove.
Beginners in Contemplation
In the vocabulary of prayer, no word is more ambiguous than "contemplation." In this course, discover the meaning and various type of contemplation. CEU credit is available for this course (inquire upon arrival.)
Leader: Ben Campbell Johnson
Program fee: $350
Columbia Theological Seminary, Lifelong Learning
PO Box 520, Decatur, GA 30031
www.ctsnet.edu or 404-687-4587
North Carolina Five-Day Academy for Spiritual Formation
October 14-19
Trinity Center, Atlantic Beach
The Academy for Spiritual Formation is a disciplined Christian Community emphasizing holistic spirituality - nurturing body, mind and spirit. Intended for both clergy and laypersons who hunger for rich spiritual experiences.
Total cost for the entire week is $650.00, including meals and lodging. After July 1 registration is $670.00.
For more information and registration form, Click here.
Read on about these retreats...
Prayer Requests
Submit your prayer requests to Devon Bagwell at dbagwell @ncbaptist .org and she will list them.
Formation Thought to Ponder
"The more we approach God, the more He reveals Himself to us. Paradoxically, God's revelation of Himself to us is detected by our senses in such things as darkness, aridity, and worst of all, a trembling realization of our own inadequacies. When Light approaches, He exposes our darkness."
Beginning Contemplative Prayer
Author: Kathryn J. Hermes
Ann Arbor, Michigan: Charis Books, Servant Publications, 2001, 61.
O Lord, more than anything I desire you and I desire to be like you. I desperately want to possess the heart of Jesus. I yearn to value his values, to characterize his spirit, and to live out his beliefs and practices. And I regularly ask you to mold me and remake me in the image of your son Jesus. Yet Lord, it's so hard not to run and hide when you remind me of all the areas within myself that must change in order to develop a clean and pure heart. It's so painful to face up to the ugliness and sin within. It's so much easier to apply your word to someone else than it is to internalize it within my own self. It's so much more comfortable to ask you to change someone else than to invite your cleansing within my own heart and soul. So Lord, help me to look squarely in the spiritual mirror and face myself. Then help me to welcome and embrace your transforming presence. Yes Lord, form me as you will. Amen.
How are you taking stock of your personal spiritual progress or lack thereof?
How are you assessing the spiritual maturity of your congregation as a whole?
Wendy Minton Edwards
Spiritual Formation Coach
Office of Prayer for Evangelization and Spiritual AwakeningMission Growth Evangelism
877-459-1766
wmedwards @touchnc .net
Devon Bagwell
Ministry Assistant
Office of Prayer for Evangelization and Spiritual Awakening
Mission Growth Evangelism
919-459-5513
800-395-5102 x 5513
dbagwell @ncbaptist .org
Spiritual Formation desires to assist individuals, small groups, and congregations in their desire and efforts to invite and allow the Holy Spirit to work within themselves and their congregations. Our goal is to encourage and nurture the process of spiritual maturity.
Inviting God's Presence DVD and Listening Guide
Inviting God's Presence: Congregational Committees Seeking God DVD and listening guide will assist congregational committees in seeking God's presence, direction, and guidance as they make deliberations and important decisions regarding the life and work of the local church. Power is available through the Spirit.
If you are interested in purchasing this resource, you may order here.
I recently had opportunity to review some recent research of The Barna Research Group. I was saddened, but not surprised, by the findings posted on the Barna website (www.barna.org) on January 10, 2006 entitled "Surveys Show Pastors Claim Congregants Are Deeply Committed to God But Congregants Deny It!"
The surveys the Barna Group conducted of pastors revealed "that pastors believe a large majority of their congregants deem their faith in God to be the highest priority in their life. On average, pastors contend that 70% of the adults in their church consider their personal faith in God to transcend all other priorities. As many as one out of every six pastors (16%) contends that 90% or more of the adults in their church hold their relationship with God as their top life priority!"
The surveys the Barna Group conducted of parishioners revealed a very different situation. They showed that "only one out of every seven adults (15%) placed their faith in God at the top of their priority list." Among those who specifically attend Protestant churches, "not quite one out of every four (23%) named their faith in God as their top priority in life."
Barna went further with the analysis and asked pastors upon what they based their inadequate thinking. He found the typical responses of "church and Sunday School attendance, sermon comments as folks left worship services, participation in singing, and the availability of people to run the programs of the church."
These measures (although they may be the only ones pastors know to use) have always been inadequate in measuring spiritual maturity. They may give indication of local church involvement and commitment, but oftentimes that has very little to do with a growing love and passion for the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that spiritual maturity is difficult to measure, but it certainly can be done. In fact, it must to addressed if congregational leaders believe it to be a priority in congregational life.
It seems to me that the two great priorities for the church are clearly spelled out in Luke 10:27, "And he answered and said, 'You shall love the LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOU MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." This teaching is also found in Mark 12:30-31. Loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind point to spiritual formation and maturity. Loving our neighbor as ourselves indicates outreach and evangelism.
This issue of SpiritLines will look at potential spiritual assessment helps for individuals and congregations desiring to help parishioners in the spiritual formation process of making the Lord God the number one focus and priority in life.
Warmest Regards,
Wendy
To read Barna's full research article, click here.
Biblical Guidance for Measuring Spiritual Maturity
Gal. 5:22 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
I Thess. 5:16-18 - "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Col. 3:14 - "And beyond all these things put on love, which is the prefect bond of unity."
Ps. 78:1 - "LISTEN, O my people, to my instruction: Incline your ears to the words of my mouth."
Rom. 12:9-19 - "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the LORD; rejoicing in hope, persevering tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge."
Rom 5:5 - "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according the Spirit, the things of the Spirit."
The Writers Speak
"It is necessary to take particular care to begin, if only for a moment, your exterior actions with this interior gaze and that you do the same while you are doing them and when you have finished them."
The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence. Translated by John Delaney. New York: Doubleday Book Publishers, 1996.
"The English Puritans of 1550 to 1700 used to refer to ministers as 'physicians of the soul.' In our day, as in theirs, the timeless process of discerning one's spiritual health likewise involves questions and tests."
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2001, p. 13.
"Just as Jesus is the source of spiritual life, so also is He the standard of spiritual health."
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney, p. 14.
"Growing Christians increasingly long for a holy Heaven, not just a restful one. They look forward to holy relationships, not just nostalgic ones. They sigh to see a holy Jesus."
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney, p. 125.
"From this perspective of grieving for sin, there are two ways to evaluate your life - proximity to the ideal or progress toward it. You can look at what you ought to be - Christlike - and be discouraged because you are so far from it. Too much measuring yourself by the perfection of Jesus will dishearten you. Too little can breed spiritual pride. But you can also look at how far by God's grace you've come, and be hopeful. In the life of the growing Christian, there are times for both."
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney, p. 110.
"When a believer burns out, it's his own human resources that have been exhausted. God' infinite zoe can never be depleted. If He lives in each of us and is our life, then spiritual burnout is caused by the believer's failure to rest in and receive the continual flow of His life."
Spiritual Burnout: When Doing All You Can Isn't Enough, Malcolm Smith. Tulsa, OK: Pillar Books & Publishing, 1995, p.63.
"Some of us are so far into the later stages of spiritual starvation that we don't know what it is to be full and well. We have been feeding for so long on the emptiness of words and noise and activity that our soul is emaciated, but like an anorexic teen, we are past the point of desiring real food."
Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence, Ruth Haley Barton. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004, p. 128.
"One of the most pervasive problems in contemporary Western Christianity is that we mistakenly assume that information automatically translates into transformation."
Seeing is Believing: Experience Jesus through Imaginative Prayer, Gregory Boyd. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2004, p. 71.:woah:
"Three critical formation questions (for congregations):
Who are we?
What has God called us to do or be?
Who is our neighbor?"
Holy Conversations: Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations, Gil Rendle and Alice Mann. Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, 2003, p. xiv.
"Christianity is judged by its fruits, not by its religious observances."
Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth, Thomas P. Williamsen, Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, 1997, p. 113.
"Fruits We Are to Have in Our Lives:
* Fruit of our Lips
'Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name.' - Heb. 13:15
* Fruit of our Deeds
'That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.' - Col. 1:10
* Fruit of our Attitudes
'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.' - Gal. 5:22-23
Out of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament, fifteen mention the kinds of fruit we are to have in our lives."
Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life, Joanna Weaver, Colorado Springs, Colorado: Waterbrook Press, 2002, p. 84-85.
Spiritual Assessment Resources
Building Church Leaders, Your Complete Guide to Leadership Training From Building Church Leaders, published by Leadership Journal, 1998 Christianity Today, Inc.
To order: 800-806-7798; mention offer AS8F8 and product code LNSET.
Craig, Robert H. Dry Bones Life, Helping Congregations Discover New Life. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1989.
Frank, Thomas Edward. The Soul of the Congregation: An Invitation to Congregational Reflection. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000.
Kaster, Jeffrey. Editor, Janet M. Peterson-Haarman, Ann Marie Biermaier, and Jeff Fromm. Parish Faith Formation Assessment and Planning Tool. Franklin, Wisconsin: Sheed and Ward, 1999.
Melander, Rochelle and Harold Appley. Growing Together: Spiritual Exercises for Church Committees. Minneapolis, MS: Augsburg Fortress, 1998.
Whitney, Donald S. Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2001.
Williamsen, Thomas P. Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth. Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, 1997.
Spiritual Health Assessments
Personal Awareness Exercise
Rate each statement as to your own feelings about it.
A rating of 5 is the strongest agreement; 1 indicates no application of that statement to your life.
Since this is personal, you need not share it with anyone else. (Write the applicable number in the blanks following the statement.)
I am aware of God's presence in my life each day. _______
I look forward to worship services in my church. _______
I am aware of God during worship services in my church. ______
Before making major decisions I pray for God's leadership. _______
I find it natural to mention God in conversation with friends socially. _______
I make opportunities for personal devotional periods each day. _______
I find that God speaks to me through Bible reading. _______
My best definition of God is _____________________________.
Source Unknown.
Personal Spiritual Health Assessment
"Examine yourself, do you not know that God is in you?" That's what the apostle Paul encouraged. So we must examine ourselves.
How would you describe your spiritual life at the present?
How would you describe your relationship with God? Why do you give this answer? What about your relationship with others? Can you cherish your strengths and your weaknesses?
What is the growing edge in your life; that is, where is God leading you to grow?
In which area of life do you recognize a need for spiritual help? Jesus summarized God's will for us: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12: 30-31) He (JESUS!!)also assumed we would have some kind of spiritual practice; To introduce the "Lord's Prayer," he said "when you pray" not "If you pray."
Please respond by rating from 1-5 along a continuum that best describes where you are, realizing that your response would vary from day to day.
I am growing in my awareness of and love for God, in my appreciation of others and gratefulness for life. _______
As I receive God's love and forgiveness, I find it easier to accept and forgive myself. _______
I am growing in my ability to listen to God in sermons, scripture, and my life. _______
I am living in love and peace with others as far as it is within my power. _______
I contribute to the needs of the poor and powerless or abused so that justice is done in the world. _______
I am growing in my ability to cherish people who are different from me and to find the image of God in them. _______
I have a regular practice of prayer - listening to God and noticing where God is active in my life. _______
I have a person or group I meet with. Here I can be honest and share my struggles, including those of my spiritual life. _______
Adapted from Spiritual Awakening: A Guide to Spiritual Life in Congregations, John Ackerman, by permission of the Alban Institute, Inc., 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1250W, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3211. Copyright 1994. All rights reserved.
Congregational Spiritual Health Assessment
What is the history of your congregation, the style of your being together?
What is your recent congregational history, patterns, traditions, and treasures?
How is your congregation unique? What makes you different from other groups of believers in your area?
How do you see yourselves? How do you see God? How is God at work in your midst?
Is there an image, picture, or person that might symbolize your congregation?
What does your congregation stand for? For what would your congregation fall?
How does your congregation discern the will of God for its direction, purpose, and priorities?
How do personal values compare to the congregational values practiced in daily life?
Who gives the congregation feedback from outside the congregation? (Newcomers, on-the-street interviews, outside consultant, etc.?)
Where is God nudging you? Where is God present in your midst? Adapted from Spiritual Awakening: A Guide to Spiritual Life in Congregations, John Ackerman, by permission of the Alban Institute, Inc., 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1250W, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3211. Copyright © 1994. All rights reserved.
Annual Parishioner Interview
Schedule an annual personal interview with every professing believer in the congregation if you are in a smaller church. If the congregation is too large for you to meet with every individual, interview all the church leadership and train others to interview all other believers. The purpose of the interview is to help each parishioner discern their individual spiritual progress. Make notes and keep a file to assist them in their assessment the following year. This private information should help in determining sermon and study needs within the congregation.
Develop questions appropriate for your setting.
Potential questions are:
Tell me about the way your faith has changed throughout the years.
Think of the death of a friend or a relative. What do you suppose was going on? (Encourage the sharing of how this did/ did not alter their faith journey.)
How do you experience congregational life?
What changes have you noticed since you became a church member here?
At what point in the congregation's life do you feel closest to God (or) in danger of losing touch with God?
If you were to tell just one story that captures what this congregation is like, what story would you tell?
The Soul of the Congregation: An Invitation to Congregational Reflection. P. 164-165.
Other questions might include:
What spiritual practices are helping you to feel closer to God?
Where do you think you have grown the most as a Christian in the last year?
Where are you challenged the most in your spiritual journey? Who is challenging you the most in your spiritual walk?
When and how are you engaging spiritual reading, both Holy Scripture and trusted spiritual resources?
Where and how do you find the greatest joy in serving Christ?
How is your prayer life developing?
How do you think this congregation can help you to love the Lord Jesus more passionately?
What are you willing to do to open your heart to God's presence more fully?
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health
Do you thirst for God?
Are you governed increasingly by God's word?
Are you more loving?
Are you more sensitive to God's presence?
Do you have a growing concern for the spiritual and temporal needs of others?
Do you delight in the Bride of Christ?
Are the spiritual disciplines increasingly important to you? Do you still grieve over sin?
Are you a quicker forgiver?
Do you yearn for heaven and to be with Jesus?
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Donald S. Whitney. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2001.
Book Review
Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth
Author: Thomas P. Williamsen
Bethesda, MD: The Alban Institute, 1997
127 pp.
Category: Spiritual Leadership
"The church's gifts to the world are spiritually alive lay people empowered to live out their faith active in love where they live and work", states Thomas Williamsen in Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth. Williamsen's entire work is based around the notion that the lay person's primary function is out in the world, living spiritually alive and rich lives. He even goes so far as to say that "there is a problem when the church becomes the primary focus of their lives." For you see, too much time and effort devoted to in-church activity drains valuable energy away from time with God and time to reveal the glory of God to those who so desperately need to see God at work in the world through the joyous lives of Christians.
In this great work Williamsen begins by addressing the need for God's people to experience all that God has to offer. Far too often we tend to settle for life eternal, :tsk:when our Lord is ready and willing to provide not only that, but the abundant life as well. This abundant and joyous life is only found in a deep and abiding relationship with God. In order to do this Williamsen suggests that lay people seek out in their congregations one place of service and one place of nurture. He provides some excellent suggestions for how churches can provide nurture, how they can assist individuals in developing genuine spirituality.
Invaluable tips are also provided for leadership in the church who attempt to build a culture of spiritual depth within the congregation.
Attending Parishioners' Spiritual Growth is truly one of the richest resources I have found to assist in meeting the ever growing spiritual hunger in today's world. This is not a book to read once and then put on the shelf, but one to read and read and read again.
Upcoming Retreats
Retreat Information is provided for informational purposes only. It does not include endorsements or recommendations.
The Gathering 2007
June 6-9, 2007
Hinton Rural Life Center, Hayesville, NC
Presenter: Michael Birkel Theme: Walking in the Light Engaging Scripture to Illuminate the Journey
Registration fee: $150
Housing and Meals fee: $140
To register or seek more information, please write adventcenter @verizon .net or call 828-689-8320.
Christ in You: New Covenant LivingScripture Focus: 2 Corinthians
June 29-July 1
The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove
What does it mean to live in Christ? Deepen your understanding of the riches of Christ's new covenant, the challenges you'll face, and your role in it.
For more information or to register, call 1-800-950- 2092 or 1-828-298-2092 or visit the website, billygraham.org/TheCove.
Beginners in Contemplation
In the vocabulary of prayer, no word is more ambiguous than "contemplation." In this course, discover the meaning and various type of contemplation. CEU credit is available for this course (inquire upon arrival.)
Leader: Ben Campbell Johnson
Program fee: $350
Columbia Theological Seminary, Lifelong Learning
PO Box 520, Decatur, GA 30031
www.ctsnet.edu or 404-687-4587
North Carolina Five-Day Academy for Spiritual Formation
October 14-19
Trinity Center, Atlantic Beach
The Academy for Spiritual Formation is a disciplined Christian Community emphasizing holistic spirituality - nurturing body, mind and spirit. Intended for both clergy and laypersons who hunger for rich spiritual experiences.
Total cost for the entire week is $650.00, including meals and lodging. After July 1 registration is $670.00.
For more information and registration form, Click here.
Read on about these retreats...
Prayer Requests
Submit your prayer requests to Devon Bagwell at dbagwell @ncbaptist .org and she will list them.
Formation Thought to Ponder
"The more we approach God, the more He reveals Himself to us. Paradoxically, God's revelation of Himself to us is detected by our senses in such things as darkness, aridity, and worst of all, a trembling realization of our own inadequacies. When Light approaches, He exposes our darkness."
Beginning Contemplative Prayer
Author: Kathryn J. Hermes
Ann Arbor, Michigan: Charis Books, Servant Publications, 2001, 61.
O Lord, more than anything I desire you and I desire to be like you. I desperately want to possess the heart of Jesus. I yearn to value his values, to characterize his spirit, and to live out his beliefs and practices. And I regularly ask you to mold me and remake me in the image of your son Jesus. Yet Lord, it's so hard not to run and hide when you remind me of all the areas within myself that must change in order to develop a clean and pure heart. It's so painful to face up to the ugliness and sin within. It's so much easier to apply your word to someone else than it is to internalize it within my own self. It's so much more comfortable to ask you to change someone else than to invite your cleansing within my own heart and soul. So Lord, help me to look squarely in the spiritual mirror and face myself. Then help me to welcome and embrace your transforming presence. Yes Lord, form me as you will. Amen.
How are you taking stock of your personal spiritual progress or lack thereof?
How are you assessing the spiritual maturity of your congregation as a whole?
Wendy Minton Edwards
Spiritual Formation Coach
Office of Prayer for Evangelization and Spiritual AwakeningMission Growth Evangelism
877-459-1766
wmedwards @touchnc .net
Devon Bagwell
Ministry Assistant
Office of Prayer for Evangelization and Spiritual Awakening
Mission Growth Evangelism
919-459-5513
800-395-5102 x 5513
dbagwell @ncbaptist .org