Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Reed, A. (2011) Quest for spiritual community: reclaiming spiritual guidance for contemporary congregations
Begin to reflect on your whole life as a play comprised of several acts. Be attentive to the natural transitions of your life which signal the begining of a new act, such as early childhood, teen years, college, employment, major moves or family transitions. Create a timeline of your life that identifies each act jot down key features of those periods. As you look at the dramatic movement of your life, pay attention to God's presence and activity. How would you describe your awareness of God in each act? 42
Imagine yourself on stage. As you look around, you see that you're not alone. There are others playing supporting roles who have been an inegral part of your life story and your spiritual development. As you look over your life, note any congregations that have been a part of your story. What has been your experience of the church? Are there specific individuals who were important in helping you recognise God? What did that person or persons say or do? How would you describe the spiritual guidance you have received? Do not hesitate to acknowledge painful experiences and relationships. These also impact our experience and understandiong of GOd. 80
Imagine yourself on stage. As you look around, you see that you're not alone. There are others who have been integral to your life story and yoru spiritual development. Make a not e of familty members who have palyed important supporting roles. Some may have been genuine spiritual guides to you, caring for you supporting you in your relationshiop with God. Take note of them. Some may have led you away from God. Their presence in yoru life may have engendered false ideas about God. Remember that some family influences are disruptive to teh flow of the drama. As family members come to mind, ask God to help you see them as God sees them. 109
Five important findings emerge taht speak to what becoming a spiritual guide means for pastors and their congregations.
1) Concern for self-care and ongoing personal spiritual formation
2) A pryaerful presence in all tasks of ministry
3) an ear for God's presence and activity in people and projects
4) a language for experiences of God
5) reconstructed standards of success 52
Pastors work not to point to what we want to do or even what we should do, but what we feel called to do. 64
5 key features of spiritual direction
1) an increased awareness of God's presence in everyday life
2)bringing God out of the box
3) a sense of belonging in the congregation
4) discerning calls to ministry and service
5) nurturing action through prayer and reflection 69
Features of Paul the spiritual guide in Thessalonians
1) He is not teh true spiritual guide: The HS is
2) Paul commited to prayer and discernment
3) Attention to God's presence in everyday life
4) ministry rooted in Christian imitation
To become am imago christi is to be transfigured into the self-giving love of GOd. With this transfiguration human beings attaion their messianic destiny; they glorify God the father with the Son and Holy Spirit, and become tehmsleves the glory of God' 142
Essential building blocks for practical approaches to spiritual guidance.
1) The heart of Christian spirituality is relationship - Christian spirituality and spiritual formation develops in an through participation in divine and human relationship. 153
2)Individual persons are invited on a spiritual journey with God - the Spirit offers a restorative relationship to each one of us through inward experiences of God and outward recognition of God's presence in the world. 154
3) Journey of spiritual formation requires a community characterised by nuture and accountability - formation in community is more than acts of love and compassion, it also incorporates education and imitation 155
4) The spiritual journey connects us to the heart of God where we hear trhe call to serve the world - as we continue on the inward journey, we may gain glimpses of God's heart for teh world and grow increasingly aware of the brokenness around us, we are also formed through concrete acts of servic that meet teh needs of others. Here we turn our attention from ourselves and on to others. 157
The question pastors most commonly as is teh what question - what porgrammes should we invest ourselves, what are teh truths we are teaching?
When we probe a little deeper, we ask 'how' - how do we best communicate.
On occassion we may look at our callings at a deeper level , asking 'why'
The one question pastors seldom ask is 'who' who is teh self that ministers - What does God have to say about who I am? - Pastors may lose sight of their true selves and operate out of a false self that they believe ministry requires. 171
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Imagine yourself on stage. As you look around, you see that you're not alone. There are others playing supporting roles who have been an inegral part of your life story and your spiritual development. As you look over your life, note any congregations that have been a part of your story. What has been your experience of the church? Are there specific individuals who were important in helping you recognise God? What did that person or persons say or do? How would you describe the spiritual guidance you have received? Do not hesitate to acknowledge painful experiences and relationships. These also impact our experience and understandiong of GOd. 80
Imagine yourself on stage. As you look around, you see that you're not alone. There are others who have been integral to your life story and yoru spiritual development. Make a not e of familty members who have palyed important supporting roles. Some may have been genuine spiritual guides to you, caring for you supporting you in your relationshiop with God. Take note of them. Some may have led you away from God. Their presence in yoru life may have engendered false ideas about God. Remember that some family influences are disruptive to teh flow of the drama. As family members come to mind, ask God to help you see them as God sees them. 109
Five important findings emerge taht speak to what becoming a spiritual guide means for pastors and their congregations.
1) Concern for self-care and ongoing personal spiritual formation
2) A pryaerful presence in all tasks of ministry
3) an ear for God's presence and activity in people and projects
4) a language for experiences of God
5) reconstructed standards of success 52
Pastors work not to point to what we want to do or even what we should do, but what we feel called to do. 64
5 key features of spiritual direction
1) an increased awareness of God's presence in everyday life
2)bringing God out of the box
3) a sense of belonging in the congregation
4) discerning calls to ministry and service
5) nurturing action through prayer and reflection 69
Features of Paul the spiritual guide in Thessalonians
1) He is not teh true spiritual guide: The HS is
2) Paul commited to prayer and discernment
3) Attention to God's presence in everyday life
4) ministry rooted in Christian imitation
To become am imago christi is to be transfigured into the self-giving love of GOd. With this transfiguration human beings attaion their messianic destiny; they glorify God the father with the Son and Holy Spirit, and become tehmsleves the glory of God' 142
Essential building blocks for practical approaches to spiritual guidance.
1) The heart of Christian spirituality is relationship - Christian spirituality and spiritual formation develops in an through participation in divine and human relationship. 153
2)Individual persons are invited on a spiritual journey with God - the Spirit offers a restorative relationship to each one of us through inward experiences of God and outward recognition of God's presence in the world. 154
3) Journey of spiritual formation requires a community characterised by nuture and accountability - formation in community is more than acts of love and compassion, it also incorporates education and imitation 155
4) The spiritual journey connects us to the heart of God where we hear trhe call to serve the world - as we continue on the inward journey, we may gain glimpses of God's heart for teh world and grow increasingly aware of the brokenness around us, we are also formed through concrete acts of servic that meet teh needs of others. Here we turn our attention from ourselves and on to others. 157
The question pastors most commonly as is teh what question - what porgrammes should we invest ourselves, what are teh truths we are teaching?
When we probe a little deeper, we ask 'how' - how do we best communicate.
On occassion we may look at our callings at a deeper level , asking 'why'
The one question pastors seldom ask is 'who' who is teh self that ministers - What does God have to say about who I am? - Pastors may lose sight of their true selves and operate out of a false self that they believe ministry requires. 171
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