Spice Up Learning With Adult Elective Events

ADULT STUDY

Spiritual Disciplines

Periodically, a new program appears calling individuals to a deeper commitment to Christ. Generally, these programs suggest some form of accountability for practicing the spiritual disciplines. Throughout the centuries--from the Desert Fathers to the Spiritual Disciplines of St. Ignatius, to the eight-point record system of 1950s Sunday schools to the contemporary practices of Richard Foster--this call to a deeper spiritual life has been part of a Christian’s journey. Currently, people are expressing renewed interest in spiritual direction, a process through which a trained director helps a seeker discern the ways of the Spirit. The director often guides the seeker to the classical spiritual disciplines.

Spiritual disciplines affect both the inner and outer life. The inner disciplines include prayer and meditation, fasting, Bible study and devotional reading, silence and solitude, and the practice of taking a moral inventory. The outer disciplines include worship and praise, fellowship, missions, ministry, service, and the giving of one’s resources.

These disciplines help deepen a believer’s faith and increase his or her intimacy with Christ. We practice them to approach wholeness and health and experience our salvation more fully. Through the disciplines, we learn to walk in fellowship with Christ, who transforms us. Then, as a natural outcome, we extend that love into the world.

God issues the call to a deeper life in a variety of ways, but however we receive the call, the purpose of the disciplines is to help us “follow God more nearly, know God more clearly, and love God more dearly” (Richard of Chichester). In this study, your group is led to take a deeper look at some of the disciplines and consider their practice as a response to God’s love.

Five-week plan:
Week One: Putting First Things First
Scripture: John 15:1-17
Session question: How is a vital prayer life the foundation of a Christian life?

Week Two: Building a Firm Foundation
Scripture: Matthew 7:24-29
Session question: How do Bible study and spiritual reading strengthen a Christian to live abundantly?

Week Three: Taking Inventory
Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5; 12:33-35; 23:25-28
Session question: How can I evaluate my life by the standards of Christ?

Week Four: Moving Out in the Name of Christ
Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30
Session question: How can I match my call and gifts with the needs of the world?

Week Five: Loving One Another
Scripture: 1 John 4:7-12
Session question: How can church members bear witness to Christ?

Resources available:
"Spiritual Disciplines" is a five session study for adults, including learner's materials, teaching guides, and handouts. The teaching guide is options-based, so teachers can customize sessions to match their favorite approach. These materials are only available as a download. Click here to download your copies from NextSunday.com

Tips:
• This study is appropriate for small or large groups.

• Select a leader for the elective that is comfortable discussing and offering practical examples of spiritual living. Comfort with both the inner aspects of spirituality (prayer and meditation, fasting, Bible study and devotional reading, silence and solitude, etc) as well as the outer aspects (worship and praise, fellowship, missions, ministry, service, and the giving of one’s resources) will allow the leader to offer richer insights throughout the study.

• Feel free to give the study a title with extra pizzazz, such as

•Growing Closer to God,” “Spiritual Work Out,” or “Inside & Out: Discover How to Grow in Faith.”

• Promote the study through your church newsletter, with verbal announcements, and in adult Sunday school departments.

• Once the study has been downloaded, prepare copies of the Learner’s materials in advance of each session.