Spiritual Living for Ministers - Course Study Guide (Print)

Welcome to the course on Minister’s Spiritual Life. The course will lead you in a four-part study of some foundational principles in spiritual formation, in reviewing some inspiring Scripture selections from the Old and New Testaments, in considering relationships that provide a context for spiritual growth and some vehicles or disciplines that promote spirituality.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

The Prerequisites to Spiritual Living. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

PART ONE

LESSON ONE. Choose The Way of The Cross – Following Jesus to a Personal Calvary. . .  . . . . . . 9
LESSON TWO. Choose a Lifestyle of Repentance – Loving What God Loves. . . . . .  . . . . . . . 14
LESSON THREE. Choose to be a Man of the Book – Committed to its Message.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
LESSON FOUR. Choose to be a Servant Believer – A Life Centered in Serving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
LESSON FIVE. Choose to be Forgiving in Heart – Healing From Hurt.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
LESSON SIX. Choose Wholeness as a Lifestyle – Thinking, Feeling and Doing Like Jesus Did. . . . . . . . . . . . 32
LESSON SEVEN. Choose the Pathway to Freedom in Christ – Being Clothed with Spiritual Intimacy. . . . . . . . . 38
LESSON EIGHT. Choose to be at Home with God – Nurturing the Seed of Eternity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

PART TWO

LESSON NINE. Revisiting Documents in the Old Testament (1).. . . . 50
LESSON TEN. Revisiting Documents in the Old Testament (2).. . . . 55
LESSON ELEVEN. Revisiting Documents in the New Testament (1). . . . 59
LESSON TWELVE. Revisiting Documents in the New Testament (2). . . . 64
LESSON THIRTEEN. Revisiting Documents in the New Testament (3). . . . 74

PART THREE

LESSON FOURTEEN. Choose to be a Noble and Loving Husband – Loving a Wife as She Was Designed to Be Loved . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
LESSON FIFTEEN. Choose to Honor God with an Affair Free Marriage. . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . 86
LESSON SIXTEEN. Choose to Make a Father’s Imprint – Molding a Vessel of God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
LESSON SEVENTEEN. Choose to Embrace Grand-Parenthood. . . . . . . . . . . 96
LESSON EIGHTEEN. Choose to Love the Brethren – Loving the Bride of Christ. . . . . . . . . 102

PART FOUR

LESSON NINETEEN. Choose to Pursue the Presence of God in Prayer – Discovering the Pathways of Prayer. . . 109
LESSON TWENTY. Choose Self-Discipline in a life of Purposeful Giving, Fasting and Meditation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
LESSON TWENTY ONE. Choose to Claim the Gifts of God in Ministry. . . . . . 119
LESSON TWENTY-TWO. Choose to Transform Conflict into Unity.. . . . . . . . . 124
LESSON TWENTY-THREE. Choose to Grasp the Vision of God – Seeing a Glorious Church in a Lost World. . . .. . . 130
LESSON TWENTY-FOUR. Choose to be a Church Builder Glorifying the Savior of the Body. . . . . . . . . 136

INTRODUCTION:

What is Spirituality? Spirituality is a process. It is the outcome of a long series of good choices. It is not synonymous with old age but it does require, not years, but decades to develop. It does not happen mechanically, automatically, routinely. It is purposely pursued. It is the equivalent to the mystical search for the holy grail. It is a life-long quest for intimacy with God. After all that a man might do in the quest for spiritual intimacy, at the core of it all is the Spirit of God at work in forming character.