Personal Spiritual Growth
Have you ever wondered why your Christian life seemed to be standing still? Do you want to know how to help others grow in their Christian faith? In this class we will study the foundations for Christian growth and explore a number of important spiritual habits essential for growth. Practical assignments will help you apply what you learn.
Course Prerequisites
* You must be a Christian and desire to grow
* If you are not yet baptized, you are encouraged to be baptized soon in obedience to Christ’s command.
Course Attendance
In order to receive the greatest benefit from this course you should plan to attend consistently and complete the assignments. Since the second part of the course builds on the foundation laid in part I, no one will be admitted to the class after the 3rd week.
Requirements for Credit
To receive credit for this course, you must attend class consistently and do the homework. The homework assignments are mostly of a practical nature, and should not take you very much time. But you must do them!
This course is a pre-requisite for some other courses, as well as a requirement for certain ministry positions. In order to fulfill these requirements, you must complete the course and receive a passing grade.
Grading
Those taking the course for credit will receive a grade of Pass or Fail. In order to pass the course, you must satisfy the following requirements:
1. Class participation: you must attend at least 9 of the 11 class sessions. Anyone missing more than 10 minutes of class will be marked absent.
2. Homework: you must satisfactorily complete at least 70% of the homework assignments.
Textbooks
Ortberg, John. The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997, 2002.
Supplemental Reading
Bridges, Jerry. The Discipline of Grace: God’s Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1994.
Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. San Francisco: Harper-Collins, 1998.
Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth am I Here For? Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002.
Whitney, Donald S. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1991. Willard, Dallas. The Spirit of the Disciplines. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988.