Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion you should be able to:

• Explain the implications of biblical teaching about the personal and relational nature of Christian spirituality

• Summarize the role of sacrifice, suffering, trials, and temptation in Christian spirituality

• Integrate the Bible’s teaching of salvation by grace alone with its teaching about pursuing and perfecting a holy life

• Challenge yourself to learn from key spiritual movements and approaches to Christian spirituality

• Summarize some key aspects of the role of our bodies in Christian spirituality

• Compose a personal biblical response to the idea that God still speaks today

• Narrow your focus on mission in the kingdom of God even as you broaden your approach to Christian spirituality

• Synthesize a comprehensive set of guidelines for assessing your own Christian spirituality

Course Outline

Unit 1: Spirituality: Historical Survey

• God’s Desire for Relationship

• David’s Heart for God

• Examining Ahithophel’s Relationship to Bathsheba

• God’s Desire for Relationship with You

• Friends of Devotion

• Cultivating a Wide Circle of Friends

• The Lost Art of Devotional Reading: Things to Remember

• Illustrating the Lost Art of Devotional Reading

• Ways People Approach Christian Spirituality

• Keeping Focus with Organized Prayer Lists

• Desert Experience

• Eastern Tradition

• Monasticism

• Contemplative Mysticism

• Puritanism

• Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement

• Unit 1 Quiz

Unit 2: Genuine Spirituality: Focused Diversity

• Seeking the Kingdom of God (Matt 6:33)

• “Fear Not”

• Researching the “Cowardly” with the Bible Word Study

• Understanding Differences in Values

• Accepting What God Values

• Acting Justly

• Loving Mercy

• Walking Humbly with Our God

• A Tailor-Made Spiritual Walk

• Relating to God in Different Ways

• Freedom and Diversity of New Testament Worship

• Naturalists

• Intellectuals

• Caregivers

• Sensates

• Ascetics

• Activists

• Contemplatives

• Exploring Eastern Orthodox Spirituality

• Traditionalists

• Enthusiasts

• An Invitation to Personalized Devotion

• Spiritual Pathways and Mission

• Unit 2 Quiz

Unit 3: Authentic Faith and Holiness

• Spirituality from God’s Perspective

• Authentic Faith

• Sacrifice: The Heart of Holiness

• Examining the Health and Wealth Gospel

• Historical Opinions about Who Is Really Holy

• Christians Relating to God through Suffering

• God Relating to Christians through Suffering

• Suffering: Key to Spiritual Maturity

• Suffering: Redemptive or Self-Pitying?

• Suffering: Key to Ministry

• Accepting the Reality of Sin and Temptation

• Longing for Holiness

• Pursuing Godliness

• Struggling with Sin

• Understanding the Absurdity of Sin

• Knowing that Sin Separates Us from God

• Knowing that Temptation Can Make Us Stronger

• Gaining Victory over Temptation by Stages

• Breaking Sin’s Dominion

• Running the Race

• Unit 3 Quiz

• Midterm Exam

Unit 4: Holiness: God and the Body

• Every Body Matters

• Responding to the World’s View of the Body

• Dedicating Our Bodies as Instruments of Service

• Using the Bible Sense Lexicon to Find Different Senses of “Body”

• Avoiding Gluttony, a “Gateway Sin”

• Studying the Seven Deadly Sins

• Maintaining Physical Health for Longevity in Service

• Maintaining Physical Health for Better Spiritual Health

• Adopting Physical Health as a Corporate Value

• Having the Mind of Christ

• Taking Charge of Our Minds

• Having Ears That Hear

• Recognizing That God Still Speaks

• Listening with an Obedient Heart

• Tests for Truth: Scripture

• Tests for Truth: God’s Church and the Holy Life

• Tests for Truth: Familiarity with God’s Voice

• Unit 4 Quiz

Unit 5: Holiness: Practicing the Spiritual Virtues

• Intentional Spiritual Growth

• Practicing the Virtues of Christ

• Humility: Testimonies from the Christian Classics

• Humility: Defining It

• Humility: Practicing It

• Studying the Meaning of Humility in the Ancient World

• Humility: Growing in It

• Gentleness: A Christian Virtue

• Gentleness: Following the Gentle Shepherd

• Gentleness: Showing It to the World

• Gentleness: Showing It in Our Homes

• Gentleness: Call to Biblical Christianity

• Gentleness: Learning It

• Thankfulness: A Christian Virtue

• Thankfulness: Recognizing Blessings

• Thankfulness: Fighting Discontent

• Thankfulness: Maintaining Our Human Relationships

• Thankfulness: Maintaining Our Relationship with God

• Analyzing Thankfulness in the Bible

• Fostering Spiritual Disciplines

• Using Daily Devotions and Bible Reading Plans

• Unit 5 Quiz

Unit 6: Holiness: Marriage and Family

• Marriage: Rediscovering Its Purpose

• Marriage: A Sanctifying Catalyst

• Marriage: Growing in Our Ability to Love

• Parenting: A Life-Shaping Call

• Parenting: A Catalyst for Spiritual Progress

• Unit 6 Quiz

Unit 7: Holiness: Life’s Pleasures and Death

• Pleasure: Problem or Solution?

• Pleasure: A Bulwark against Vulnerability

• Pleasure: Beloved Kosmos versus Evil Kosmos

• Pleasure: Getting Rid of an Antagonistic View of God

• Pleasure: Enjoying God’s Good Gifts

• Pleasure: A Catalyst for Spiritual Formation

• Remembrance of Death versus Unbiblical Denial

• Remembrance of Death and Setting Priorities

• Remembrance of Death and Living a Holy Life

• Remembrance of Death and the Comfort of Death

• Unit 7 Quiz

• Final Exam

Details

• Title: PD201 Introducing Spiritual Formation

• Instructor: Gary Thomas

• Publisher: Lexham Press

• Publication Date: 2014

• Product Type: Logos Mobile Education

• Resource Type: Courseware, including transcripts, audio, and video resources

• Courses: 1

• Video Hours: 10