It is interesting to me that 20 years ago I started this blog for a class. It was an independent study that took me to a gathering of 3 different groups of church developers in Orlando. We had to blog about our experiences.
And now today I am starting a journal for one of the classes in my first semester of a Doctor of Ministry program and I thought why not just do this online, so those who read my blog and devotions can just follow along this journey with me.
So this journal is for a class called Contemporary Christian Spirituality and most weeks from now until December 12, 2022 we will have a prompt to write on. The blog posts will be roughly 500 words and may or may not actually include what the prompts are. So if you really want to follow along, I have listed the prompts below.
You can also find all of these posts at this link.
| Date | Spiritual Journal Assignment for the week (~300 words each assignment for First Professional Students; ~500 words for DMin students) |
| 8/29 | What is at least one hope you have for this class, personally or for ministry? |
| 9/5 NO CLASS- Labor Day | No spiritual journal assignment for this week |
| 9/12 | Discuss your experience today learning about and trying some spiritual practices. What practices made you comfortable or uncomfortable (learning about or practicing), and why? How can you incorporate some of these spiritual practices in your daily life? |
| 9/19 | How has your understanding of spiritual gifts been expanded? What is one spiritual gift that God has given you to specifically use in your ministry (current or future), and how is it being used/could it be used? |
| 9/26 | What are your impressions of contemplative practices, such as centering prayer? Would you consider using them regularly in your own spiritual life, or utilizing them in a ministry setting? Why or why not? |
| 10/3 | Pick 1-2 aspects of simplicity or minimalism that surprised you or shocked you today. How could these aspects affect your relationship with God and your spiritual journey? |
| 10/10 NO CLASS- ULS Reading Week | No spiritual journal assignment this week |
| 10/17 | Which Contemporary Christian Spirituality person and their spiritual emphases did you relate to most, and why? |
| 10/24 | What does liberation look like in your relationship with God and your relationship with others? |
| 10/31 | What aspect of the charismatic tradition resonated with you, and how could it continue to be part of your spiritual journey? |
| 11/7 | Describe an experience of nature in which you felt the presence of God. |
| 11/14 | How can technology both help and hinder your spirituality? |
| 11/21 NO CLASS- ULS Thanksgiving Break | No spiritual journal assignment this week |
| 11/28 | How can spiritual direction and spiritual friendship play a role in your own spiritual journey? |
| 12/5 | What was one aspect of metta meditation that surprised you? How could you incorporate aspects of it into your own prayer life? |
| 12/12 | Describe a time you discerned God’s direction for you. How did you know you were on the right track? |
aSacredRebel 