SFS 502  PRACTICING PRAYER AND OTHER KEY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES  

Summer 2004

Western Seminary -- Portland Campus

Rob Wiggins, Ph.D., Office: AH, 2nd Floor

E-Mail: rwiggins@westernseminary.edu

Office Phone: 503-517-1820

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION (CATALOG)

Growing more Christ-like in our attitudes and actions can be nurtured through the spiritual disciplines taught by Scripture and practiced by believers throughout the ages. You will learn, from an evangelical perspective, the contribution each activity can make to your spiritual growth and how to enhance your actual practice of these “holy habits.” Extended attention will be given to developing a biblical understanding and practice of prayer.  2 credit hours.

 

COURSE OVERVIEW

God’s plan and desire for every child of God is that we experience a closer, more intimate life with the Triune God - Father, Son and Spirit. This course is concerned with the development of godly practices and habits which cultivate a more intimate walk with God. By its nature, this course will be integrative – bringing together our understanding of biblical and theological insights with personal ways of worship and life. We will focus on both comprehension (understanding the spiritual disciplines) and practice (experiencing the disciplines).

 

COURSE GOALS (OUTCOMES)

As a result of this course students will be able to:

A.      describe the contributions that each spiritual discipline can make to spiritual growth;

B.       develop the practice of these disciplines in your own life, particularly with respect to prayer;

C.       identify both the diversity and commonality individuals will demonstrate in their practice of these disciplines;

D.      define the role of interpersonal support in the cultivation of the disciplined life.

E.       formulate and implement a plan for the future practice of a spiritual disciplines in your own life;

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

 

1) Reading, Reflecting, and Class Preparation (22 hours)

The following list of readings is considered foundational, supplemented by collateral readings as desired by the student. The collateral readings will be introduced with each topic. Students are urged to develop the lifelong habits of a self-directed learner.

                J. Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted

                D. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

                D. A. Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation – Priorities from Paul and His Prayers

 

Each of these books is to be read in its entirety. At 45 pages an hour, this reading should take approximately 18 hours total. In reading, focus on comprehension and practical implementation (how to live these ideas in your life). The due dates for each reading are indicated on the course schedule. Report the completion of the reading on the form provided.  Reading Accountability Report due: Aug 2

 

2) Devotions/Personal Worship (time varies)

You are asked to initiate/maintain a growth-producing devotional time with the Lord. The method(s) chosen should reflect regular and significant times set aside for personal time with the Lord. Specifics of the method chosen (i.e., what you plan to do) should be submitted in writing to me by Monday, June 28.  Your plan and the fruitfulness of your plan will be discussed with your small group. You are also welcome to discuss with me your plan or any other matter of your choosing during the semester. Plan due: June 28

 

3) Small Group Spiritual Disciplines (10 hours)

Identify 1-2 other people with whom you will meet for at least two hours once a week (or one hour twice a week) during the course (June 28-July 30) to stimulate mutual spiritual growth.  Normally the other member(s) of the group will be fellow students of the same gender, but exceptions to this are possible.  A roster of each group (along with time and place of meeting) will be submitted in writing to me by Monday, June 28. Roster due: June 28

 

Groups should begin meeting the week of June 28 – July 2 and continue through the end of the course. The small group times should be devoted to approximately 50% prayer and 50% discussion/accountability on spiritual disciplines. The class times will typically include suggested discussion questions. You will twice submit to the instructor brief evaluations of the progress and effectiveness of the small group; forms will be provided.  Reports due: July 19 and Aug 2.

 

Record your attendance for both small group meetings and class sessions on the Accountability Report due: Aug 2.

 

4) “Practice of the Disciplines” Interviews (3 hours)

Conduct a brief (20-40 minute?) interview with two people whose spiritual maturity you respect to ask what role the spiritual disciplines play in their spiritual life.  One of these people should be a current/former vocational minister and the other a "lay person."  Be sure to ask what disciplines they maintain, how they structure their life to find time for these habits, and what suggestions they might offer to someone else seeking to develop greater fruitfulness in their spiritual disciplines. Summarize the responses (and your reflections upon them) in a two page, double-spaced paper. Due date: July 19

 

5) Local Church Commitment (time varies)

By July 26, you will be expected to have formally committed yourself to a local church of your choice. This includes consistent participation in the worship life of the church. The church chosen will be reported in writing to me by that date. Due date: July 26

 

6) Personal Assessment of the Disciplines (7 hours)

Based upon what you have learned about each discipline described in class and in your readings, write a one paragraph assessment for at least ten disciplines describing how effectively you are currently practicing that discipline and what contributions it is making to your spiritual growth. Include any frustrations you are experiencing, goals you’d like to set to improve that discipline, etc.

 

Turn in two copies of this paper, as one copy will be forwarded to your faculty mentor so that he/she can encourage you in its outworking.  Please be sure to put your faculty mentor’s name on the first page. Due date: August 2

 

7) Prayer & Reflecting (18 hours)

Spend at least 15 hours in prayer (ideally in both corporate and private settings), consciously seeking to incorporate some of the key principles you learn from the readings and class sessions.  Then write a two-page (double-spaced) paper reflecting upon your experience: What principles were you seeking to implement? How successful were you? What obstacles did you encounter? What changes did you notice in your praying? etc. Due date: August 2

 

Summary of estimated time requirements:

1)       Reading, reflecting, and preparing for class time & small groups (22 hours)

2)       Devotions/personal worship (time varies)

3)       Small group spiritual disciplines (10 hours)

4)       “Practice of disciplines” interviews (3 hours)

5)       Local church commitment (time varies)

6)       Personal assessment of the disciplines (7 hours)

7)       Praying and reflecting (18 hours)

Total: 60 hours

 

*****

Course grades will be awarded on a points system.

 

Assignment                                                                                           Points Possible

 

Class attendance                                                                                  28

Small group attendance                                                                      10

Small group evaluations                                                                      2

Reading                                                                                                 18

Church commitment                                                                               2

Disciplines interview                                                                            8

Disciplines assessment                                                                       12

Prayer/Reflection paper                                                                      20

Total possible:                                                                                      100

 

Point Allocation:

A+=100-99, A=98-95, A-=94-93; B+=92-91, B=90-88, B-=87-86; C+=85-84, C=83-81, C-=80-79; D+=78-77, D=76-74, D-=73-70; F=69-0

 

All assignments are due by 5:00 p.m. on the day indicated (or 6:00 p.m. if the class is meeting that day). Due date extensions will be granted only on the basis of extenuating circumstances, and must be requested in advance of the pertinent due date. Unexcused late (or poor quality) work will result in an appropriate reduction in points earned for that assignment.

 

IV. COURSE SCHEDULE (tentative – to be discussed in class)

 

6/24                         Syllabus & Course Overview

                                Spiritual Transformation & the Spiritual Disciplines

                                Self-Examination & Journaling

                                (form small groups)

 

6/28                         Due: Ortberg reading; small group roster; devotional plan

                                Celebration & Worship

                                Slowing/Solitude/Silence

                                Accountable Relationships                               

                                Repentance & Confession

                               

7/1                           Due: Whitney reading

                                Humility & Secrecy

                                Servanthood & Service

                                Biblical Meditation

                                Simplicity

 

7/5                           Purpose of Prayer

                                The Praying Life

                                                                                               

7/12                         Due: Carson reading

                                Process of Prayer

                                Personal & Corporate Prayer

 

7/19                         Due: Small Group Report #1; Practice of Disciplines Interviews Paper

                                Promise of Prayer

                                Obstacles & Challenges of Prayer

                                               

7/26                         Due: Church Commitment

                                Practice of Prayer

 

8/2                           Due: Accountability Report; Small Group Report #2; Personal Assessment of the Disciplines Paper; Prayer Reflection Paper

 

 

 

                                            SFS 502 ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT

 

Attendance

Please indicate if you were Present (P), or Absent (A) for any class period. If you arrived late or left early, indicate the approximate hours of attendance for that week:

 

            June 24 -- _____

 

            June 28 -- _____

 

            July 1   -- _____

 

            July 5  -- _____

 

            July 12-- _____

 

            July 19-- _____

 

            July 26-- _____

 

Reading

Please indicate the percentage of reading completed on time:

            Ortberg - due June 28: _____ %

 

            Whitney - due July 1: ______%

 

            Carson - due July 12: ______%

 

Small Group Spiritual Disciplines

Please indicate the amount of time spent with your small group in the weeks listed below:

            June 28 – July 2: _____

 

            July 5 – 9: _____

 

            July 12-16: ______

 

            July 19-23: ______

 

            July 26-30: ______

 

            Total hours: ______

 

Your signature confirms that the information stated above is accurate to the best of your knowledge.

 

_________________              __________________            ________________

Name (print)                           Signature                                 Date

Please turn in your accountability report by August 2. Thank you