Do you want people to actually become like Christ?
Are you going to teach an adult ed, college or seminary spiritual formation class, or a class for growing Christians in another setting?
Would you like an expanded outline of most of the important topics in spiritual formation for your own personal growth?
Description: This outline is a comprehensive survey of the field of spiritual formation with an emphasis on transformation of the student. It is about 90 pages long; some parts are more annotated than others. It is designed as a graduate level class, but it can be tailored for use in undergraduate classes as well as classes for local churches. It can be easily adapted for varying class structures and lengths and varying levels of maturity. You can pick out specific topics for various types of study groups, but there is also plenty of material for at least two semesters of formal study if desired. It is also very helpful as an individual guide to spiritual formation. Scripture is the supreme authority for this outline. The course will also equip students to minister spiritual formation to others.
This outline is based on the readings and experiences of the author Phil Rehberg over a 30-year period. The author first began studying spiritual formation in 1986 out of frustration with his seminary experience. Since then the author has read many of the Christian spiritual classics from the 2nd century to present as well as many different biographies and histories related to spiritual growth. The author has also done extensive study of scripture on spiritual growth. This outline is an attempt to summarize the key principles of spiritual growth found in scripture and history.
Please excuse the faults of this outline. It has not been edited and it is just an outline. Feel free to adapt it and make it your own. It will be updated from time to time.
This outline features:
- Most of the important topics in spiritual formation.
- Links to several PowerPoint presentations, and web pages with short explanations of topics.
- Links to or titles of helpful books available on Amazon.com.
- Many exercises for application.
- An appendix with expanded discussion of important topics.
LINK TO DOWNLOAD OUTLINE (Updated July 2019):
(To get a copy of a google doc, your browser should have a google doc viewer that allows you to open the file menu and choose “Download as” then you can download in your preferred format. If you have a Google account you should also be able to save to your Google Drive from the file menu.)
Outline of Spiritual Formation Class in Google doc format
If you have questions or comments about this outline I would love to hear from you at prehberg22@gmail.com!
SUMMARY OF THE OUTLINE OF A SPIRITUAL FORMATION CLASS
The main headings form the basic framework for the class. The titles of each block form a logical progression for teaching spiritual formation. They are analagous to the growth of a tree:
- Our Destiny. What will the tree eventually look like?
- Foundational Truths. What are the biological principles that undergird the growth of a tree?
- What Growth Looks Like. What does a growing tree look like?
- Patterns of Growth. What different stages of growth does a tree go through?
- Barriers to Growth. What keeps trees from healthy growth and reaching maturity?
- Soul Healing. How does one heal the diseases or injuries of a tree?
- Causes of Growth. What does the tree need to grow?
- Other Directives for Growth. What can one do to enhance tree growth?
Below are most of the main headings in the outline:
OUR DESTINY/TELOS
1. Everyone briefly shares their background.
2. Explain syllabus; instructor’s expectations.
3. Assignments for Friday explained.
4. Share my email and make sure we are all connected for communication.
5. Issues re godliness in our churches. Nominalism. Immorality.
6. Our telos/goal: Christformation, Union of Love, and Christian Destiny 2.5 hours
7. Class Relationship Formation.
FOUNDATIONAL TRUTHS FOR GROWTH
8. Basic Anthropology: Original Sin.
9 Exercise. Prayer Reflection Time on Original Sin.
10. What you have in Christ: adoption, regeneration, seated in heaven, all power for life and godliness,
11. Growth through the union of love with Christ.
12. Issues In Spiritual Formation
13. Exercise in spiritual discipline. Fasting From a Bad Habit.
14. Exercise. Guided Meditation on the New Creation and Christian Destiny.
WHAT GROWTH LOOKS LIKE
15. Spiritual Anthropology. 1.25 hours
16. Key Fruits of the Spirit/Virtues
17. Christformation in the History of Christian Spirituality. 1.0 hours
PATTERNS OF GROWTH
18. Stages of Growth 2.0 hours
19. Key Dynamics of Growth 2.0 hours
20. Exercise. Prayer Reflection Time on Sanctification Gap, Moral vs. Spiritual Formation, Consolation and Desolation.
21. Exercise. Prayer Reflection Time on Parenting .
22. Exercise. Prayer Reflection Time on the False Self.
BARRIERS TO GROWTH
23. Common Barriers. .4 hours
24. Dealing With Unwanted Thoughts.
25. Current Issues in Spiritual Formation.
SOUL HEALING
26. Psychological Problems. .5 hours
27. Past Hurts. Healing the Heart through “Exploratory Spiritual Surgery”.
28. Working Through Grief and Loss.
29. Exercise. Group Spiritual Direction.
CAUSES OF GROWTH
30. Life in the Spirit
31. Reading Scripture.
32. Prayer
33. Growth through Koinonia
34. Relationships – The 2nd Great Commandment – More on Koinonia
35. Death to self.
36. Exercise. Continue guided meditation from Monday morning on Christian Destiny
OTHER DIRECTIVES FOR GROWTH
37. Purgation of sinfulness.
38. Correction of disordered attachments. (Also known as idols, loves, lusts.)
39. Spiritual Disciplines.
40. Spiritual Reading.
APPENDICES:
Sanctification Gap
The Hidden Heart
The False Self
Moral versus Spiritual Formation
Consolation and Desolation
Definition of Spiritual Theology
Contemplation
Working Through Grief and Loss
Sample 1-2 Day Condensed Spiritual Formation Seminar
Below is a 4 page draft of an outline for a condensed spiritual formation class. A couple of the resources are not available to others yet. Please email me if you want them. Meatmature@gmail.com.
Draft of Outline Condensed Spiritual Formation Class – PDF format