Mobile Ed: PD201 Introducing Spiritual Formation (10 hour course)

by Gary Thomas; Logos Mobile Education

Publisher:

Lexham Press

, 2014–2020

Overview

Dr. Gary Thomas—award-winning author and internationally recognized speaker—provides a panoramic view of spiritual formation so you can better understand what it means to be in relationship with God. Dr. Thomas begins by examining the most significant movements in the history of Christian spirituality, such as the Desert Fathers, the monastics, the Puritans, and the charismatics. He describes the different ways in which we relate to God and how this can help us have an authentic faith. He then shows how we’re called to integrate holiness into every part of our lives, including our bodies, marriages, parenting, and spiritual virtues.

Use this course for personal enrichment—to survey the sacred pathways, the practice of holiness in everyday life, and the spiritual virtues—or use this course to help those in your small group and congregation grow in spiritual maturity.

Gary Thomas is one the most sought-after speakers on the topics of marriage, parenting, and spiritual formation, and he’s distilled a career’s worth of wisdom into this single course, designed for Mobile Ed.

 

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

Product 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

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About Gary Thomas

Dr. Gary Thomas is a best-selling author and international speaker whose ministry brings people both closer to Christ and closer to others. By God’s grace, Dr. Thomas is changing the way Christians look at their faith and family life. He has authored several books, including Sacred Marriage, Sacred Parenting, Sacred Pathways, and the Gold Medallion award–winning Authentic Faith. He is also a writer in residence at Second Baptist Church, Houston, and an adjunct faculty member at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon.

His books and ministry focus on spiritual formation: how we can integrate Scripture, church history, and the time-tested wisdom of the Christian classics into our modern faith experience. Dr. Thomas’ ministry has led him to speak in 49 states and eight different countries, and on numerous national television and radio programs, including Focus on the Family and Family Life Today.