The Weekend Before the Retreat...And After

We had an extra-eventful weekend before we left for the retreat...

First, our little Hume friend "Abby Slawson" who is 2.5 yrs old came a spent the night with us (allowing our friends Nate and Josie, her parents, to go out on a date!). We took Abby on her first pony ride at the Autumn festival for Talbot students, we enjoyed free apple cider, talked with the Thoennes' and listened to Dr. Horner play acoustic guitar. Then we took her home and fell asleep watching "Looney Tunes!" But not before....

48 Hour Silent Retreat in Big Sur

Keri and I ventured on a 48 hour silent retreat, Tuesday through Thursday last week. Now that might sound daunting, but it truly rested us and blessed us, as you will see.

It was at the New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, as you drive up the cliffs on Hwy 1 from San Luis Obispo. It is catholic, and yes, there are monks there.  They were really kind and hospitable. 

Week 4 & 5- Disconnects in the Christian Life

Often in our lives, as in our spiritual experience, there is a disconnect between what we know of God and what we experience of Him daily. This is not merely a personal issue of heart/head disconnect, but as John Coe explains, it is an issue handed down from the seminarians who are leading our churches. Within seminary itself is a heart/head disconnect, rooting from the modernist mindset that "seminary was not a place to train men and women to be Godly, but to train Godly men and women for the ministry" (B.B. Warfield).  They will train students in the Word, but often not in the Spirit. 

This is significant to every Christian person because the disconnect between "where I truly am" and "my spiritual and character ideal" has created a sanctification gap in daily life and in the church.  Is this similar to your experience? 

Week 5- Prayer Projects

Below is this Week's Prayer Projects. Sorry we got a little behind from last week!  I just posted Week 4 Prayer Projects as well. You can also find a listing on our blog of all the Prayer Projects. I condensed the list into links, so it wouldn't be as overwhelming.

We are finishing up our blog entry now reflecting on our lecture, so we will post that soon!

Also, one of our friends in class has recorded all the Dr. Coe's lectures. He will be giving them to us this next week, so we will put up audio versions of the lectures we hear in class! If you would like to have a visual, feel free to watch his general lectures through youtube because he generally covers the same material.

NEXT week, we are going on our 48 hour Silent Retreat! (Tuesday-Thursday). We are looking

Week 3 & 4-Four Forms of Spiritual Formation

Everyone is spiritually formed. All persons have a spirit (and body), and throughout their lives, either intentionally or unintentionally, they have been formed spiritually. John Coe describes four categories of spiritual formation, that give a great framework for considering the ways we have been formed. 

The four categories are: 

Week 4- Prayer Projects

1. Intro to Spiritual Formation Prayer Project (60 mins)

(15 min) In my tradition of Christianity, were we people of the Word? Spirit? Both? For good or for bad, what did we become? Where was my community (at church) at? Was the focus on prayer, teaching, knowledge, etc?What was the impact on your community and on you?

(15 min) Since you were a Christian, was your community more focused on knowledge of God or knowledge of self? What did I become? What were your parents?

(15 min) Were they open to all the other learning styles? Was there a desire for pyschology, science, etc? Or were they only interested in what was relevant like theology? How did it affect you?

(15 min) How was your community based on Spiritual Theology? If knowledge of the Word was central, how does this really work in life? How did it shape the community? How did it shape you?

2. Intro to Retreat Prayer Project

 Praying with Scripture – Divine Reading