Praying Circles
(Volume 21, Issue 5 Sep/Oct 2015) Prayer is surely one of the most blessed of all privileges afforded the child of God. Just to think that sinners, even forgiven sinners, are invited to approach the throne of grace where we will receive mercy and grace in our time of need (Heb 4:14-16) is nothing short […]
Roots of the Spiritual Formation Movement
Dear Friend of TOTTs, This is the 20th anniversary of our Think on These Things Ministries. I began writing papers on current issues challenging the church at the request of a mission organization for the purpose of keeping its missionaries apprised of current trends and theological concerns taking place in America. By God’s design TOTT […]
Biblical Discipleship – The Transforming Life
(May/June 2014 – Volume 20, Issue 3) Those knowledgeable with the biblical counseling movement, stemming from the ministry of Jay Adams, will be familiar with the put off/put on/renewal-of-the-mind principles relative to progressive sanctification. Drawn from a number of the epistles, especially Ephesians and Colossians, the teaching is that if people desire to change and […]
Biblical Discipleship – Fellowship
(March/April 2014 – Volume 20, Issue 2) As we continue to pursue the specific means found in Scripture that the Lord has given us to aid in spiritual growth, we now turn to the subject of fellowship. We are reminded at this point that some within the Spiritual Formation Movement claim that virtually anything can […]
Biblical Discipleship – the Scriptures
(January/February 2014 – Volume 20 Issue 1) When we speak of discipleship or Christian maturity, it must be understood from the beginning that all spiritual transformation is a supernatural work of God. Just as the natural man cannot will himself to be born again, so the Christian is dependent upon the Lord for inward change and […]
Biblical Discipleship – Prayer
(November/December 2013 – Volume 19, Issue 5) The Spiritual Formation Movement has rocked the church. Ancient disciplines, most often practiced within the monastic movement in the early centuries of Christianity, have been dusted off, repacked, and resubmitted to believers as the means for obtaining spiritual growth. There is increasing discussion about fasting, journaling, pilgrimage, simplicity, […]
Fasting and Spiritual Direction
April/May 2013,Volume 19, Issue 2 The list of spiritual disciplines that has been adopted within the Spiritual Formation Movement is almost endless. We could analyze the divine office, Benedict’s Rule, use of the Rosary and prayer ropes, monasticism, journaling, the Eucharist, and pilgrimage, among many others. But we will conclude our study of the disciplines with […]
Discernment and Revelation
February/March 2013 – Volume 19, Issue 1 Discernment, one would think, is an extremely positive quality. In a world in which there are incalculable numbers of voices calling us to travel many different directions, discernment is invaluable. However, when used by those involved in spiritual formation, discernment is defined as the discipline that enables one […]
Ignatius
December/January 2012/2013 – Volume 18, Issue 6 One of the most popular and strongly promoted activities within spiritual formation is known as “The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola.” As the name implies, these are exercises or activities invented by the Roman Catholic monk Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century to enhance spiritual life, first […]
Spiritual Formation at Worship
October/November 2012 – Volume 18, Issue 5 Within spiritual formation and similar circles, there has been much criticism of worship as found in evangelical Protestantism. Much of this criticism is aimed at the seeker-sensitive churches with their push for polished performances, entertainment, and the desire to keep the seeker (i.e. unsaved people who are attending […]