Missional Spiritual Formation

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Missional Spiritual Formation

This group explores the relationship between Christian spiritual formation and missional theology.

Members: 46
Latest Activity: Jan 20, 2016

Introducing Me

Greetings. My name is Stan Helton and I have a rather eclectic background. I grew up in a small Oklahoma town and began my journey with Churches of Christ as a Vacation Bible School kid. After high school, my educational journey would take me to the Preston Road School of Preaching (later, Center for Christian Education and now defunct); here I was introduced to Koine Greek and studied the whole Bible in English. After this I attended Oklahoma Christian College where I continued my work in Greek and earned my BA (1988) in Bible. The following year I entered Abilene Christian University where I served as Carroll Osburn's graduate assistant, working under him on various textual critical projects. I completed an MS (1992) in Doctrinal and Historical Studies (Historical Theology) emphasizing Church History and American Christianity. Under Osburn I had started an MA in NT Greek but at the end of the course work but before the thesis, I switched to the MDiv degree which I finally completed in 1999. After 1992 I left ACU to enter full time ministry in various places like North Carolina, South Carolina, New Orleans and Chicago before entering full time teaching in 2003 at Western Christian College in Regina, Saskatchewan (Canada). I completed my DMin in 2009. My project/thesis deals with teaching Christian spiritual formation to college-age students. I'm currently serving the Tammany Oaks Church of Christ in Mandeville, LA as their preaching minister Additionally, I continue to do text critical work each week at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary as well as keeping an full schedule of coaching, leadership training, and conflict mediation.

These are some of the pieces of my story that inform my quest to be spiritually formed in the image of Jesus for the sake of the world.

Discussion Forum

Bonhoeffer on the Benefits of Confession to One Another 4 Replies

Started by Andy Catsimanes. Last reply by Andy Catsimanes May 22, 2011.

Missional Spiritual Formation Books 3 Replies

Started by Christopher B. James. Last reply by Zack Blaisdell May 14, 2011.

Towards a Model for Chrisian Spiritual Formation

Started by Stanley N. Helton Mar 24, 2010.

Towards a Missional Praxis of Christian Spiritual Formation 13 Replies

Started by Stanley N. Helton. Last reply by Stanley N. Helton Mar 22, 2010.

Renovare's Definition of Spiritual Formation 6 Replies

Started by James Nored. Last reply by Gailyn Van Rheenen Jul 10, 2009.

Defining Christian Spiritual Formation 9 Replies

Started by Stanley N. Helton. Last reply by Stanley N. Helton May 4, 2009.

Just how badly are our Bible classes failing in Spiritual formation? Part 1 5 Replies

Started by James Nored. Last reply by Bret Wells May 2, 2009.

Practices: Lectio Divina 6 Replies

Started by Stanley N. Helton. Last reply by Stanley N. Helton May 1, 2009.

Christian Spiritual Formation in the Churches of Christ (or, Restoration Movement) 4 Replies

Started by Stanley N. Helton. Last reply by Lynn S. Nored Feb 19, 2009.

Comment Wall

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Comment by Stanley N. Helton on January 14, 2009 at 6:39pm
Hey, Bob, good to "see" you again. I think you are pushing the right buttons here. So a full definition of Christian spiritual formation would have to include "sent-ness," as well as "communal." I would also like to pack in "incarnational" but that is connected with being sent and "trinitarian," which connects with God as a community and thus, the church as a community.

But you raised the real challenge in church life: to convert "breathing" into "moving."
Comment by Bob Young on January 14, 2009 at 6:11pm
I would like to see someone explore in depth the way in which missional attitudes are fostered--perhaps growing out of our initial calling into the community of believers, through our individual giftedness for the benefit of the community, so that the body in its connected can function missionally (think the progression in Eph. 4:1-16).

The spiritual body of Christ (in my observation) spends a lot of time in basic bodily functions (parallel breathing, eating, sleeping, drinking, etc.) and in this misdirection fails to fulfill what is the real purpose of the body. If spiritual formation does not enable to body (yes, the individual members, but in a missional context, the corporate body) toward the purposes of God, we may have misidentified the components, purposes, or results of spiritual formation.
Some recent literature suggests that spiritual formation occurs best (only?--by) in the context of the community. Such may provide a connection between the sentness of the body (exhibited in the sentness of individual members) and spiritual formation.
Comment by Stanley N. Helton on January 14, 2009 at 2:38pm
I want to welcome all of you who have recently joined this discussion. So far I have place a couple of reference for spiritual formation. I would love to hear from you.
Comment by Stanley N. Helton on January 10, 2009 at 7:34pm
James, Forget last comment; I changed art.
Comment by Stanley N. Helton on January 10, 2009 at 7:30pm
James, Is there way to adjust the art?
Comment by James Nored on January 10, 2009 at 7:25pm
Hey Stanley. I'm thrilled you are starting this group. It would be good if you shared some of your background in this in the "Text Box" above, maybe with some relevant links to books and/or websites.

Also, once you add this and your first discussion, invite your friends and people you know using the "Invite more" function in this group. Looking forward to these discussions!
 

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