Spiritual Guidance Seminar

The Spiritual Guidance Seminar is a year-long supervised program for pastors, overseers and spiritual guides. The seminar will not be offered during the 2009-2010 academic year (see Advanced Spiritual Guidance Seminar).

Congregational ministry provides many opportunities for accompanying people on their spiritual journeys and guiding them to deeper faith in God.

In this seminar, the art of spiritual guidance is learned both through theoretical study and developing practical ministry skills through:

• Study of the literature of spiritual guidance
• The experience of spiritual guidance (both as director and directee)
• Reflection on and discussion of assigned readings
• Participation in case reviews and supervision
• Theological reflection on the readings, discussions and personal experience

Objectives

• grow in understanding the ways of God in human experience
• become knowledgeable in the literature on spiritual guidance
• develop skills for one-to-one spiritual guidance ministry
• acquire resources and skills to promote and guide spiritual friendship and spiritual guidance ministry in the life of the congregation

Participant Expectations

• Practice spiritual disciplines and meet regularly (at least monthly) with a spiritual director
• Read two books prior to the first session of the seminar:
  William A. Barry and William J. Connolly, The Practice of Spiritual Direction (Seabury Press, 1982);
  Margaret Guenther, Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction (Cowley Publications, 1992).
• Participate in all seminar sessions, completing readings to be discussed at each session (readings will include a variety of short articles and essays as well as three additional texts).
• Provide spiritual guidance for at least two people for a minimum of 15 sessions total (at least seven sessions with one person) during the course of the seminar.
• Participate in regular supervision, including telephone conversations with supervisors, written reports and tape recordings of several spiritual guidance sessions.

Prerequisites

• at least one year of experience receiving spiritual direction and regular practice of spiritual disciplines
• active involvement in a local congregation
• coursework in human development, pastoral counseling, and Christian spirituality is very useful
• letter of recommendation from pastor or area conference minister
• permission of instructor

Instructor

Marlene Kropf, associate professor in spiritual formation and worship at AMBS.

Schedule

The seminar meets over the period of a year in order to allow time for participants to examine and integrate ideas, readings and skills into their practice of spiritual guidance.

Daily sessions are normally 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Participants should reserve the evenings of the first three days of training for reading and reflection.

To Apply

Contact the Church Leadership Center if you are interested in participating in the Spiritual Guidance Seminar.

Continuing Education Units

6.0 CEUs are available for completing this seminar.