Facilitating and Assessing Spiritual Growth
Course code: PRTH 541

Facilitating and Assessing Spiritual Growth introduces the content, literature, and methods associated with the discipline of spiritual formation. Special attention is given to personal, mentoring, and pastoral application of the materials.

Intended Outcomes

Students will know…

• The key elements of spiritual growth and how they contribute to spiritual vitality.
• Several paradigms of spiritual growth.
• Awareness of your own perspective in order to make whole-life application in Christian living.
• A biblical view of spiritual growth and an awareness of the ways in which it is distinct from mystical and secular views.

Students will appreciate…

• Multiple approaches to spiritual growth.
• An approach that will be beneficial to yourself as well as to others to whom you minister.
• Intentional patterns that will facilitate your own spiritual growth.

Students will be able to… 

• Organize and implement measures to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in advancing your own spiritual growth.
• Knowledgeably recommend measures to facilitate spiritual growth in others.
• Share a plan you have generated to assist others in growing.
• Compare and contrast a biblical view of spiritual growth with the mystical and secular viewpoints.

Assignment Overview

Students use textbooks and other readings, prepare presentations, and write formal papers to facilitate their learning in this course.

The main homework elements of this course include:

• A paper in which students compare, contrast and evaluate biblical, mystical and secular approaches to spirituality.
• A presentation of a biblical narrative crafted to evoke insights, values and applications for the spiritual lives of the audience.
• Weekly discussion (via both text forum and live synchronous video conferences) of homework.