Finding God in all places retreat

the retreat process

Random musings and reflections on life, God and all that stuff (movies, comics, science fiction, spiritual formation, Christian education, biomedical ethics, post modern parenting, books, theology and philosophy)

There and Back Again

Reflections on attending SSCS conference 2013 

Prayer and worship every morning and evening

The conference of The Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality (SSCS) was held on the retreat-like beautiful campus of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana from June 29- July 2, 2013. I was glad to be able to attend and present a paper though the journey there was long and tiring. It was an 18 hours flight from Singapore to New York, 4.5 hours from New York to Chicago, and another 3 hours by bus from Chicago to South Bend where the campus is located. This is only the traveling time and did not include the transit and waiting time. But the journey was worth it!

The Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality (SSCS) normally holds their conference as part of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) conference which involves about ten thousand participants in a convention center of a major city. It is decided to be a good idea for the society to have its own conference away from the hustle and bustle. This was smaller group consisting of professors and a few graduate students which meant that I was able to meet and talk personally to these spiritual mentors and authors whose books I have been reading and studying for the last forty years. I was able to talk to and interact with Bernard McGinn, Mary Frohlich, Pieter G.R.de Villers, Bo Karen Lee, Lawrence Cunningham, Ann Ansell, Angela Reed and Arthur Holder. There were many others but these are some of those whom I wanted to meet face to face. I was disappointed not to meet Philip Sheldrake and Sandra Schneider who were not able to attend. 

I also met many of the younger scholars.  I am encouraged by Glenn Young (Rockhurst University) with his course on teaching mysticism (a course I myself am thinking of teaching) and Tom Schwanda (Wheaton ) who is working on Puritan spirituality (another area I am interested to explore). I have enjoyed the hospitality and friendliness of these participants. Though I am the only Asian from outside the States and stranger to the clique, I felt welcomed and accepted as their equal. I even have a door-gift for traveling the furthest distance, an honour I am vying with Pieter who is from South Africa.

The theme of the conference was Wonderous Fear and Holy Awe. It was fascinating as one academic paper after another was presented by the speakers;  seeing it unfolding through topics such as St. John of the Cross, ecopiphany, Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Gregory of Nyssa, Clement of Alexandra, spousal kiss in the Song of Songs as espoused by two Cistercians, Hildergard of Bergen, Pascal, Henri Nouwen, Meister Eckhart and Kierkegarard. One thing I have to get used to is their presentation style.  Presentation is reading directly from their papers. Only a few gave out outlines and even fewer use Powerpoint. It can be challenging if the speakers do not enunciate well! I gave my presentation but as I was pretty jet-lagged and very nervous, I am not sure how it went, but I hope it went across well.

The papers are of high standards. These are heady academic stuff and I must confess I enjoyed the intellectual challenge tremendously. It was fascinating to categorise the different types of fear (of the Lord) and different types of wounds implied by St. John of the Cross. An interesting discussion was did Jesus experience the fear of God in the garden of Gethsemane? While the intellectual side of me is lapping this up hungrily, my pragmatic side keep asking about its practical application. I have to continually give myself permission to pursue the knowledge of the wonderous fear and holy awe of God for its own sake.

I have enjoyed the conference and learnt much from it. Made some friendships that I will like to follow up and nurture. What was the warmest feeling was that I realize that I am not alone in this interest in Christian spirituality.  There are only a handful of people in Malaysia and Singapore who are into this area and I have lived with the loneliness of a pioneer in the field for a long time. It is good to find company in this diverse group of individuals with the same interest though I have a travel a long way to meet them.

Soli Deo Gloria

entrance to campus of the University of Notre Dame

my memorable door gift

Random musings and reflections on life, God and all that stuff (movies, comics, science fiction, spiritual formation, Christian education, biomedical ethics, post modern parenting, books, theology and philosophy)

Leading Change in Spiritual-Formation Communities Course in MBS

I will be teaching this course

Malaysia Bible Seminary

Leading Change in Spiritual-Formation Communities

22-26 July 2013

 

Course description

Spiritual formation is the task of the church. Christian spiritual formation may be understood as a three-stranded process of person-in-formation (Christ-likeness in the inner being), persons-in-community formation (becoming a people of God), and persons-in-mission formation (being missional for Kingdom expansion). The biblical, theological and psychosocial aspects will be developed. The approach to faith formation is never individualistic but communal. The contemporary discipleship and faith formation models will be examined. A Christian spiritual formation paradigm which includes the role of the faith community, and spiritual-formation elements will be introduced. Leadership to effect transition to spiritual-formation communities will be considered in the context of local faith communities. This is a 4 credits course.

Objectives

The expected general outcome of this course is that students will demonstration deeper understanding of spiritual formation, spiritual formative elements in the context of their faith communities, and nurturing spiritual formation communities (SFC).

By the end of the course it is expected that students will specifically demonstrate:

1.      An enlarged knowledge base:

• The biblical and theological basis of spiritual formation.
• The nature of spiritual development
• The nurture of spiritual development
• The role of faith communities in spiritual development.

2.      The capacity to discern effective formative elements in the context of their faith communities.
3.      A deeper understanding of the dynamics of spiritual formation communities

For more information contact
 

MALAYSIA BIBLE SEMINARY

Lot 728, Jalan Kundang,

48050 Kuang, Selangor Darul Ehsan,

Malaysia

Mobile Phone: 6012-223 4527

Tel:   03-60371727           

Fax:  03-60371728

.

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Leading Change in Spiritual Formation Communities

LMC 557 – Leading Change in Spiritual Formation Communities (2 Credits)
Alex Tang, PhD

Spiritual formation is the task of the church.  Unfortunately some churches have become dispensers of spiritual services rather than enhancers of Christian spiritual formation.  They tend to influence their members to be religious consumers rather than encouraging them to grow into Christ-likeness.   A Biblical, theological and psycho social approach to faith formation in the context of communities will be developed.

• 23 Feb; 9, 23 Mar, 2013
• Sat, 9.30 am – 5.00 pm

 I believe they has a first course free program. Read more

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Spiritual Formation Institute Seminar on Spiritual Friendship

SFI Seminar 2012/1

Spiritual Friendship

We live in an increasingly lonely world. Technology that is meant to connect us ends up causing us to have less face-to-face time with each other. Yet the bible clearly states that it is not good for humankind to be alone (Genesis 2:18). Medical science bears this out. How then are we to find the relationships we need for healthy living?

This is also a question for followers of Jesus Christ. We are meant to follow Christ in the company of friends. Jesus calls us to follow Him in community. Yet the church can be as lonely as the world around us. How are we to find the community we need to follow Christ?

Date      :               2.00pm- 9.30pm, Saturday 25 February 2012

        

Place      :    Berea, Holy Light Church, 11-C, Jalan Gertak Merah, 80100 Johor Bahru

Program   :                 This seminar will seek to answer some of these concerns:

                  What is spiritual friendship and why do we need it?

                  What constitutes healthy spiritual friendship?

                  What is a practical and doable way for experiencing spiritual friendship?

                       The seminar will cover the following topics:

1. The Need for Spiritual Friendship

2. The Components of Spiritual Friendship

3. The Practice of Spiritual Friendship

We need friends as much as we need food and water. Come and see why. Come and see how.

Speaker:

Soo Inn is a director of Graceworks, a ministry committed to promoting spiritual friendship in church and society (www.graceworks.com.sg). He runs this ministry in partnership with his wife, Bernice. He also serves as honorary pastor of Evangel Christian Church, Singapore. Bernice and Soo Inn have four sons.

Soo Inn has a BDS from the University of Singapore, a ThM from Regent College and a DMin from Fuller. His primary passions include connecting the Word of God to the struggles of daily life, and the promotion of the discipline of spiritual friendship.

He has been a supporter of Arsenal Football Club since 1971 and his favourite movie is Star Wars 4.

 —————————————————————————————-

Registration Form          
(Seminar cost RM20.00 includes refreshment, dinner and seminar notes).

Spiritual Formation Institute Seminar 2012/1      

Spiritual Friendship

Name: …………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………….. Church…………………………………………

Tel    : …………………………………………………………………………………. Email:………………………………………………………………………………………..

Please register with Sister Grace Soon of HLCE (Tel:07-2243285)

more on Spiritual Formation Institute

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Soul Care: The Art and Science of Spiritual Direction Course

I will be teaching a course on spiritual direction in August 2012 at the Malaysia Bible Seminary at their beautiful Kuang campus.

Course Title

Soul Care: The Art and Science of Spiritual Direction

Course Objectives:

The desired outcomes are that by the end of the course, students are able to

      develop a biblical and theological basis of Christian spiritual formation and transformation

      understand the psychospiritual dynamics of spiritual development

      differentiate between the dynamics of spiritual friendship, mentoring, counseling and spiritual direction

      listen and cultivate discernment concerning the movements of the Holy Spirit

      acquire some basic skills in spiritual direction

Course Content

      Defining spiritual direction and its role in spiritual formation and transformation

      Biblical and theological foundations of spiritual formation

(concepts from shalom, Trinity, imago dei and missio dei)

      The psychospiritual dynamics of spiritual development

      The continuum of soul care: spiritual friendship, discipling, mentoring, coaching, counseling and spiritual direction.

      The spiritual life of a spiritual director

      The art of listening

      Discernment

      Guidelines in spiritual direction

Credits

3 credits

Requirements

      Pre-course reading

      Participation during course

      One group class presentation

      One reflection paper

      One research paper

      One practicum report paper

If you are interested to attend, please contact MBS at

   Working Days   : Mondays to Fridays

   Off Days           : Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays

   Working Hours : 8 am to 5 pm

MALAYSIA BIBLE SEMINARY

Lot 728, Jalan Kundang,

48050 Kuang, Selangor Darul Ehsan,

Malaysia

Mobile Phone: 6012-223 4527

Tel:   03-60371727           

Fax:  03-60371728

Random musings and reflections on life, God and all that stuff (movies, comics, science fiction, spiritual formation, Christian education, biomedical ethics, post modern parenting, books, theology and philosophy)

SFI seminar on Spiritual Formation

SFI Seminar 2011/4

        Christian Spiritual Formation

                 -The journey in Christ to Christ

What is the Christian spiritual life or spiritual formation? How can we grow spiritually in the midst of increasing demands of family and work, the busyness of life and in the loud jarring noise of contemporary culture? Deep within us, many of us feel dissatisfaction with our spiritual life, longing to connect more intimately with God and achieve a balance in our personal life, church and workplace/home/school. The Spiritual Formation Institute was started in 2003 with a seminar on Christian Spirituality by Dr Alex Tang. Come and join him eight years later with this anniversary seminar to revisit Christian Spirituality in the context of Christian spiritual formation.

Date      :            2.00pm- 9.30pm, Saturday 12 November 2011

        

Place     :             Berea, Holy Light Church, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Programme:            Session 1 : The Mind of Christian Spiritual Formation

What is Christian spiritual formation, Christian education and discipleship? This session defines these terms and gives a biblical and theological basis for them.

Session 2 : The Heart of Christian Spiritual Formation

       What drives our spiritual life and growth? This session give insight 
        into  the drives and motivations of Christian spiritual formation.

Session 3 : The Soul of Christian Spiritual Formation

How is spiritual formation worked out in our personal life, workplace, family and church? This session deals with spiritual formation and the Kingdom of God.

Speaker:  

Dr Alex Tang is a senior consultant paediatrician in a private hospital and a ‘practical theologian’ with a deep interest in the spiritual life. His PhD research is on spiritual formation in congregations. He is a spiritual director, Bible teacher, preacher, blogger, socialmediorater (facebook, twitter), avid reader, cultural observer, lousy poet, and a fanatical Trekkie. Alex is the author of many books and his latest publication is Tales from the Monastery (2011). Check out his website Kairos Spiritual Formation and his blog.

———————————————————————

Registration Form         (Seminar cost RM20.00 includes refreshment,dinner and seminar notes).

Spiritual Formation Institute Seminar 2011/4      

Christian Spiritual Formation

Name: …………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………….. Church…………………………………………

Tel    : …………………………………………………………………………………. Email:………………………………………………………………………………………..

Please register with Sister Grace Soon of HLCE (Tel:07-2243285)

.

Random musings and reflections on life, God and all that stuff (movies, comics, science fiction, spiritual formation, Christian education, biomedical ethics, post modern parenting, books, theology and philosophy)

Spiritual Formation Institute Seminar on Christian Spiritual Formation

SFI Seminar 2011/4

        Christian Spiritual Formation

                 -The journey in Christ to Christ

What is the Christian spiritual life or spiritual formation? How can we grow spiritually in the midst of increasing demands of family and work, the busyness of life and in the loud jarring noise of contemporary culture? Deep within us, many of us feel dissatisfaction with our spiritual life, longing to connect more intimately with God and achieve a balance in our personal life, church and workplace/home/school. The Spiritual Formation Institute was started in 2003 with a seminar on Christian Spirituality by Dr Alex Tang. Come and join him eight years later with this anniversary seminar to revisit Christian Spirituality in the context of Christian spiritual formation.

Date      :            2.00pm- 9.30pm, Saturday 12 November 2011

        

Place     :             Berea, Holy Light Church, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Programme:            Session 1 : The Mind of Christian Spiritual Formation

What is Christian spiritual formation, Christian education and discipleship? This session defines these terms and gives a biblical and theological basis for them.

Session 2 : The Heart of Christian Spiritual Formation

       What drives our spiritual life and growth? This session give insight 
        into  the drives and motivations of Christian spiritual formation.

Session 3 : The Soul of Christian Spiritual Formation

How is spiritual formation worked out in our personal life, workplace, family and church? This session deals with spiritual formation and the Kingdom of God.

Speaker:  

Dr Alex Tang is a senior consultant paediatrician in a private hospital and a ‘practical theologian’ with a deep interest in the spiritual life. His PhD research is on spiritual formation in congregations. He is a spiritual director, Bible teacher, preacher, blogger, socialmediorater (facebook, twitter), avid reader, cultural observer, lousy poet, and a fanatical Trekkie. Alex is the author of many books and his latest publication is Tales from the Monastery (2011). Check out his website Kairos Spiritual Formation and his blog.

———————————————————————

Registration Form         (Seminar cost RM20.00 includes refreshment,dinner and seminar notes).

Spiritual Formation Institute Seminar 2011/4      

Christian Spiritual Formation

Name: …………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………….. Church…………………………………………

Tel    : …………………………………………………………………………………. Email:………………………………………………………………………………………..

Please register with Sister Grace Soon of HLCE (Tel:07-2243285)

.

Random musings and reflections on life, God and all that stuff (movies, comics, science fiction, spiritual formation, Christian education, biomedical ethics, post modern parenting, books, theology and philosophy)

National Association of Christian Counsellors Malaysia

I am happy at the formation of this association for Christian counsellors in Malaysia. It is long overdue. I wonder if there is a place in this association for spiritual directors?

.

Random musings and reflections on life, God and all that stuff (movies, comics, science fiction, spiritual formation, Christian education, biomedical ethics, post modern parenting, books, theology and philosophy)

What is the ROI of a child in a church?

SFI Seminar 2011/3

 What is the ROI* of a child in church?

                 -The Challenge of Ministry to Children

Date      :            2.00pm- 9.30pm, Saturday 20 August 2011

Place     :             Berea, Holy Light Church, Johor Bahru

Programme:            

 

Session 1: Children’s Church or Sunday School – What’s in a Name?

We will look at the characteristics of a teacher as well as the reasons for Christian education programmes in church.

Session 2: Classroom Management and Curriculum Development

We will look at how we handle God’s truth and apply it to the church setting for children of different ages.

Session 3: Hands-on lesson preparation and delivery

We will look at an actual Bible passage and look at the different methods used for the child to learn the Bible truth.

Speaker:

Mona Lee Chia was born in Malaysia, became a Christian in England and returned to work in Singapore.  She is married to Rev Christopher Chia and they have two grown-up children, Han Shen and Han Mae. She has been involved in Children’s ministry for more than 25 years and has been serving in Adam Road Presbyterian Centre since 1990.  Seeing children grow into strong adult Christian leaders is the fruit that keeps the passion strong.

*ROI – return of investment

 (Seminar cost RM20.00 includes refreshment,dinner and seminar notes).

Spiritual Formation Institute Seminar 2011/3      

What is the ROI of a child in church?

Name: …………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………………….. Church…………………………………………

Tel    : …………………………………………………………………………………. Email:………………………………………………………………………………………..

Please register with Sister Grace Soon of HLCE (Tel:07-2243285)

Random musings and reflections on life, God and all that stuff (movies, comics, science fiction, spiritual formation, Christian education, biomedical ethics, post modern parenting, books, theology and philosophy)