Spiritual Disciplines for Holiness in the Life of a Minister

Pastors need to use the spiritual disciplines daily and diligently to cultivate sanctification toward God to know him increasingly better. With the Spirit’s blessing, such cultivation is essential for a truly God-owned ministry that results from the pastor’s large, varied, and original life with God. Pastors must read Scripture diligently, systematically, prayerfully, and meditatively; pray unceasingly, read sound literature, listen to God- glorifying sermons, and profit from the sacraments, fellowship with believers, and sanctifying the Lord’s Day. Even faithful stewardship of time and money, evangelizing and serving others, and the ministry of the Word through loving the Triune God and his people can be forms of a lifestyle of spiritual discipline that grows our relationship with God and promotes and sustains an effective ministry. KEYWORDS: Holiness, spiritual disciplines, prayer, fellowship, ministry, love

Godaan Seorang Imam dalam Pelayanan menurut Yohanes Krisostomus

This article discussed how a priest (church elder or overseer) can overcome worldly temptations through three spiritual disciplines or ascesis: prayer, fasting, and inner guarding. This article used the analytical and argumentative methods in literature written by John Chrysostom in his book "On the Priesthood" and the writings of the Church Fathers to contribute to the ministry of a priest. These three points of ascesis produce a holiness which makes him more Christlike. First, through prayer a priest can practice defeating the temptations and passions that arise from within his soul. Second, through fasting he is trained to overcome the temptations and passions that arise from the body or the flesh. Third, through inner vigilance (nepsis) he will be able to overcome the temptations of Satan who has continually seduced humans throughout the ages. These three asceses are aimed at bringing and guiding a priest to live a holy life, that is, against the desires of the flesh or worldly temptations and to produce good fruits that can be practiced in the ministry and society.Abstrak. Artikel ini mengkaji tentang cara seorang imam (penatua atau pengawas gereja) dalam mengatasi godaan-godaan duniawi melalui tiga disiplin rohani atau askesis: doa, puasa, dan keberjagaan batin. Artikel ini menggunakan metode analistis dan argumentatif di dalam literatur yang ditulis oleh Yohanes Krisostomus dalam bukunya “On The Priesthood” dan tulisan para Bapa-bapa Gereja untuk memberikan kontribusi bagi pelayanan seorang imam. Ketiga pokok askesis ini menghasilkan kekudusan yang semakin menyempurnakan dia menjadi serupa Kristus. Pertama, melalui doa seorang imam dapat berlatih mengalahkan godaan dan nafsu yang timbul dari dalam jiwanya. Kedua, melalui puasa dia dilatih untuk mengalahkan godaan dan nafsu yang timbul dari tubuh atau daging. Ketiga, melalui keberjagaan batin (nepsis) dia akan bisa mengatasi godaan dari Iblis yang senantiasa tanpa henti menggoda manusia di sepanjang zaman. Ketiga askesis ini bertujuan membawa dan menuntun seorang imam untuk hidup kudus yaitu melawan keinginan daging atau godaan-godaan duniawi dan menghasilkan buah-buah kebajikan yang bisa dipraktikkan di pelayanan dan masyarakat.

Discipleship in Oriental Orthodox and Evangelical Communities

In many countries with a strong Orthodox Christian presence there are tensions between Evangelicals and Orthodox Christians. These tensions are rooted in many theological, ecclesiological, and epistemological differences. In practice, one of the crucial causes of tension comes down to different practical understandings of what a Christian disciple looks like. This paper examines key aspects of discipleship as expressed in revival movements in Orthodox Churches Egypt, India and Ethiopia which are connected to the challenges presented by the huge expansion of Evangelical Protestant mission from the nineteenth century. Key aspects will be evaluated in comparison with aspects that are understood to characterize disciples in Evangelical expressions, including: differing understandings of the sacraments and their place in the life of a disciple; ways in which different traditions engage with the Bible and related literary works; contrasting outlooks on discipleship as an individual and a community way of life; and differing understanding of spiritual disciplines.

African and Western approaches to the moral formation of Christian leaders: The role of spiritual disciplines in counteracting moral deficiencies

This article begins with a brief outline of current African and Western contexts, and the moral predicaments in which leaders in South Africa find themselves. The research problem addressed is how the spiritual maturity and moral excellence of Christian leaders can be advanced. The methodology employed draws on African and Western cultural and Christian traditions of moral formation. Whilst some common means of moral formation are discussed, particular attention is given to the role of spiritual disciplines. The article aims to address the following question: ‘how do leaders become the kind of people who will make good and right decisions, live moral lives, contribute to the life and work of the church, care for others and the environment, and pursue social justice?’ Three clusters of moral deficiencies are discussed, including pride, vainglory (self-glorification or narcissism) and greed, together with the spiritual disciplines that can counteract them. The central argument is that spiritually mature and morally excellent leaders can address more effectively the moral challenges facing the church and South African society.Contribution: This transdisciplinary article contributes to the HTS’s theological research by combining the academic disciplines of Christian Spirituality and Theological Ethics with particular reference to leadership formation. It further contributes to academic contextual discourse by evaluating African and Western traditions of moral formation and advancing practical means of addressing leadership deficiencies.

Willardian Spiritual Formation, Novel Spiritual Disciplines, and Basketball: A Case Study

Athletic participation provides a unique forum for the practice of spiritual disciplines. Central to Dallas Willard’s robust theory of spiritual formation is the critical role the body plays in effectively engaging in spiritual disciplines and thereby cultivating Christlikeness. I outline the central themes of Willard’s theology and philosophy of spiritual disciplines, with particular attention to how they bear on athletic participation. I distinguish between classical and novel spiritual disciplines and show how the latter are usefully appropriated towards the ordinary activities of daily life, and particularly towards the arena of athletics. Using basketball as a case study, I show in detail how this activity can be fruitfully reappropriated as a set of novel spiritual disciplines.

Making Disciples in Croatia

This project explores how the Evangelical Pentecostal Church (EPC) in Croatia is making disciples of Jesus Christ today. The goal is to demonstrate that despite the worldwide and local deficit in effective disciple making, the EPC has the resources and potential to live in obedience to the Great Commission. This has been shown by looking at the historical definition of a disciple, exegeting Matthew 28:16-20, exploring the proper context of disciple-making, and interviewing several members of the EPC. Upon examination, while there are multiple causes for the lack of disciples in Croatia, the primary problem is that of what will be called naive disobedience. It will be argued that local churches in the EPC have not been taught how to properly make disciples. By presenting the importance of teaching, relationships, and practicing the spiritual disciplines, it will be demonstrated that a solution to the lack of disciple-making exists within the EPC.