Episode 34 Dr Steve Rankin on Spiritual Formation and the Practice of Holiness

Dr. Steve Rankin (director of the Spiritual Maturity Project and retired chaplain of Southern Methodist University) takes us on a deep dive into spiritual formation and the practice of holiness. Connect with Steve:  Blogs: www.stephenrankin.com and www.spiritualmaturityproject.org under the name “Pressing On.” Search for Spiritual Maturity Project Facebook page.  Twitter: @StephenWRankin Connect with Brian: Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Deep Dive Spirituality Group Coaching for Pastors www.deepdivespirituality.com Books by Steve: Aiming at Maturity: The Goal of the Christian Life https://amzn.to/2ITS7MU Books Recommended by Steve: Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism. https://amzn.to/2ISoCL3 Robert Roberts, Spiritual Emotions: A Psychology of Christian Virtues, https://amzn.to/35K9fgV Lesslie Newbigin, Gospel in a Pluralist Society https://amzn.to/35JkKW4 John Wesley, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/a-plain-account-of-christian-perfection/ Bio: Steve's a retired university chaplain from Southern Methodist University.  Before that gig, he served as professor of religion and campus minister at Southwestern College in Kansas.  Pastoral ministry for 12 or so years before then, with a 3 year stint in an expatriate congregation outside Rome, Italy.  Started adult life (post-college) as a junior high teacher and basketball and track coach.  In some form or another, he has taught every age from Kindergarten through doctor of ministry students. He's married to Joni and they have four grown children and five grandchildren.

Episode #19 Dr. Amy Oden: Spiritual Formation and the Practice of Christ...

Amy Oden: Spiritual Formation and the Practice of Christian Mindfulness

In this episode, Dr. Amy Oden shares deep insights from her research in the early Church and Christian spirituality on hospitality, Christian mindfulness and the formation of Christians for God’s mission. Listeners will appreciate the engagement with John Wesley’s teaching on watchfulness and its connection to formation. The conversation centers on her recent book Right Here Right Now: The Practice of Christian Mindfulness. 

Bio: 

Born and raised on the prairies of Oklahoma, Amy has found her spiritual home under the wide-open sky. Over the last 30 years, she has been a college professor, a seminary professor and a seminary dean. Amy is committed in her scholarship to illuminating ancient voices for Christian life today, introducing spiritual practices that can ground and nourish lives of following Jesus into the world. Her most recent book is Right Here, Right Now: The Practice of Christian Mindfulness. 

Purchase a Copy of Right Here, Right Now:

https://amzn.to/3i91iVM 

Recommend Resources. I loved that she only listed classical Christian resources!

Book of Psalms and Sermon on the Mount

Augustine: On Psalms https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf108

John Chrysostom: On Hospitality; Homily on Matthew 25 https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110

Connect with Dr. Oden:

www.amyoden.com 

Ep 18: The Wesleyan Means of Grace, Transformation, & Christian Perfecti...

Andrew Thompson: Wesley’s Means of Grace, Transformation, and Christian Perfection

Listen in this week as Brian interviews noted Wesley scholar and pastor Dr. Andrew Thompson. Dr. Thompson takes us deep into a Wesleyan understanding and practice of the means of grace. Brian and Andrew end the episode with a powerful conversation about entire sanctification. Andrew offers a compelling modern testimony of what true holiness looks like today.

Books by Andrew Thompson

The Means of Grace: Traditioned Practice in Today’s World (Seedbed, 2015): https://amzn.to/3gzTBHF

Watching from the Walls: Waiting for Jesus with Hope and Expectation (Advent Study) https://amzn.to/2COW7vq 

Sign up for Newsletter from Matthew Johnson on Entire Sancitification:

 http://www.scripturalholiness.com/the-guide-to-holiness/

Books recommended by Andrew Thompson

Kevin Watson and Scott Kisker, The Band Meeting: Rediscovering Relational Discipleship in Transformational Community (Seedbed)  https://amzn.to/2Wd4aZW 

Richard Foster Celebration of Discipline https://amzn.to/33kkY5d

John Wesley. The Sermons of John Wesley: A Collection for the Christian Journey (eds. Collins and Vickers)  https://amzn.to/2L6u4b5  

Thomas a Kempis Imitation of Christ https://amzn.to/30WZo3G 

Jeremy Taylor Rule and Exercises of Holy Living and Dying https://amzn.to/3f8gwbX

www.seedbed.com 

Bio: 

Dr. Andrew C. Thompson is a pastor, teacher, and scholar in the United Methodist Church. He is an award-winning author and frequent speaker, focusing on the thought of John Wesley, the history of Methodism, and contemporary Wesleyan theology. Andrew is an ordained minister and has served pastoral appointments in Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. He currently serves as the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Springdale, Arkansas. Previously he taught for four years on the faculty of Memphis Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee.

Twitter @TheRealAndrew

The links to Amazon are affiliate links. Amazon pays a small royalty to Brian Russell for any materials purchased through these links (your purchase price is not affected). Thank you for supporting the Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations podcast!

Episode 17 How Scripture, Spirit, Community, and Mission Shape Our Souls...

In this week’s episode Dr. Evan Howard shares his deep knowledge and wisdom regarding the process of how God shapes our souls.
Evan B. Howard, Ph.D. is the founder and director of Spirituality Shoppe, a Center for the Study of Christian Spirituality. He is also an affiliate faculty with Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author of The Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality, A Guide to Christian Spiritual Formation: How Scripture, Spirit, Community, and Mission Shape Our Souls and other books and articles. He leads workshops and seminars on Christian Spirituality and enjoys living a simple life with family and animals in rural Colorado.
websites and social media
website - spiritualityshoppe.org;
Youtube channel - www.youtube.com/channel/UCgBNf5GVUgUuqEwslXvOfQ
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/evan.b.howard

Books by Dr. Evan Howard:

Praying the Scriptures: A Field Guide for Your Spiritual Journey (IVP, 1999) https://amzn.to/32GDYdH 

The Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality (Brazos 2008): https://amzn.to/2CCrj0I

Discovering Lectio Divina: Bringing Scripture into Ordinary Life (IVP, 2012) https://amzn.to/30C9SFp

Guide to Christian Spiritual Formation: How Scripture, Spirit, Community, and Mission Shape Our Souls (Baker 2018) https://amzn.to/2OMwu0r 

Book Mentioned and Recommended by Dr. Howard

Toyohiko Kagawa: An Apostle of Love and Social Justice https://amzn.to/31ZGdsi 

The links to Amazon are affiliate links. Amazon pays a small royalty to Brian Russell for any materials purchased through these links (your purchase price is not affected). Thank you for supporting the Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations podcast!

Episode #15: The Psalms, Honesty, and Spiritual Formation with Dr. W. David O. Taylor

In this week’s episode, W. David O. Taylor explores the profound depths of the Book of Psalms with us in a rich discussion of his new book Open and Unafraid. We talk about how the prayers of the Psalter invite us to a deep honesty with God, with others, and with ourselves. As we open ourselves to the richness of the text, the text through the power of the Spirit shapes us.

W. David O. Taylor is Associate Professor of Theology & Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary and the author of several books, includingOpen and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life (Thomas Nelson, 2020), Glimpses of the New Creation: Worship and the Formative Power of the Arts  (Eerdmans, 2019), The Theater of God’s Glory: Calvin, Creation, and the Liturgical Arts (Eerdmans, 2017), as well as editor ofFor the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts(Baker Books, 2010) and co-editor of Contemporary Art and the Church: A Conversation between Two Worlds (IVP Academic, 2017). He has written for The Washington Post, Religion News Service, Image Journal, Calvin Theological Journal, Christian Scholars Review, Theology Today, Books & Culture, The Gospel Coalition, and Christianity Today, among others. An Anglican priest, he has lectured widely on the arts, from Thailand to South Africa. He serves on the advisory board for Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts as well as IVP Academic’s series, “Studies in Theology and the Arts,” and he is a core participation in the four-year project “Theology, Modernity, and the Visual Arts,” hosted by King’s College, London, which involves annual conversations between scholars and artists in London, Chicago, Berlin, and Venice. He lives in Austin with his wife Phaedra, a visual artist and gardener, and his daughter Blythe and son Sebastian.

Social Media:

Twitter: @wdavidotaylor

IG: @davidtaylor_theologian

Facebook author page: @wdavidotaylor2020


Books:
Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life (2020): https://amzn.to/2YUcxea

Prayer Cards for Open and Unafraid:  https://store.rabbitroom.com/products/open-and-unafraid-prayer-cards?variant=31489346764887

Glimpses of the New Creation: Worship and the Formative Power of the Arts (2019 w/Jeremy Begbie): https://amzn.to/3iuo63u

The Theater of God’s Glory: Calvin, Creation, and the Liturgical Arts (2017): https://amzn.to/2Zz2Kcy

co-editor of Contemporary Art and the Church: A Conversation between Two Worlds (IVP Academic, 2017) https://amzn.to/3e4Uoi9

For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts (2010): https://amzn.to/31UbooX

David’s Recommended Books for Spiritual Growth and Transformation:

Henri Nouwen The Wounded Healer https://amzn.to/301ocY3

James B. Torrance, Worship, Community, and the Triune God of Grace https://amzn.to/3fbOddl

Karl Barth Church Dogmatics https://amzn.to/3iIkLh4


Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.

Episode 14 The Courage to Read: Scripture, Astonishment, and Transformation

In this week’s episode Dr Brian Russell talks about the profound role that Scripture has played in his life. He reflects on the shift from thinking of Scripture as something I should read to becoming something that I must read. He offers suggestions to capturing a renewed vision of the power of Scripture for a deep dive spirituality. Will you embrace the courage to read?

Bio: Brian Russell (Ph.D.) is a Professor of Biblical Studies and founder of Deep Dive Spirituality. Deep Dive Spirituality serves pastors and spiritual leaders through Dr. Russell’s ministries of preaching, teaching, and coaching. 

Books by Dr. Russell

(Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade Books) https://amzn.to/30tP4S9 

Invitation: A Bible Study to Begin With (Seedbed) https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/

Centering Prayer and the Journey to Love (forthcoming in 2021 from Paraclete Press)

Recommendations from Today’s Podcast:

Thomas Merton, Opening the Bible https://amzn.to/2BZXZRf 

M. Robert Mulholland, Shaped by the Word: The Power of Scripture in Spiritual Formation https://amzn.to/3dVbhvA

Eugene Peterson, Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading https://amzn.to/3dVbhvA

Social Media:

Twitter: @briandrussell

Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife

Interested in coaching or inviting Brian to speak or teach for your community of faith or group? Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com

Links to Amazon are Affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, Amazon returns a small percentage of the sale to Brian Russell. This supports the podcast and does not increase the price of the items you may choose to buy. Thank you for your support.

Questions that Transform Us (Walking and Talking Spirituality #19)

Have you ever been asked a spiritually transformative question?

What were key questions that have shaped your journey of life?

Here are some of mine:

Rev Paul George asked my 17 or 18 year old self (1986 or 1987):

Have you ever considered the ministry?

Alex McManus challenged me when I was a young professor in
2005:

What business do you have teaching in a seminary if you’ve
never planted a church?

A few years ago, my daughter asked me:

Dad, why do you work so much?

The questions we ask ourselves play a determining factor
in our growth.

Are you open or closed to “hard” questions? 

Start your morning with some empowering questions:

For what am I grateful?

What is really bothering me?

What would make today great?

End your day with: What went really well today?

Be mindful of the questions that empower you and
questions that disempower you.

What’s on your mind today? What are some of the
best questions you’ve been asked or that you ask yourself?

#spirituality #questionsthattransform #questions #growth
#change #transformation #spiritualformation #spiritualgrowth 

50 Days of Formation and "KASHflow" (Walking and Talking Spirituality #16)

During this 50 day season of Eastertide in anticipation of Pentecost, what if we work on our spiritual formation so that we will be ready to be unleashed back into the world.

Embrace soul enhancing practices and mute your stress-relieving practices.

Borrowing an acronym from Dan Sullivan, let’s focus on  

on KASHflow:

Knowledge

Attitudes

Skills

Habits

Knowledge: How will you grow in self-knowledge? How are you presently consciously or unconsciously blocking the work of God in your life? What have you learned about God’s grace?

Attitudes: What attitudes do you need to cultivate in order to grow in love of God, neighbor, and self?

Skills: What new skills have I learned that I can continue to hone that will serve me in the long run?

Habits: What soul enhancing do I need to restart, launch, or double-down on so that I’ll be ready?

The world will reopen friends. A new dawn will appear. Spring will come again. Will we be ready?

A Deep Dive Spirituality for Seasons of Winter (Walking and Talking Spir...

Do you have a spirituality that will sustain you during the seasons of winter in life?

What would it look like for you to go back to the basics and double-down on your spiritual
practices and means of grace? 

Open yourself up to new levels of God’s grace by experimenting with journaling and 
contemplative practices such as centering prayer.

What are you doing to sustain yourself spirituality so that you can serve as a voice of 
hope to others during these difficult days?

Remember that Spring is coming. Be a witness today.

Lessons from a Stoic and Jesus about Living in the Present

This is Episode #9 of Walking and Talking Spirituality with Dr. Brian Russell
Seneca (in Letter #5) from Letters from a Stoic talks about the problem of being lost either in the past or in the future rather than being present. He writes, “A number of our blessing do us harm, for memory brings back the agony of fear while foresight brings it on prematurely. No one confines his unhappiness to the present.”
I like Seneca because he helps me to think clearly about my interior life. Many Christians through the ages have found the Stoic writers (in particular Seneca and Epictetus) to be helpful.
Seneca hits a key theme that can hinder us in our spiritual growth. It is not only a Roman Stoic who can be trapped in the past or in the future. So can we.
Jesus taught us to realign continually in light of the good news of the kingdom of God (see Matt 4:17). What does it mean to realign or repent? It means to recenter ourselves on the ethics and mission of the kingdom of God. In essence it means to follow Jesus moment-by-moment. When we find ourselves focused on a past pattern, we realign with Jesus. When we feel anxious about the future, we realign with Jesus.
Try a prayer like this:
“My past is forgiven in Christ; my future is secure in Christ; so I can live and breathe and move moment-by-moment in the abundance of this new day.”
What do you do to stay centered in the present so that you can serve the world that is right in front of you rather than one that you remember from the past or one that you hope to encounter some day?

What kind of person do I need to become? (Episode 8: Walking and Talking...

Dr. Brian Russell explores this question: What kind of person do I need to become to live out my calling within a missional community?
Growth into the person God created us is vital for our long term spiritual and physical health. Does the way that we live our lives model the actual mission that we believe we are serving?.
Here are some deep dive questions that can help us to grow in our love for God, others, and self:
Who am I apart from the roles that I play and the experiences that I’ve had?
What am I trying really hard not to feel? What do I do to avoid these feelings?
How am I complicit in the reality that I claim I don’t desire for my life?
Interested in a deep dive conversation? Email Dr. Brian Russell: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com

Who is My Mission? (Walking and Talking Spirituality #7)

This is episode #7 of Walking and Talking Spirituality with Dr. Brian Russell.

Mission is always about people...

Don't ask "What is my mission?" Asking what creates an abstraction.

Instead, ask/pray: "Who is my mission?"

Avoid the danger of answering "everyone." The deeper answer isn't "everyone" but "someone".

Become an ambassador of God's abundance by living as the hands, feet, and mouthpiece of Jesus to the people in your proximity.

Are You Playing the Long Game?

Are you playing the long game? Or are you going for a quick fix?


Our flesh longs for instantaneous and on demand, but our soul longs for a real meal of depth and abundance.


Here the story about one of Brian's friends whose committed long term to digging deeply in the Psalms. He reads one psalm each day for a week. This includes reading the psalm each day and then reading a different commentary on it daily. He is in year 4 which means he just began his second run through the Psalter.


Imagine the person you'll become by doing a similar deep dive into some practice in your own life.

To what formative practices have you committed deeply?

Does Scripture Read Me? (Walking and Talking Spirituality #5)

Dr. Brian Russell reflects on reading Scripture for transformation. 


Do I read Scripture, or does Scripture read me? What is the difference? 


Learn to ask questions that allow the text to transform our head, heart, and hands: insight, attitude and action. 


Ask:
What kind of person does this text assume that I am? What kind of person do I need to become to allow this passage to manifest in me for others? 


Head: How does this text challenge my thinking? What are the key insights? 


Heart: What does this text call me to care about? 


Hands: What precisely do I need to do now to live out this text?

The Four Rs of Centering Prayer: Advice for Managing our Thoughts

The classic advice from Thomas Keating and Cynthia Bourgeault on managing our stream of thoughts in Centering Prayer is this:

Resist no thought.

Retain no thought.

React to no thought.

Return ever so gently to the sacred word.

These “Four R’s” are full of wisdom. They remind us of the core principle of centering prayer–the surrender of our thoughts and our return to the intention to sit in silence before God. We cannot control our thoughts. They may be beautiful; they may be embarrassing; they may be random. Regardless, when we recognize that they’ve grabbed our attention, we release them and return to the silence with our sacred word.

Resist no thought. 

Recognize that we spend most of our days lost in loops of thought. Our minds bounce endlessly from one thought to another. Buddhists call this the “monkey mind.” To practice centering prayer does not mean fighting against thinking. The goal is not to erase our minds. This is impossible. You will likely have hundreds if not thousands of thoughts during a centering prayer session. The key is recognizing when this happens and surrendering it. This leads to the next “R”.

Retain no thought. 

In centering prayer, we release our thoughts whenever we find ourselves paying attention to one. This is easy if it’s a random thought about dinner or about a bug buzzing in your ear. However, if you generate a helpful solution to a problem you’ve struggled with, it is harder to let go. But let go we must. Good or bad or neutral–we surrender each thought and return to the silence.

React to no thought. 

Thoughts are just thoughts. We have little control of what moves into our conscious mind. You may encounter beautiful thoughts or disturbing ones. A painful memory may emerge from the depths of your soul. You may get caught up in a fantasy. Regardless the practice centering prayer involves our commitment to make no judgments regarding our thoughts. Instead, we release them to God. 

Return ever so gently to the sacred word. 

The elegance of centering prayer is its simplicity. It’s all about our intention to spend time with God in silence. The sacred word serves as a means of breaking our attention to thoughts, words, images, and feelings so that we can return to the silence.

To learn more about centering prayer, check out this brief video introduction: Centering Prayer: the Basics