Saturday, February 4, 2012

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Spiritual Development Team


01 Track 1The Cherokee Presbytery Spiritual Development Team shares resources and experiences with people within the Presbytery who are looking for ways in which to grow spiritually.

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:

 

ASSUMPTIONS:

Among our working assumptions are the understanding that:

  • People will grow spiritually in a variety of ways
  • Spirituality has taken on an unfortunate ‘other-worldly’ reputation
  • There are distinct contributions that Reformed Christianity makes to the subject of spiritual growth/formation
  • Spiritual growth takes place best in covenant relationship with others on the same journey
  • Spiritual growth is a gift of God’s grace and the Holy Spirit, and not an accomplishment of human effort alone
  • Opportunity for spiritual growth is nurtured by attention to the disciplines of the Christian faith and sustained by those same disciplines but growth itself often comes in response to experience and reflection

RESPONSIBILITIES:

It is the responsibility of the Spiritual Development Team to facilitate opportunities and challenges to the presbytery which promote:

  • Personal faith sharing
  • Theological reflection
  • The practice of discernment in decision-making
  • The practice of historic Reformed spiritual disciplines
  • Sharing corporate stories of God’s work

PERSONAL FAITH SHARING

At a time when the world is hungering for the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Church is called to tell the good news of salvation by the grace of God. (G-3.0300a). In order that members may be better equipped to celebrate their own faith journeys, presbyters need to learn and practice articulating their faith, witnessing in word and deed to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, inviting persons into a new life in Christ.  The SDT is to provide opportunities for presbyters and congregations to share their own faith stories and stories of how they have experienced God’s healing, redeeming and saving activity in the world.

THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION

It is the goal of Cherokee Presbytery to become a holy expression of God’s intention for the world, so that together we can follow Christ into the future.  In order to be equipped to accomplish this purpose, it is vital that Cherokee Presbytery reclaim the responsibility of presbyters to gather for the purpose of continuing biblical & theological education, mutual theological and ethical encouragement.  It is the responsibility of SDT to promote and encourage opportunities for biblical, theological, and ethnical conversations among clergy and other presbyters regionally throughout the presbytery, and at least annually at a stated meeting of presbytery.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE AND DISCERNMENT IN DECISION-MAKING

While discernment will not replace the use of Robert’s Rules and Parliamentary Procedure, it is one way to engage issues from a theological, biblical and spiritual point of view.  The Will of the Majority Shall Prevail (G-1.0400) – Majority rule reflects the reality that the whole church can only do that which Most of the church is willing to do. Majority rule in this understanding does not reflect a “win/lose” situation, but is a function of unity.

It is the responsibility of the SDT to provide opportunities for presbyters to learn and practice corporate discernment.  Also, to recommend to appropriate groups when corporate discernment can be used effectively to use in addressing issues which face the presbytery prior to finalizing the decision through parliamentary procedure.

THE PRACTICE OF HISTORIC REFORMED SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES

Reformed spiritual disciplines are an integral aspect of lives that yearn for a deeper experiential relationship with God and a faith that is grounded in “firsthand” knowing.  It is important that pastors, who faithfully obey the command of Jesus Christ to “feed my sheep,” are also spiritually fed.  Reformed spiritual disciplines seek to attend to God and accept God’s grace.  They include inward disciplines, outward disciplines and corporate disciplines.

SHARING CORPORATE STORIES OF GOD’S WORK

Too often the Church focuses on those things that divide us, rather than on celebrating the activity of God among us.  Therefore, the SDT is called to empower congregations and presbyters to share and celebrate the ways in which they have been:

  • Going into the world, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all he has commanded
  • Demonstrating by the love of its members for one another and by the quality of its common life the new reality in Christ; sharing in worship, fellowship, and nurture, practicing a deepened life of prayer and service under the guidance of the Holy Spirit
  • Participating in God’s activity in the world through its life for others