In working with church leaders throughout the world, many have expressed the desire for practical instruction and application of spiritual disciplines. While certainly not a negative practice, there is a universal tendency on the part of pastors and Bible teachers to spend significant time studying the Word of God in preparation for ministry. However, the need to be still and let the Word of God “dwell richly” in leaders is often overlooked. With the goal of Spiritual Formation in mind, practicing spiritual disciplines (eg. lectio divina, visio divina, silence and solitude, prayer) with workshop and class participants has become an integral part of my training as personal and corporate spiritual formation is really the foundation of worship renewal in our churches.
From my 35+ years of experience in teaching in various global contexts, I have observed that there is a deep desire for more training in and understanding of the biblical, theological, historical, and cultural sensibilities of worship. The weakness in this area evidences itself in an inability on the part of pastors, worship leaders, church planters, and other church leaders to plan and lead biblically informed and meaningfully contextualized worship services. To promote the global renewal of worship, individually and corporately, the best antidote while staying rooted in historic Church traditions, is to return to the source of knowledge…the Bible.
The ministry of Global Training in Spiritual Formation and Biblical Worship is strategically designed to develop and disciple those in church and ministry leadership. The spiritual formation component meaningfully complements the more didactic, yet practical nature of the workshop or classroom instruction.
I invite you to partner with me in the work God has entrusted to me. Thirty years of ministry in Japan and then teaching in 20 different countries in the past 10 years, where God has opened opportunities for ministry, humbles me and gives me great joy. Join me on the journey!
