Dr. Gary Thomas—award-winning author and internationally recognized speaker—provides a panoramic view of spiritual formation so you can learn what it means to relate to the God who created us. Dr. Thomas examines the most significant movements in the history of Christian spirituality, such as the Desert Fathers, the monastics, the Puritans, and the charismatics. Use this course for personal enrichment—to survey the sacred pathways, the practice of holiness in everyday life, and the virtue of humility—or use this course to help those in your small group and congregation grow in spiritual maturity.
Gary Thomas is one the most sought-after speakers on the topics of marriage, parenting, and spiritual formation, and he’s distilled a career’s worth of wisdom into a single course, designed for Mobile Ed.
Introduction
Introduction
Introducing the Speaker and the Course
2m
Spirituality: Historical Survey
God’s Desire for Relationship
6m
David’s Heart for God
9m
God’s Desire for Relationship with You
4m
Friends of Devotion
8m
Cultivating a Wide Circle of Friends
7m
The Lost Art of Devotional Reading: Things to Remember
6m
Illustrating the Lost Art of Devotional Reading
3m
Ways People Approach Christian Spirituality
3m
Desert Experience
2m
Eastern Tradition
5m
Monasticism
3m
Contemplative Mysticism
3m
Puritanism
3m
Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement
2m
Genuine Spirituality: Focused Diversity
Seeking the Kingdom of God (Matt 6:33)
8m
“Fear Not”
8m
Understanding Differences in Values
5m
Accepting What God Values
3m
Acting Justly
6m
Loving Mercy
6m
Walking Humbly with Our God
2m
A Tailor-Made Spiritual Walk
5m
Relating to God in Different Ways
6m
Freedom and Diversity of New Testament Worship
6m
Naturalists
5m
Intellectuals
4m
Caregivers
8m
Sensates
6m
Ascetics
4m
Activists
5m
Contemplatives
7m
Traditionalists
7m
Enthusiasts
3m
An Invitation to Personalized Devotion
9m
Spiritual Pathways and Mission
7m
Authentic Faith and Holiness
Spirituality from God’s Perspective
7m
Authentic Faith
7m
Sacrifice: The Heart of Holiness
7m
Historical Opinions about Who Is Really Holy
7m
Christians Relating to God through Suffering
6m
God Relating to Christians through Suffering
6m
Suffering: Key to Spiritual Maturity
5m
Suffering: Redemptive or Self-Pitying?
5m
Suffering: Key to Ministry
9m
Accepting the Reality of Sin and Temptation
3m
Longing for Holiness
12m
Pursuing Godliness
7m
Struggling with Sin
3m
Understanding the Absurdity of Sin
4m
Knowing that Sin Separates Us from God
4m
Knowing that Temptation Can Make Us Stronger
3m
Gaining Victory over Temptation by Stages
5m
Breaking Sin’s Dominion
4m
Running the Race
5m
Holiness: God and the Body
Every Body Matters
8m
Responding to the World’s View of the Body
6m
Dedicating Our Bodies as Instruments of Service
5m
Avoiding Gluttony, a “Gateway Sin”
7m
Maintaining Physical Health for Longevity in Service
8m
Maintaining Physical Health for Better Spiritual Health
5m
Adopting Physical Health as a Corporate Value
5m
Having the Mind of Christ
6m
Taking Charge of Our Minds
7m
Having Ears that Hear
4m
Recognizing that God Still Speaks
5m
Listening with an Obedient Heart
5m
Tests for Truth: Scripture
5m
Tests for Truth: God’s Church and the Holy Life
3m
Tests for Truth: Familiarity with God’s Voice
3m
Holiness: Practicing the Spiritual Virtues
Intentional Spiritual Growth
7m
Practicing the Virtues of Christ
3m
Humility: Testimonies from the Christian Classics
5m
Humility: Defining It
3m
Humility: Practicing It
6m
Humility: Growing in It
5m
Gentleness: A Christian Virtue
6m
Gentleness: Following the Gentle Shepherd
5m
Gentleness: Showing It to the World
7m
Gentleness: Showing It in Our Homes
7m
Gentleness: Call to Biblical Christianity
2m
Gentleness: Learning It
5m
Thankfulness: A Christian Virtue
8m
Thankfulness: Recognizing Blessings
6m
Thankfulness: Fighting Discontent
8m
Thankfulness: Maintaining Our Human Relationships
6m
Thankfulness: Maintaining Our Relationship with God
2m
Fostering Spiritual Disciplines
5m
Holiness: Marriage and Family
Marriage: Rediscovering Its Purpose
6m
Marriage: A Sanctifying Catalyst
5m
Marriage: Growing in Our Ability to Love
5m
Parenting: A Life-Shaping Call
7m
Parenting: A Catalyst for Spiritual Progress
8m
Holiness: Life’s Pleasures and Death
Pleasure: Problem or Solution?
4m
Pleasure: A Bulwark against Vulnerability
5m
Pleasure: Beloved Kosmos versus Evil Kosmos
6m
Pleasure: Getting Rid of an Antagonistic View of God
5m
Pleasure: Enjoying God’s Good Gifts
7m
Pleasure: A Catalyst for Spiritual Formation
4m
Remembrance of Death versus Unbiblical Denial
5m
Remembrance of Death and Setting Priorities
7m
Remembrance of Death and Living a Holy Life
5m
Remembrance of Death and the Comfort of Death
5m
Conclusion
Summary of the Course
2m
Appendix: Screencasts
Examining Ahithophel’s Relationship to Bathsheba
5m
Keeping Focus with Organized Prayer Lists
4m
Researching the “Cowardly” with the Bible Word Study
4m
Exploring Eastern Orthodox Spirituality
5m
Examining the Health and Wealth Gospel
5m
Using the Bible Sense Lexicon to Find Different Senses of “Body”
4m
Studying the Seven Deadly Sins
5m
Studying the Meaning of Humility in the Ancient World