Praxis Tool Box - Tools for Christian Formation

Praxis Tool Box

Tools for Christian Formation

Latest Activity

Ircel Harrison added a video

The Face of Jesus

A consideration of the changing perceptions of Christ through the ages.

October 22

Ircel Harrison added a note

Streams of Living Water

Richard Foster’s Streams of Living Water is a must for anyone wanting to learn more about the various approaches to spiritual formation available to Christian believers today. Foster's thesis is that we are to respond to Jesus’ command, “Follow m...

October 19

Gaili Jensen is now a member of Praxis Tool Box

Welcome Them!

September 29

Ircel Harrison commented on Ircel Harrison's blog post 'Spiritual Type'

Thanks, Phil. Sounds like a good resource. I will check it out.

September 28

Philip Potratz replied to Ircel Harrison's discussion 'Resources for Spiritual Formation'

"Celebration of Discipline" would also be high on my list. My son has now borrowed my copy so many times that I finally ordered another one. There are so many others that it is hard to single a few out. "Streams of Living Water" also by Richard Fo...

September 28

Philip Potratz commented on Ircel Harrison's blog post 'Spiritual Type'

Ircel, I am familiar with "Please Understand Me" and Myers-Briggs. I am not familiar with the other two resources you mentioned above, but personality types and ministry is an interest area of mine and I would like to look at them. I recently orde...

September 28

Rick Lane replied to Ircel Harrison's discussion 'Resources for Spiritual Formation'

That's a tough one, Ircel. I, too, discovered a whole new area with which I was unfamiliar at the time when I first read Foster's Celebration of Discipline. Since then, I have discovered his other writings, those of his mentor, Dallas Willard, and...

September 28

Tim Clark replied to Ircel Harrison's discussion 'Resources for Spiritual Formation'

I have enjoyed reading Foster's book for the 3rd time now (most recently during a vacation this year) and have found it to be very helpful in a new and unique way each time. On a very practical side I was greatly helped by a set of booklets on Spi...

September 27

Ircel Harrison added a discussion

Resources for Spiritual Formation

What is the book that has had the most impact on your spiritual development? I could name several, but I think that Richard Foster's CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINE is at the top of my list. When I first read it, I was introduced to a whole new way to g...

September 27

Ircel Harrison added a blog post

Spiritual Type

September 26

Ircel Harrison added a note

This is My Story and I'm Sticking to It

We each have a story. As Christ-followers, we believe that our story is part of a larger story, the story of God and the People of God. How does our story intersect God’s story? When I was a child, I went with my parents to a convention in C...

September 26

Ircel Harrison left a comment for Greg Carey

September 23

Ircel Harrison added a note

Missional Small Groups

Alan Hirsch, author of The Forgotten Ways, has suggested that small groups (Bible study groups, etc.) can become more focused on disciplemaking by addressing behavior and suggested a set of practices designed to produce embodied values not simply ...

September 14

Ircel Harrison added 3 events

Discovering Disciple Development Coaching on October 10, 2009 from 9am to 3pm
Discovering Disciple Development Coaching on October 29, 2009 from 9am to 3pm
Discovering Disciple Development Coaching on October 15, 2009 from 9am to 3pm

September 13

Ircel Harrison added a discussion

Dealing with Conflict

Unfortunately, most congregations experience conflict at some point. If you have ever been in such a situation, what where the spiritual resources you drew upon to help you through that conflict?

September 7

Connie Campbell updated their profile photo

September 4

Tools on this site will stimulate your thinking to develop a model of believer development based on process not programs.

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Blog Posts

Spiritual Type

As part of my Formation for Christian Ministry class, I usually ask the students to complete a Myers-Briggs Type Inventory. We do not use the full-blown instrument but something like the form in Keirsey and Bates’ Please Understand Me. I then apply this to spirituality using other resources like Oswald and Kroeger’s Personality Type and Religious Leadership.

When I came across Malcolm Goldsmith’s Knowing Me, Knowing God, I thought I had found an MBTI instrument and the spir… Continue

Posted by Ircel Harrison on September 26, 2009 at 4:58pm — 2 Comments

Living Into One's Calling

Since I have become involved in doing clergy coaching, I have found that there is a great deal of interest in the field and a number of misconceptions about it. Like anything, coaching can become a “fad”” or “passing fancy” if the purpose and process are not clearly understood.

In a recent news release, the International Coach Federation defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potenti… Continue

Posted by Ircel Harrison on September 1, 2009 at 6:48pm

Your Approach to the Bible--Static or Dynamic?

As a minister or Sunday school teacher, how many times have you had someone come up to you or speak up in a class and say, “What does this particular scripture passage mean?” I have finally come to the point where I believe the most honest answer I can give is, “Here’s what it means to me,… Continue

Posted by Ircel Harrison on July 19, 2009 at 2:52pm

Journey Inward Journey Outward

As Christians we tend to use the word community in a number of different ways, but two usages are especially significant. First, we talk about the community of faith. For most of us that means the church, but it may mean a Bible study group, a recovery group, or a prayer group. The community… Continue

Posted by Ircel Harrison on July 16, 2009 at 7:14pm

Exposition on the Great Commission (Part 3)

3. “Teaching”

The third of the three participles in this passage that describe disciple-making is the word “teaching.” You may have thought that this topic is the only one we would be considering, and we will indeed be spending most of the rest of our time together focused on teaching to make disciples.

We have already noted that we teach through our “practices,” but the church also teaches in a number of other ways. Pastors often teach through their preaching. Counseling is another avenue thr… Continue

Posted by M. Michael Fink, Jr. on July 11, 2009 at 5:34am — 1 Comment

Welcome

Welcome! This site is designed to be a clearing house for those interested in revisioning Christian faith formation to share their insights, resources, and comments. Feel free to blog, add notes, initiate forum discussions and invite others to join. I will do my best to keep it fresh and interactive, but I hope it will become a community effort!

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Notes

Streams of Living Water

Richard Foster’s Streams of Living Water is a must for anyone wanting to learn more about the various approaches to spiritual formation available to Christian believers today. Foster's thesis is that we are to respond to Jesus’ command, “Follow me.” We recognize that we don’t do this entirely in our own strength. We have the presence of Christ with us to guide us.

… Continue

Created by Ircel Harrison Oct 19, 2009 at 7:06pm. Last updated by Ircel Harrison Oct 20.

This is My Story and I'm Sticking to It

We each have a story. As Christ-followers, we believe that our story is part of a larger story, the story of God and the People of God. How does our story intersect God’s story?

… Continue

Created by Ircel Harrison Sep 26, 2009 at 2:22pm. Last updated by Ircel Harrison Sep 26.

Missional Small Groups

Alan Hirsch, author of The Forgotten Ways, has suggested that small groups (Bible study groups, etc.) can become more focused on disciplemaking by addressing behavior and suggested a set of practices designed to produce embodied values not simply confessional orthodoxy. He writes, "So what we did is develop a set of practices designed to produce embodied values in the lives of our group members. And we called those practices TEMPT--Together we follow, Engagement wi

… Continue

Created by Ircel Harrison Sep 14, 2009 at 8:29pm. Last updated by Ircel Harrison Sep 15.

Continue

Created by Ircel Harrison Jul 7, 2009 at 2:27pm. Last updated by Ircel Harrison Aug 15.

Connecting People to the Church

Bo Prosser has commented, "People go where they are loved and cared for. As we communicate to all who participate that they are vitally important to the church, we begin to realize that everything we do in ministry is for others.

… Continue

Created by Ircel Harrison Aug 15, 2009 at 10:44am. Last updated by Ircel Harrison Aug 15.

Synergy PowerPoint

If you would like the PowerPoint for the Sunday School leadership conference at First Baptist, Jefferson City, please send me your e-mail address and I will forward it to to you. Continue

Created by Ircel Harrison Aug 8, 2009 at 8:42pm. Last updated by Ircel Harrison Aug 9.

John Perkins on Empowering Communities

Although in his late 70s, John Perkins continues to be a strong advocate for the poor. A friend of mine who meets with him regularly testifies to Perkins' continued passion to help poor people but his "tough love" in the process. I think you will find this interview with Perkins interesting as we think about the external focus of the church:

http://faithandleadership.com/qa/john-perkins-empowering-communit

… Continue

Created by Ircel Harrison Jul 9, 2009 at 9:50am. Last updated by Ircel Harrison Jul 9.

The Nature of Story

We each have a story. As Christ-followers, we believe that our story is part of a larger story, the story of God and the People of God. How does our story intersect God’s story?

… Continue

Created by Ircel Harrison Jul 8, 2009 at 12:43pm. Last updated by Ircel Harrison Jul 8.

The Vocation of Being a Christian

What do we usually mean when we use the term “vocation”? While we most often use the term in a secular sense, it has often been used in church as a synonym for “calling.”

… Continue

Created by Ircel Harrison Jul 8, 2009 at 12:51pm. Last updated by Ircel Harrison Jul 8.