On the sixth day of the creation story, God created man "in the image of God". The foundational elements of practicing personal devotions are evident in the Bible's emphasis on two specific ways to sustain a personal. In the New Testament, the relationship between God's Word and prayer is proven by Jesus' well-known practice of the discipline.
A large number of respondents indicated that they had received instruction on the practice of personal devotions and that they had a good understanding of the practice.
Results
A summary of the pre- and post-course results and the t-test for dependent samples are presented in Tables 11 and 12, below. The remainder of the session focused on a basic devotional structure of opening prayer, reading, meditation and closing prayer. Participants were also introduced to a more structured format for journaling that encouraged them to practice reading, meditation and prayer.3 The session concluded with a devotional exercise to help explain the use of the new format.
The class also discussed several techniques from Fleming's book, which included changes in the pattern of devotional times, self-examination questions to reveal mental or spiritual blocks, growth in overall biblical knowledge through careful external reading, and revisiting past times of God's faithfulness.9 The final session concluded with the completion of the postgraduate course. 5Donald S Whitney, “Methods of Meditation on Scripture,” Center for Biblical Spirituality, accessed December 14, 2015, http://biblicalspirituality.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/. Whitney, “Praying the Bible,” Center for Biblical Spirituality, accessed December 14, 2015, http://biblilcal spirituality.org/category/praying_the_bible/.
This success with this third objective was measured by entering the results of the pre- and post-course total scores for both studies into a dependent-samples t-test formula.
Results
In addition, the use of email and text messaging as a tool for accountability was also mentioned as a possible improvement for the next iteration of the course. As an additional important insight, since this course was intended as part of a larger discipleship construct, the results of the church survey suggest that there will be a relatively low number of members who will be immediately interested in participating in the follow-up. course offer. The evaluation will focus on an assessment of the project's aims and objectives and of the project's strengths and weaknesses.
It will also outline what different actions I would take given the results of the project. This project objective corresponds to the apostle Paul's description of the local church as the primary educational institution for believers. And He gave [to the local congregation] some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of service, for the building up of the body of Christ; until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:11-12).
The "Encounters" element of the mission statement is described as engaging with God during communal and private worship, where private worship is simply another way of expressing the practice of daily personal devotions.
Congregational Survey
An important implication of this finding is that there is likely to be a limited response to follow-up course offerings.
Course Development and Evaluation
Course of Instruction
The opposite could also be true, but this issue doesn't seem to have come up in the reviews. As experience with the course increases, session plans could probably be designed to minimize this. Pre- and post-course surveys were a useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness of classroom instruction.
As noted in the t-test for dependent samples (Chapter 4), the course proved highly effective in helping participants develop positive perspectives and a basic set of skills necessary to practice daily personal devotions. That said, the biggest weakness of these surveys is the likelihood of answering the pre-course survey in such a way as to inflate actual practice. Likewise, the post-course survey is susceptible to inflation by members hoping to give the instructor a sense of success.
Using anonymous surveys is the best way to mitigate this risk, but it does not completely eliminate the problem.
Post Course Qualitative Survey
This problem is more likely to exist in a small group because of the intimacy of the relationships that form in such an environment. The single most significant strength of this project is that it provided insight into the congregation's devotional perspectives and practices. While many of the participants felt they had some understanding of personal devotions, there was a common sense that this course introduced them to a new level of understanding and helped them actually develop a strong daily personal devotional practice.
And in keeping with the church's role as an equipping organization, this course offers the church an additional tool in its Great Commission mandate to develop disciples (see Matthew 28:19-20). As mentioned earlier, one of the goals that was not met as intended was the number of congregational surveys conducted. Months before the survey was released, I began informing the congregation about the nature of my project, that it would involve a congregational survey and an eight-week class on how to do it.
Another minor but important weakness of this project was not in the course structure, but in the delays that extended the duration of the course.
Would Do Differently
Much of the benefit of this project came from the research and readings of the sources listed in Chapters 2 and 3. My intent with this project was to develop an instructional program that would equip the church God has given me to lead with at least some of the skills, perspectives and life lessons I have learned over the years through practicing daily personal devotions. Finally, I have come to believe that this kind of instruction is absolutely crucial to the spiritual health and well-being of the local church.
The Congregation Practices Questionnaire was used to assess the understanding and actual practice of personal devotion in individual churches. The survey you are about to participate in is designed to identify the participant's current understanding and practice of personal commitment. The information collected will provide an overall assessment of the understanding and practice of personal devotion within the Congregation.
This information will be used to help construct a small group course on practicing personal devotion.
Personal Devotions Curriculum Evaluation Tool Lesson Evaluation (To be used for all lessons)
Biblical and Theological Consistency
Teaching Methodology
Lesson Scope
Overall Lesson Effectiveness
The consideration of the “fruits and Effects.” (92)
After which comes to be considered the "Subject," either where it is, or where it is employed, upon which we meditate. of its "additions and qualities". Sixthly must follow the "affinity and attributes" which are attached to the subject upon which we are meditating. Seventhly, our thoughts, leaving for a while the consideration of the thing as it is in itself, will descend to it like the others; and therefore must first mediate what is "Manyfold" from it or "opposed to" it.
After this contrast, the mind will make a "Comparison" of the meditated substance with After this contrast, the mind will make a "Comparison" of the meditated substance with what is most similar to me; and will illustrate it by the most appropriate "comparisons," which give no small light to the understanding, nor less power to the affection. The mere "names and address" of the matter we are dealing with do not give us anything at all. meditations, which are so often forced to secretly understand the nature of the thing they represent, are not unworthy of our discourse. suitable "Testimonies of the Holy Scriptures" relating to our subject. After this taste follows the complaint, in which the heart bewails its own poverty, dullness, and imperfection; scolding and humiliation for his desires and indispositions, where humiliation truly precedes glory.
After this lament must follow a heartfelt and passionate desire of the soul, clearly arising from the two preceding degrees; for that which a man has found sweet and comfortable and complains he still wants, he cannot but want to enjoy.
An earnest Petition for that which we confess we want. (103)
The hardest and sharpest part of meditation thus finished, remains that which is both more lively and easier for a good heart; to be entirely created by the affections, which if our discourse does not reach, it will be vain and to no purpose. After this desire will follow the humble confession according to the right order of nature, for, after this desire will follow the humble confession according to the right order of nature, because, lamenting our need and desired supply, not finding this hope in ourselves, we must accept that which only we both can seek and find where we must properly observe how the mind is on the other hand depressed and uplifted.
A vehement Enforcement of our petition. (104-105)
A cheerful Confidence of obtaining what we have requested and enforced. (105- 106)
After this thanksgiving we will follow a faithful commendation of ourselves to God, wherein the soul joyfully surrenders and rests wholly upon its Creator and Redeemer, devoting itself to Him in all its ways, submitting to Him in all its ways His, desiring in all things to glorify Him and to walk worthily of her high and glorious calling. This appendix contains a detailed description of the meditative methods developed by Donald S. Whitney and referenced in Chapter 3 of this project. 130. Choose a verse or phrase that caught your attention, or a theme verse or key verse from the passage.
Set and discover the minimum number of insights from the text (set the number in advance). This appendix contains a detailed summary of the Bible's concept of prayer as developed by Donald S.
The Problem
The answer is likely, "no!" So why is it so hard to be consistent in prayer?
The Solution
The Method
Christianity for Life: Or, the Example of the Lord Jesus Christ Proposed for the Meditation and Imitation of Every Christian. The purpose of this project was to equip members of First Baptist Church (FBC), Calvert City, Kentucky, to develop a daily practice of personal devotion.
