Abhe Workshop 2012 02 21 Presentation

A Multi-Dimensional Spiritual Assessment Program Timothy L. Cooley

First Core Value of ABHE: Spiritual Engagement We will fulfill our mission as a spiritual enterprise united under Christ our Head, led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, faithful in biblical truth and prayer. Retrieved January 21, 2012 from http://www.abhe.org/pages/NAV-OurMission.html

Spiritual Transformation is the shaping of the interior life — Cognition , Commitment , Character/Conscience , Communion , and Compassion — so that life flows out in an integrative wholeness (head, hand, and heart) increasingly more like Christ

A Multi-Dimensional Spiritual Assessment Cognition Commitment Character/Conscience Communion  Compassion

Bloom’s Domains Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Receiving Responding Valuing Organizing Internalizing Perception Readiness to Act Guided Response Complex Response Adaptation Origination Cognitive Affective Psychomotor

Dettmer’s Suggested Domains Cognitive Affective Sensorimotor Social

James Fowler’s Stages of Faith Based on the developmental theories of Jean Piaget Erik Erikson Lawrence Kohlberg

Conventional Conforming Faith Ages 11/12 to 17/18 and many adults Interpersonal Relationships very important Not yet Reflected on their Beliefs and Values (Formal Thinking just emerging) “ Faith-crowd” provides much of their Meaning The Loyalist Fowler Faith Stage 3

Individuative Choosing Faith Ages 17/18 and onward (or 30s/40s and onward) Evaluating their Beliefs and Values Cannot Tolerate Second-Hand Belief Faith Becomes their Own Transition to this Stage can be long and traumatic The Searcher Fowler Faith Stage 4

Sharon Parks’ Dimensions within Fowler’s Faith Stages Form of Knowing Form of Dependence Form of Community

Attachment Theory John Bowlby Mary Ainsworth Robert Karen The way a person relates to the primary caregiver in childhood develops a perceptual filter that tends to govern all other relationships even toward God.

Dilemma If spiritual transformation, or Christian formation, is a summary category that includes everything . . . . If spiritual transformation is a separate category . . . .

Qualitative Research? or Quantitative Research?

Romans 12:2 Be ye transformed ( metamorphosed ) by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

II Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed ( metamorphosed ) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord .

Cognition Propositional truth (doctrine) cognitively grasped and believed about God (as personal and Trinitarian), humans (as free moral agents), sin (as both act and nature), salvation (received by grace through faith) as a present relationship, sanctification (including a Wesleyan understanding of entire sanctification as an instantaneous purging of one’s nature, as well as the ongoing process of becoming more and more like Christ), personal assurance of one’s relationship with God, eternity (as duration and as destination), ultimate meaning, even general knowledge of creation as it connects with ultimate meaning. Cognition Propositional truth (doctrine) cognitively grasped and believed about God (as personal and Trinitarian), humans (as free moral agents), sin (as both act and nature), salvation (received by grace through faith) as a present relationship, sanctification (including a Wesleyan understanding of entire sanctification), personal assurance of one’s relationship with God, eternity, ultimate meaning, even general knowledge of creation as it connects with ultimate meaning

Commitment Personal commitment to God and His Word as having “supreme value for me”; personal choice, going beyond a conventional, second-hand faith (based more on family, church, and friends) to a convictional faith (based on personal reflection) (Fowler, 1981/1995); personal commitment to Jesus Christ, to His commands and His commission; practice of the spiritual disciplines; and self-discipline (disciplined choosing of the more excellent, choosing even against one’s own short-term gain, and willingness to suffer for spiritual value). Commitment Personal commitment to God and His Word as having “supreme value for me”; personal choice, going beyond a conventional, second-hand faith (based more on family, church, and friends) to a convictional faith (based on personal reflection) (Fowler, 1981/1995); personal commitment to Jesus Christ, to His commands and His commission; practice of the spiritual disciplines; and self-discipline (disciplined choosing of the more excellent, choosing even against one’s own short-term gain, and willingness to suffer for spiritual value). Commitment Personal commitment to God and His Word as having supreme value for the individual; personal choice, going beyond a conventional, second-hand faith (based more on family, church, friends) to a convictional faith (based on personal reflection) (Fowler, 1981/1995); personal commitment to Jesus Christ, to His commands and His commission; spiritual disciplines; self-discipline, disciplined choosing of the more excellent, choosing even against one’s own short-term gain, willingness to suffer for spiritual value

Character/Conscience Integrity, consistent living out or “incarnating” one’s faith and values, obedience to Scripture; conscience as consciousness, conscious sensitivity to moral right and wrong; openness to the direct dealing of the Spirit; conformity to Christ, fruit of the Spirit; wisdom, discretion, choosing the things that are excellent; personal stewardship of time, talent, and treasure (financial responsibility)

Communion Koinonia (Gr.  ) with God (prayer, worship, personal trust in God, sense of forgiveness from God), and koinonia with one’s spiritual community, with family, with people in general (including acceptance of others, forgiveness toward them, and global acceptance of the full diversity of humans as created in the image of God); acceptance of self; relationship to spiritual authority

Compassion Willingness to serve Christ through serving others (servanthood), sympathy for the suffering, the poor, and the imprisoned

Assessment and Planning Cycle What should be? How to Close the Gap? What is?

Spiritual Assessment should be Couched in Biblical terms or concepts Aligned with your theological and ecclesiastical commitments Linked to your spiritual formation program

Can we assess Spiritual Transformation? We can only assess “ Spiritual Indicators ”

Likert-type Scale Trait is Characteristic of student Six-point Likert-type Scale Very true of me Mostly true of me More true than untrue of me More untrue than true of me Mostly untrue of me Very untrue of me 6 very true of me 5 mostly true of me 4 more true than untrue of me 3 more untrue than true of me 2 mostly untrue of me 1 very untrue of me

The Study Analyzed The level of students’ Spiritual Transformation Their rating of the Bible College Experience The correlation between these two

Spiritual Transformation Component Means (#2-6)

Spiritual Disciplines (#7) Exercise 2x week or more 1x day or more Devotional Prayer 91% 70% #7a Devotional Bible Reading 88% 60% #7b Exercise 2x week or more Church Attendance 91% #7c Chapel Attendance 96% #7d

Spiritual Disciplines (#7 continued) Exercise 1x week or more Small Group Fellowship/Prayer 63% #7e Exercise 1x month or less Witnessing . . . 51% #7f Fasting and Prayer 59% #7g

Bible College Experiences (#8) School Revivals . . . 5.34 #8d Fellowship w other students 5.04 #8c Christian Service 5.01 #8k Academic Courses 4.97 #8a Chapel Services 4.93 #8e Campus Atmosphere Great Commission 4.89 #8j Fac/Stu Interaction outside of class 4.86 #8b Visiting Ministers/Missionaries 4.78 #8i Campus Prayer Meetings 4.64 #8h Discipleship Groups 4.54 #8g Dormitory Life 4.29 #8f

Bible College Experiences (#8 continued) Mean of All Lines #8a-k 4.84 #8a-k Correlation of Mean of #8a-k and Mean of #2-6 Pearson r = .512

Campus Atmosphere (#9) 5.30 Mean of all line items 4.97 Mean of all line items relating to students (#9f, #9a, #9d, #9g) 5.60 Mean of all line items relating to faculty and staff (#9b, #9c, #9,h, #9e) 4.86 #9g The students are committed to the spiritual purpose of the school 5.01 #9d The students are quick to help each other 5.01 #9a The students are devoted to serving the Lord 5.02 #9f The students make each other feel loved and accepted 5.38 #9i The campus atmosphere encourages everyone to spiritual growth 5.41 #9e The faculty and staff make students feel loved and accepted 5.48 #9h The faculty are devoted to serving the students 5.72 #9c The general staff are devoted to serving the Lord 5.78 #9b The faculty are devoted to serving the Lord

Summary Students who enrolled in these Bible Colleges were already aligned with the mission before coming. Students rated their own spiritual transformation very highly. Students testified that they are practicing many of the spiritual disciplines usually associated with spiritual growth. Students testified that Bible College Experiences and the Campus Atmosphere are contributing to their spiritual growth.

Participants who rated their own level of spirituality higher also tended to rate the impact of the Bible College experiences more highly. Age, number of semesters, and gender made very little difference in the way students rated their own spirituality, the Bible College Experiences, and the Campus Atmosphere. Summary (continued)

Implications Are students are growing spiritually? Are students aligned with your mission? Are your recruitment efforts bringing the kind of students you want? Are your distance education students pursuing and/or reaching the same objectives as your face-to-face students?

Recommendations Further development of the instrument Suggestions for improvement? Related article in current Biblical Higher Education Journal Today’s paper and presentation available Dissertation available by pdf file Author email: [email_address]

May the Lord prosper your efforts to increase students’ spiritual growth! — Timothy L. Cooley, Sr. Email: [email_address]

Abhe Workshop 2012 02 21 Presentation

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Abhe Workshop 2012 02 21 Presentation (20)

Abhe Workshop 2012 02 21 Presentation