Date of Award

2-2023

Document Type

Project Portfolio

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Department

Seminary

First Advisor

Mark Chironna, DMin

Second Advisor

Melinda Smith, DMin

Third Advisor

Leonard I. Sweet, PhD

Abstract

This project germinated out of the observation that many evangelical congregations are facing the malaise of a profound lack of true faith formation, which is creating a wide gap between authentic Christ formation and secularization, and is further exacerbated by the genuine blind spot of denial in the minds of Christians that this is problematic. In a distracted and frenzied world, faith formation is becoming less of a priority, which is caused by an inherent bent toward selfish independence. Changing the narrative on these observations would mean Christians prioritize and cultivate their relationship with Jesus Christ, propelling them outwardly towards a selfless interdependence. These observations were made as I peered through the windshield of my ministry context in both a Midwest and West Coast local congregation and farther out into the religious and secular climate of the cultural moment of the years leading up to and through the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. Storied Discipleship: Nine Practices for Jesus-Shaped Living is the plant that is beginning to grow from these observations. It was born out of the desire to help distracted people refocus their attention on matters of faith and help them begin developing new and healthier habits in their spiritual formation process. The nine practices articulate that disciples of Jesus will find themselves living a praying, learning, caring, blessing, celebrating, sharing, resting, simplifying, and tending life. Each part of this project is designed to assist disciples in evaluating the story they are living, to be captivated by and trust the Jesus-story, to live the Jesus-story out in ever-increasing ways, and to share the story with others.

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