TO KNOW GOD: Small Group Exercises for Spiritual Formation

TO KNOW GOD: Small Group Exercises for Spiritual Formation.
by Michael Gemignani- rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Freeport, Texas
(c) 2001 Judson Press pp.130 price 22.50 pb

Introduction
This book is a condensed version of a year long course that was offered at St Paul’s. This course promised changed lives, a deeper relationship with God, and a foundation for continuing spiritual growth.
PART ONE
Some Basic Ideas and the Small Group Process.-Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Growth.
Organized religion is not meeting the spiritual needs of people. This may be because people aren’t looking to churches to have their spiritual needs met. The spiritual search is directed more to experience than information. Spiritual practice must be based on four principles. 1. God invites us to get to know Him. 2.It is only through God’s action that we can know Him. We can’t do it ourselves. 3. We need to accept the invitation to know God. 4. Having accepted we need to surrender to God’s working in our lives by the Holy
spirit. "Spiritual growth requires structure, commitment, and discipline." p.6 This happens in community. In all this prayer is essential and impacts the rest of the tools of the journey.
Creating a Spiritual Development Group.
These are given as suggestions not mandates. A good group size would be ten to twelve people. There should be strong afinity and a caring, safe environment. Each session should be approached systematically re: content and format. Groups are facilitated through a convener. Each member of the group should expect to be a contributor and a receiver.
PART TWO
There are twelve sessions set out in this section. Each session is on a specific topic. Each topic is approached under the following subheadings: Sharing of experiences and insights. Review of some key points from the previous session. Purpose of the session. Material for study and discussion. Review questions. Additional questions for discussion. Homework assignment.
The twelve topics are:
1. Where’s the bus heading and whose driving?
2. What’s the problem with sin?
3. Holy- Who me?
4. That wondrous cross.
5. Growing up spiritually.
6. What’s my spiritual bliss?
7. Opening my mind to God through meditation.
8. Three key virtues.
9. Structuring life to help spiritual growth.
10. More about ‘rule of life".
11. It helps to have a traveling companion.
12. More about spiritual direction.
PART THREE
A Review of the Purposes of Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction helps us in understanding how God acts in our lives. It requires our co-operation. Accountability is involved. Spiritual direction happens in community. When a spiritual direction group doesn’t provide spiritual direction it has missed it’s purpose. The structure of a group meeting is reviewed. Some specifics are suggested for those who are sharing in sessions. How a group should respond to a "presentation" is discussed. Comments are made about the "life span" of a group.
Aids to the Additional Questions for Discussion.
This is an apendium of additional questions for each of the twelve sessions.

Comment
As the subheading of this book suggests, it is a manual for twelve sessions of group spiritual formation (and direction). For some reason no scriptures are specifically referred to in these sessions. That is not to say that they are not scriptural. Scripture would be good, As any tool, this manual could be effective in the hands of an effective leader.