{"id":226,"date":"2009-02-26T16:55:14","date_gmt":"2009-02-26T16:55:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=226"},"modified":"2010-12-22T13:09:36","modified_gmt":"2010-12-22T18:09:36","slug":"6893","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2009\/02\/26\/6893\/","title":{"rendered":"Spiritual Direction Doesn\u2019t Come \u2018Naturally\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO, IL (February 26, 2009) \u2013 Neil Taylor learned he wasn\u2019t as smart as he thought when he went through the Center for Spiritual Direction<\/a> program at North Park Theological Seminary<\/a>. But his hearing improved.
\n
\n\u201cI hate to admit this point of pride, but I gave myself far more credit than was due in my natural abilities to give spiritual direction to others,\u201d says Taylor, a pastor at Jesus People USA<\/a> Covenant Church, an intentional community in Chicago.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpiritual direction training gave me a different ear to listen …”<\/h5>\n

His method consisted of listening to the words someone else was speaking and then sharing his wisdom. He had clung to that particular method, even though it didn\u2019t work.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor 30 some odd years of living in community, I\u2019ve never been successful in fixing myself, and I\u2019ve never been able to fix someone else,\u201d Taylor says.<\/p>\n

He learned a new approach over the course of the three-year program. \u201cIt taught me to not offer a solution very quickly and to depend on God to do the work that needs to be done in a person\u2019s life,\u201d he says. \u201cSpiritual direction training gave me a different ear to listen to the person and hopefully to God.\u201d<\/p>\n

The change represented Taylor\u2019s new understanding of spiritual direction. Direction is a process by which directors help directees discern and respond to the movement of God in their lives. Directors may introduce directees to various disciplines.<\/p>\n

In addition to giving him ears to hear, Taylor says the program re-energized him, as well as other participants in the program.<\/p>\n

The program is made possible through a $1.6 million Lilly Grant for the Evangelical Covenant Church\u2019s Sustaining Pastoral Excellence<\/a> program. Applications are being accepted through March 31 for the next session, which begins in late July. For more information, visit the program\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Taylor actually was not admitted to the program the first time he applied and almost didn\u2019t try again. Then someone told him, \u201cGet over your disappointment and apply again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor is glad he listened.<\/p>\n

Report This Post<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CHICAGO, IL (February 26, 2009) \u2013 Neil Taylor learned he wasn\u2019t as smart as he thought when he went through the Center for Spiritual Direction program at North Park Theological Seminary. 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