Spiritual Lifeskills

Spiritual LifeSkills
For a printable document, click on each title.

Spiritual Lifeskill #1:
Having an Effective Quiet Time

The purpose of a daily Quiet Time is to encounter the Living Word, Jesus, through His written word, the Bible. These encounters help maintain an intimate and obedient relationship with Christ.

1. Prepare Yourself

Remove distractions (noise, other projects, etc.)
Be still and get quiet.
Pray for insight.

2. Identify Principles

Read and re-read your selected passage (Gospel of Mark suggested)
Ask and answer the question, “What does it say?”
Ask and answer the question, “What does it mean?
Summarize the timeless truths (principles) in the passage.

3. Apply Principles

Prayerfully reflect on how the principles apply to your life.
Use S.P.E.C.K.
- S—Sin to avoid
- P—Promise to claim
- E—Example to follow/avoid
- C—Command to obey
- K—Knowledge about God, yourself, others, or the world.

4. Pray (Continue the conversation)

Talk with the Lord about what He spoke to you about in His Word.
Write out your prayers to Him.

Spiritual Lifeskill #2:
Intuitive Bible Study

Intuitive Bible Study is especially designed for people with little or no knowledge of the Bible. Simply read the passage with them and let them provide answers to the questions. They need no prior knowledge of the Scriptures to respond to the questions. This form of Bible Study is also useful for studying the Bible devotionally and for helping those who have never studied the Bible on their own.

What in these verses encourage you?
What in these verses challenge you?
What would the world look like if everyone did what this passage says?
What could you do to live out this scripture this week?
What is God saying to you through this scripture?
How can we pray for you to live out this scripture this week?

Spiritual Lifeskill #3:
Scripture Memory

Scripture memory is an indispensable means of knowing and conforming one’s life to the will of God (Ps. 119:11; Romans 12:2). Following are some suggestions for establishing this valuable habit:

Read the verse in its context to gain understanding as to its meaning.
Read the verse aloud several times.
Repeat the first phrase until you have memorized it perfectly (say the verse audibly, whenever possible).
Add the second phrase until you can repeat the first and second phrase perfectly.
Gradually add the other phrases until you can recite the whole verse.
Review the verse several times daily for the first week, making sure you recite it accurately.
After the first week, review at least once daily (consistent review is essential).

Note: Writing phrases and verses helps to achieve and accelerate accurate memorization.

Spiritual Lifeskill #4:
Relational Evangelism

1. Inventory: Make a list of non-Christians/floundering Christians in your sphere of influence.

2. Focus: Identify “ripe” individuals . . .

In whom is God already working?
Who appears most open to the activity of God in his/her life?
Who needs the ministry of the small group/church family in his/her life?
Who is most likely to come to the church/church function, small group if invited?
Whom do I most desire to see come to Christ?

3. Intercede:

for God’s Spirit to create a hunger in their lives
for faith to take initiative with them, believing that God is answering the previous prayer
on their behalf against the strongman who holds them captive.

4. Initiate by:

seeking/creating opportunities to be with them and/or to serve them.
seeking reconciliation, if the relationship is strained.

5. Confront:

Non-Christians by planning when you will probe their spiritual interest, concluding with a clear presentation of the gospel (be ready to use your personal testimony and a tract/gospel presentation).
Christians by planning when you will invite them to church/small group, confront hindrances to growth in their lives, outline steps toward maturity, etc.

Spiritual Lifeskill #5:
Inductive Bible Study

IBS is a method of Bible study designed to help you harvest truth from a short passage/paragraph of scripture. It is recommended that you begin by studying the book of Galatians, using the following outline:

I. Observation
A. Summarize the passage
B. List explicitly stated truths

II. Interpretation
        A. Record your insights about the truths in the passage.
        B. Answer: What does the writer want his readers to understand?
        C. List unanswered questions (for future study)

III. Applications
        A. What does the writer want me to do?
              1. Are there commands to obey?
              2. Are there examples to follow/ avoid?
        B. What is the Holy Spirit challenging me to do?
        C. How will I adjust my life to the truths and commands in this passage?

Spiritual Lifeskill #6:
Team Ministry

Through Team Ministry we seek to apply the love of Christ to the real and felt needs of others, resulting in praise and thanksgiving being directed towards God (Mt. 5:16; 2 Corinthians 9:12). Additionally, the inner struggle that results from sustaining our service of others forces us to grow in grace, patience, and faith and serves as a “laboratory” in which we may discover our spiritual giftedness.

Opportunities for service are infinite. Needs that arise in people or organizations can be on-going or one-time. Expressions of service can be spontaneous and random or planned and sustained. The following divisions may help you and your group discover “arenas” in which needs are prevalent:

Home - “Home” for you might be a dorm, apartment/condo, or house. The people in or around your home have needs. Discover them and strategize to meet them.

Church- People in your church have personal needs and leaders have needs for volunteers (check out the nursery).

World - Volunteer at local shelters/ministries or find government-sponsored social ministries. Find ways to serve co-workers, neighbors, etc. Do yard-work for an elderly person or shut-in.

Spiritual Lifeskill #7:
Prayer

Those people who have most fully illustrated Christ in their character and have most powerfully affected the world for Him have been people who spent much time with God as to make it a notable feature of their lives.

CONTENT – A.C.T.S.

Adoration includes worship, fellowship, song, or just pondering God’s greatness (Psalm 139)
Confession includes admitting sin and turning from it (Psalm 32)
Thanksgiving includes praising God for His unchanging attributes and for His provision (Psalm 136)
Supplication includes interceding for others and seeking provision for your own needs (Psalm 143)

ATTITUDE

Confidence (2 Thessalonians 3:4)
Conform your will to the mind of Christ (Romans 12:2)
Incorporate God’s promises (2 Peter 1:2-4)
Speak openly as you would to a friend (John 15:15)
Demonstrate the highest respect, for He is our King and Savior (Exodus 3:1-6)

CORPORATE PRAYER

Utilize opportunities to pray in small groups
Consider partnering with a friend for regular prayer
Participate in large gatherings of prayer