BMIN Foundations for Ministry Exam 1 (copy)

Willards Definition of Character

The internal overall structure of self, revealed by our long-run patterns of behavior.

James Smith's most important part of spiritual transformation

You are what you love, not just what you think.

Secular Liturgies

cultural rituals that shape what we love

Filling of the Holy Spirit

God's presence to help us do what we can't do on our own.

Sometimes it performs miracles.

Always equips us for God's mission and Christian character.

What does it mean to say that a primary work of the Holy Spirit is sanctification

It is the progressive work of God to make His people more like Christ. Romans 8: 12-14

James Smith's 4 elements of change

The Holy Spirit, Personal Narrative, soul shaping exercises, community

5 symptoms of emotionally unhealthy spirituality

doing for God instead of being with God, spiritualizing away conflict, living without limits, using God to run from God, dying to the wrong things.

Willards 6 aspects of human life that needs transforming

Thoughts (Philippians 4:8) 

Feelings (Psalms 51: 10- create in my a clean heart, Deut. 6:4- love God, and teach your children these things)

Choice (John 6:38- not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me)

Body (1 Cor 6:19)

Social Context (Matthew 7:12)

Soul (Matthew 16:26)

5 Characteristics of wise training

respects the freedom of the spirit

respects our unique temperaments

takes into account our season of life

respects the inevitability of peaks and valleys

begins with a clear decision

3 influences in the cultural shift away from Christian moral standards

modern self prioritizes feelings

authenticity becomes defined as expressing one's subjective feelings

influencers promote new standards and norms

Skye Jethani 4 postures

Life from God, Life over God, Life for God, Life under God.

Life from God

We seek blessings from God

Life over God

we want to control God

Life for God

do good things for God to win His favor

Life under God

follow rule's to avoid God's disfavor

hyperbole

An exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally

Give a practical example of a struggle with sin and use scripture to show how we might “adjust our sails” in order to be transformed by the Spirit.

• Sin struggle (Anxiety, Anger, Lust).

• Scripture anchor (Phil. 4:6–7, James 1:19–20, Matt. 5:28–29).

• Adjust sails (Prayer/trust, patience/slow speech, guard eyes/thoughts).

• Spirit’s wind (John 3:8 – Spirit transforms, not willpower).

What does it mean to say that God is the foundation of ministry? Use at least 3 scriptures and cite 3 authors other than the Bible in your explanation.

• God is the foundation – ministry rests on His strength, not ours (Ps. 18:1–2; Matt. 7:24–27).

• Christ as source of fruitfulness – we are branches; He is the vine (John 15:4–5).

• God gives growth – we plant and water, but He makes it flourish (1 Cor. 3:5–11).

• Ministry = partnership – Spirit works through us as we trust and obey.

• James Bryan Smith (Good and Beautiful Life) – true change comes from God’s Spirit shaping us.

• John Mark Comer (Practicing the Way) – disciplines keep us rooted in God as source of ministry.

• Richard Foster (Celebration of Discipline) – spiritual practices position us to receive God’s transforming work.