Spiritual Formation and Direction Ministries

Baylor University's George W. Truett Theological Seminary is an orthodox, evangelical school in the historic Baptist tradition embedded into a major research university which exists to equip God-called people for gospel ministry in and alongside Christ's Church. 

Truett offers a two-year program in spiritual direction training that explores the theology soul care, the art and skill of spiritual companioning, ways of deepening discernment, and the various ministry roles within which spiritual direction is practiced. 

Truett also offers an MA concentration and an MDiv certificate in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship, and all master’s level students at Truett take part in a spiritual formation program. The Spiritual Formation office and the Spiritual Direction Training Program are both led by Dr. Angela Reed.

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A Christian, evangelical, academic community within Biola University and Talbot School of Theology. Located in Southern California they offer an MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, an MA and an MDiv with an emphasis in Spiritual Formation, and a Certificate in Spiritual Formation, and are dedicated to deepening the life of prayer and openness of the heart to God.

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Art of Spiritual Direction: A Training and Formation Program for Spiritual Directors

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange in partnership with Loyola Marymount University offer a spiritual direction formation program known as The Art of Spiritual Direction.

Art of Spiritual Direction (ASD) is a three-year program for individuals who discern in themselves a call to the ministry of spiritual direction. It provides a holistic curriculum which integrates theology, spirituality, skills development, psychology, Scripture and supervision in the art of spiritual direction.

Potential students may choose to apply to either the online program or the in-person program. Additional information and online application may be found using the link below.

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The Christos Center for Spiritual Formation cultivates the inner life through Christian contemplative practices. Their Tending the Holy program has been preparing women and men for the ministry of spiritual direction since 1990. The two-year program is offered in-person in Minneapolis and Chicago and online via distance learning. More information is found at ChristosCenter.org or by contacting info@christoscenter.org.

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For more than a decade, Denver Seminary has provided training in spiritual direction that is evangelical in theology, classical in approach, and contemplative in spirit. Currently they offer a one-year Certificate in Spiritual Direction, an M.Div Concentration, and an M.A. in Christian Formation.

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Located in southern Ontario, Canada, the goal of the Emmaus Centre is to enable the evangelical mission of the church by providing a sacred space where people can respond to God's desire for a transformed people.They provide a supportive community and learning opportunities. The Emmaus two-year part-time certificate is offered to those called by God into the ministry of spiritual direction, as well as those seeking personal spiritual growth.

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Located in Indianapolis, IN,  each learning cohort (8 to 12 participants) is trained in a classical approach to spiritual direction. Participants gather at the Abbey for five (two-day) intensives per year for two years. 

Year One provides a strong introduction to spiritual direction and is a year of discerning one’s calling to spiritual direction. 

Year Two is for those who feel called to offer spiritual direction (formally or informally) and provides more in-depth knowledge and skill-based training in the art of spiritual direction. 

Every intensive in Year One and Two is a combination of process and praxis. In addition, throughout this program strong focus is given to the deepening of each participant’s spiritual life and contemplative practice. A bonus are the lifelong friendships often forged through this small cohort experience!  

For more information or to request a syllabus, please contact Beth Booram at beth.booram@fallcreekabbey.org

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Certificate Program in Spiritual Formation & the Art of Spiritual Direction

This certificate program in Spiritual Formation and the Art of Spiritual Direction provides participants with the contemplative experiences, knowledge, and wisdom necessary to deepen their awareness of God, self, and others. A series of four residencies and two praxes form the core of this two-year training experience with faculty guidance and peer interaction between residencies using virtual formats.

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This two year course out of the Anglican Diocese in New England seeks to equip mature and skilled spiritual directors grounded in Anglican sacramental theology and the Catholic contemplative tradition. It is led by ESDA member Susan Skillen.

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Do you desire to "listen people to life" on their spiritual journeys? Kairos University offers a virtual Training in Spiritual Direction program that helps individuals develop the skills needed to "listen people to life" through listening, question asking, discernment and prayer.

The Listening People to Life Training in Spiritual Direction program can be taken at the certificate level or can be integrated into the Kairos Master of Arts program. Often, those who enroll share a desire for community and paying attention to one's spiritual life. This desire could stem from an experience they have had or what they might describe as a void in their own life.  In many cases, students note that people seek them out as a holy listener and they want to be further equipped in the ministry of listening, asking questions and prayer.

Online class sessions are held Monday evenings between September and May for two consecutive years.

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