Here's a great article that helps map it out for you:
Promoting Spiritual Growth in TeamsBy Liz Selzer, former Director of Leadership Development
"The deepest desire of our hearts is for union with God. From the first moment of our existence our most powerful yearning is to fulfill the original purpose of our lives–to see him more clearly, love him more dearly, follow him more nearly–we are made for God, and nothing less will rally satisfy us." Brennan Manning “What is the chief end of man?” The answer given is “to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” Westminster Shorter Catechism
What is Spiritual Growth? It is the shaping of our inner character and outer conduct, in cooperation with the work of the Spirit, so that we are gradually being conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ.
Spiritual growth is a journey:
It is not an end goal
The journey is the gift
Leader’s Role
What do we need to do to promote spiritual growth in our teams?
- Make sure we are growing in our relationship with God-we cannot take anyone to a place we are not in ourselves
- Regularly engage with God, invite him into all of your day
- Pursue biblical literacy and understanding
- Pray, pray, pray!
- Display emotional and relational maturity
- Understand how relationships work with integrity and compassion; help the women on your team eliminate the games that keep the team from experiencing true community
- Actively listen to others and keep confidentiality
- Remember you are not there to control but to encourage and come alongside the women in your team
- Understand that change is in the hands of God and our participation with him is a growth process for all of us
- Value your ‘story’ (your life and how God has been a part of it) and be able to express it to others as an illustration of your spiritual journey
- Model desired behavior: what others see will impact them more than what you verbally instruct
- Cast a vision of God’s desire for the lives of the women on your team: speak joyfully about the life changes that God will help them through, and the gifts, talents and experiences he desires for them to appreciate and use
Growth Activities: Your leadership team should all be Christians, however, there will probably be varying levels of spiritual maturity on your team. The following exercises are suggestions for group activities to help promote spiritual growth in your teams. Any one can participate in these activities regardless how long and how deeply they have followed Jesus up to this point.
- Help them understand their purpose/role in God’s ministry: Have each leader assess their gifts, talents and experiences. Then have the group brainstorm ways in which these things can be used to glorify God (see resources below).
- Journaling:
- Have each leader journal about the ongoing progress in her spiritual life. What are each leader’s perceptions, observations and insights?
- Gratitude journal: Have each leader keep a special journal to write down things they are grateful for. Encourage each on to try and make multiple entries every day. Discuss these entries as a team.
- Explore spiritual disciplines: Spiritual disciplines are a way of engaging with and worshiping God. They are not a way to earn ‘brownie points’ with God, but rather a way to deepen our relationship with him: to know, love and trust him. Have each woman on your team pick a discipline she will practice. When you get together, discuss how this practice is affecting them. What do they love about it? What has been difficult about it?
Examples of disciplines you may want to try:
- Solitude: This discipline is especially effective for those who love to be around activity and other people. It is quieting yourself, removing yourself from the busyness of your surroundings, and listening to God as he surrounds every part of your being.
- Fellowship: This discipline is especially effective for those who love to be alone. It is the seeking out of mutual encouragement and accountability, the closeness of true community worshiping God together.
- Fasting: This discipline is abstaining from something. Often it is from food, but it can also be abstaining from gossip, the media, or any other habits that may get in the way of your worship to God. As you abstain think of how God provides what you need and worship him with appreciation.
- Service: This discipline does not call attention to itself. It is the anonymous service to others, which is done in an attitude of worship. Doing it without others knowing it is key.
- Witness: This discipline is the conscious living out of life as a witness of God’s compassion and grace to others. It is listening to others and addressing their kingdom needs in a way that makes sense to them. It is evangelism and openly speaking of how God has made your life full, and how it can make their life full as well.
- Confession: This discipline is the conscious confessing of actions that have impeded your relationship with God. Said out loud to another person puts a new spin of accountability when working with these areas.
These are only some of the disciplines you may choose from. The resources below explain these disciplines further and offer additional suggestions.
- Psalm reading- Discuss emotions (anger, fear, loss, pain, joy, contentment) of each of the Psalms. How do the women on your team relate to each one? How have instances in their lives made them feel like the writer of the Psalm? What can you learn about God’ character in each Psalm?
- Lectio Divina (or sacred reading)- Read a passage (no longer than about 30 verses) multiple times without an agenda. Meditate on the words and allow God to speak to your heart. Have someone on your team read the passage out loud (with as little voice inflection as possible) more than once. After each time, allow the team to marinate in their thoughts. Do not rush this exercise; it can take as long as 30 minutes. At the end offer (but don’t press) discussion of what people experienced and what they felt God was saying to them.
- In-depth study of one book of the Bible- There are a number of commentaries to help give you additional perspectives on the passages and the background of the culture in which the book was written. Commentaries and other study aids can help deepen understanding of the Bible. There are also study aids that compile the information found in commentaries and other resources for you so that all you have to do is discuss them as a team. These can be found in Bible bookstores, or online at www.CBD.com. When using this type of study aid, have team members take turns leading the discussion. This helps the person leading each week grow in her personal understanding of the Bible, and in her leadership skills.
- The reading and discussion of a Christian growth book (see resources below)- Cover a chapter (or two) for each meeting . Have team members take turns leading the discussion.
- Study one concept in the Bible (e.g. community or suffering)- Discuss the Bible verses that pertain to the topic. What does each one add to the team member’s understanding? How does it affect their perception of the topic? What does the study reveal to them about the character of God?
After you have finished an exercise, take time to re-cap with the team members what they have learned and how they have grown. This bookmarks the experience. This is important because spiritual growth is a journey and progress is perceived at the milestones. If they feel they haven’t learned much or grown much discuss this too.
Resources
Spiritual Disciplines and Development:
Spiritual Mentoring by Keith Anderson and Randy Reese
Experiencing God’s Power in your Ministry by Mary Southerland
Invitation to a Journey by M. Robert Mulholland
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson
Spiritual Discipline Handbook by Adele Calhoun
Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton
Spiritual Pathways by Gary Thomas
Soul Keepingby Howard Baker
The Life You’ve Always Wantedby John Ortberg
Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster
Conformed to His Imageby Kenneth Boa
Understanding How God Made You:
Purpose Driven Lifeby Rick Warren
The Dream Giverby Bruce Wilkinson
The Search for Significanceby Robert McGee
Life Keys: Discover Who You Areby Kise, Stark and Hirsh
Spiritual Gift Inventories:
http://www.churchgrowth.org/analysis/intro.html
http://buildingchurch.net/g2s.htm
http://mintools.com/spiritual-gifts-test.htm
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