ASSEMBLIES OF GOD THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AWAKENING THE CHRISTIAN IMAGINATION WITHIN THE PRACTICE OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: A DISCIPLESHIP PROCESS FOR YOUNG ADULTS AT TAYLOR CHRISTIAN CENTER IN TAYLOR, MICHIGAN A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY COMMITTEE IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY DOCTOR OF MINISTRY DEPARTMENT BY JOSHUA SCROGGINS ALLEN PARK, MICHIGAN MAY 2017 Copyright © 2017 by Joshua Scroggins All rights reserved iii CONTENTS CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. ix LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. xi Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................1 The Context ....................................................................................................................1 The Problem ...................................................................................................................3 The Purpose ...................................................................................................................4 Definition of Terms........................................................................................................4 Description of the Proposed Project ..............................................................................5 Scope of the Project .................................................................................................5 Phases of the Project ................................................................................................7 Research .............................................................................................................7 Planning .............................................................................................................8 Implementation ..................................................................................................9 Evaluation ..........................................................................................................9 Writing .............................................................................................................10 Chapter 2: BIBLICAL-THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE REVIEW................................11 Introduction ..................................................................................................................11 Literary Devices in Scripture .......................................................................................12 Metaphor in Scripture ............................................................................................14 iv Genre in Scripture ..................................................................................................19 Dangers of a Literary Approach to Scripture .........................................................23 Sensate Worship in Scripture .......................................................................................27 The Artist ...............................................................................................................28 The Sensory Experience of Worship .....................................................................29 Music in Worship .............................................................................................30 Visual Arts in Worship ....................................................................................31 The Prophets and Imaginative Engagement ................................................................33 The Prophets and God ............................................................................................34 The Prophets and the People ..................................................................................37 The Prophets as Wordsmiths ...........................................................................37 The Prophets as Performers .............................................................................40 The Prophets Themselves as the Sign ..............................................................44 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................45 Chapter 3: GENERAL LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................47 Introduction ..................................................................................................................47 The Human Imagination ..............................................................................................48 The False Dichotomy between Imagination and Reason .......................................51 The Redeemed Imagination ...................................................................................55 The Need to Return to a Christian Aesthetic ...................................................59 The Need for a Holisitc Spirituality .................................................................62 Imagination within the Disciplines of Spiritual Formation .........................................63 Criteria for Judging Spiritual Disciplines as Acceptable Christian Practice .........64 Spiritual Disciplines Must Be Thoroughly Christian.......................................64 Spiritual Disciplines Must Be Grounded in a Relational Encounter with God .............................................................................................................66 v Openness to the Work of the Holy Spirit .........................................................67 Spiritual Disciplines Must Be Built Upon Scripture ........................................69 Spiritual Disciplines Must Lead to Transformed Christian Living in the World .........................................................................................................70 Engaging the Imagination through Lectio Divina and Ignatian Contemplation ....72 Lectio Divina ....................................................................................................72 Ignatian Contemplation ....................................................................................78 Engaging the Imagination through the Outwardly Expressed Disciplines of the Creative Arts ..........................................................................................85 Art as Particularly Christian.............................................................................88 Art as Spiritual Discipline ................................................................................91 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................94 Chapter 4: DESCRIPTION OF FIELD PROJECT ...........................................................96 Introduction ..................................................................................................................96 Preparation of the Project.............................................................................................96 Recruitment and Assessment of Participants .........................................................96 Development of Curriculum ..................................................................................99 Preparation of Project Logisitcs ...........................................................................101 Execution of the Project .............................................................................................101 Results of the Project .................................................................................................106 Quantitative Results .............................................................................................106 Qualitative Results ...............................................................................................107 Creative Arts Result .............................................................................................110 The Project’s Contribution to Ministry ......................................................................112 Chapter 5: PROJECT SUMMARY .................................................................................115 Evaluation of the Project ............................................................................................115 vi Keys to Project Effectiveness ..............................................................................116 Keys to Project Improvement ..............................................................................118 Implications of the Project .........................................................................................120 Recommendations for Taylor Christian Center .........................................................122 Recommendations for Future Study ..........................................................................124 Conclusion .................................................................................................................125 APPENDIX A: PRESENTATION SLIDES FOR THE “RE-IMAGINING SPIRITUALITY” SEMINAR ....................................................................................126 APPENDIX B: TEACHING NOTES ..............................................................................145