Frequently Asked Questions

What is spiritual formation?
Spiritual formation, as the name implies, is the forming work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit forms the Christian into the image of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible also describes His forming work as writing the Law upon the believer’s heart and as transforming the Christian by the renewing of the mind. The Spirit’s transforming work produces an ever-increasing love for God and for neighbor.

How does the Spiritual Formation program (SF) collaborate with the work of the Holy Spirit?
SF at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) is a tool for collaborating with the Holy Spirit in His work to transform the student into the image of Christ. SF furnishes an environment or creates a context, a community, in which the Spirit can work in the student’s heart, as he or she examines his or her life. The small group offers direction and feedback to the student for life-change, for growth in love for God and neighbor, and for improvements in his or her relationships.

How do the four semesters contribute to spiritual formation?
The first semester starting in the fall helps the student discover his or her identity: identity in Adam, and then in Christ. The student explores how his or her identity affects the way he or she should live. Here, the student asks, “Who am I? Where do I come from?” The discussion is introspective.

The second semester continuing in the spring focuses on building community. The student shares his or her Life Story, thus, building trust with the small group and allowing the small group to love one another. Here, the student asks, “Do I belong?” The discussion turns toward others.

During the third semester, starting the subsequent fall, students discuss integrity. They share their struggles and failures with their caring group of fellow-travelers, their small group. They reflect and practice the spiritual disciplines that will enhance their formation and their walk in the Spirit. Here, the student asks, “Am I alone?” The discussion focuses on relating to others and ways to help one another.

Lastly, during the fourth semester continuing the next spring, students consider where and how they will serve the church of God in ministry. Now, the small group provides valuable feedback, direction, and confirmation to the student after he or she shares his or her life vision. Here, the student asks, “What is my purpose?” The discussion reflects on how the student works with the Spirit to help the church with her mission to the world.

Do other seminaries address spiritual formation as part of the program of study?
Spiritual Formation may be the most discussed topic amongst today’s Protestant and Roman Catholic religious and theological educators. Evangelical seminaries, e.g. Talbot, Gordon-Conwell, Trinity, Regent, North Park, et al have added spiritual formation to their programs. All see the need to overcome the increased individualization and privatization in western spirituality; all realize the cultural influences mounted against developing community; all have increasing numbers and proportions of students coming from non-Christian backgrounds.

How much time does an SF group require?
A couple’s group will meet for two hours per week; a men’s or women’s group will meet for one and a half (1½) hours per week. Group members will invest two (2) hours in preparation for the group meeting. In addition, SF Groups may hold extra social functions, e.g. dinners, lunches, retreats, or sporting events, or serve on a team project together, e.g. missions trips, WEC, etc.

How long is the SF program?
SF begins in the student’s first fall semester; the student continues in SF for four consecutive fall and spring semesters (i.e. two years). SF groups meet informally as they are able during the summer semester.

Will I stay in the same group each semester?
Students continue with the same SF group for all four semesters to optimize trust and community within the group.

How does SF benefit the seasoned minister?
On the one hand, one’s maturity or ministry background may provide a foundation for a deeper SF experience at DTS. On the other hand, one’s SF experience at DTS may provide the needed corrective or supplement for more fruitful ministry. Furthermore, those who have spent time in vocational ministry offer great benefits to those in the group, who are starting out on the same path.

Can I request a certain leader or group member(s)?
A student can request to join a specific leader and/or group member(s). Contact a member of the SF Staff. However, with hundreds of incoming students entering the Seminary each fall, one can imagine the enormous logistical task and processes required to place students into groups. Thus, the SF Staff reserves the right to make placements as they think best.

Can I meet at a time outside of the published session times?
DTS has made many session times available for students with difficult schedules. Students should accommodate their schedule for SF as they would accommodate their schedule for any other required Seminary course. A group may decide to change the group’s scheduled meeting time, but to do so would require the unanimous agreement of all members.

Can I start SF in the spring or summer semester?
New SF groups (SF101) form each fall semester ONLY.

Should my spouse and I join a couples group?
Several factors may create distance in the student’s marriage during the stressful years of graduate education and ministry preparation. Joining an SF couples group can offset those factors and contribute to marital unity. The student and his or her spouse may enjoy increased time together, improved personal and marital communication, supportive relationships with other like-minded couples, and more time to reflect on the couple’s Seminary experience together. An SF couples group can help form a marriage into a ministry team.

Are the leaders of couples groups married?
The SF Staff recruits qualified married couples to lead the couples groups. These couples have demonstrated ministry leadership and marital unity so that they can model and guide the group’s married couples toward that ideal.

What kind of preparation will my leader have?
SF leaders are volunteers; they make investments over and above their Seminary education to prepare for their small groups. They attend additional training in leadership and small group facilitation sponsored by DTS to maximize the SF experience.

In addition, DTS selects the leaders after a rigorous selection process. The SF Staff selects and approves leaders from the list of applicants based on several criteria designed to delimit the best candidates from the ranks of the student body.

Why does the SF staff choose group leaders from among DTS students rather than from faculty or area ministers?
DTS faculty, staff, and area ministers may apply to lead an SF small group. Some SF leaders come from these ranks. However, the vast majority of the SF small groups are peer-led, which affords many advantages for the student, for the peer leaders, and for the Seminary. For the students, peer leaders have great empathy for their fellow-students. For the peer leaders, they receive additional training and instruction in today’s most discussed area of Seminary education and training. In addition, all peer leaders attend their SF small groups as participants. They approach the group with openness, ready to learn. For the Seminary, peer leadership allows the Seminary to expand its influence in the preparation of these students; this promotes leadership development and competency outside the classroom, yet under the supervision of the faculty and SFL Department. Thus, peer leaders enjoy a safe and supervised laboratory for developing their education and training in leadership and small group facilitation.

How are conflicts handled in a group?
The SF Staff anticipates and, thus, prepares leaders for potential conflicts because human interaction includes conflict. Likewise, the student should expect and anticipate conflicts to surface in future ministry. Thus, SF expects small group members to work together through their conflicts, to reconcile and restore all group members, and to increase unity within the group.