ICM PUBLIC LECTURES ON SPIRITUAL FORMATION

This is an introductory level of spiritual formation education to the general congregation. The public lecture series will cover various components of spiritual formation delivered by facilitators and lecturers of spirituality and spiritual growth. These evening 2-hour lectures for 5 consecutive Wednesdays will target churches in and around PJ and KL.


“THE HEART AND SOUL OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION”

LECTURE #1 – MARCH 4TH 2009 (WED)
INTRODUCTION TO THE HEART AND SOUL
OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION
(Speaker: Dr Voon Choon Khing)

LECTURE #2 – MARCH 11TH 2009 (WED)
CHRISTLIKENESS THROUGH DISCIPLESHIP
AND SPIRITUAL FORMATION
(Speaker: Dr Chew Tow Yow)

LECTURE #3 – MARCH 18TH 2009 (WED)
THE SPIRIT OF DISCIPLINES -
CULTIVATING AN INNER LIFE WITH GOD
(Speaker: Alvin Ung)

LECTURE #4 – MARCH 25TH 2009 (WED)
BUILDING SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIPS AND
COMMUNITIES FOR THE SAKE OF THE SOUL
(Speaker: Rev Dr Tan Soo-Inn)

LECTURE #5 – APRIL 1ST 2009 (WED)
SPIRITUAL GROWTH : HEALING AND WHOLENESS
(Speaker: Rev Dr Hwa Yung)

ALL ARE WELCOME!
VENUE: TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH PJ
TIME: 8 – 10 PM
EVERY WEDNESDAY IN MARCH 2009

THE INSTITUTE FOR CHRISTIAN MINISTRY (ICM) OF TRAC MALAYSIA
ICM PUBLIC LECTURES 2009
“THE HEART AND SOUL OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION”
A 5-Part Lecture Series on Wednesday Evenings, March 4 – April 1, 2009, 8 – 10 PM
Trinity Methodist Church, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

MARCH 4 - INTRODUCTION TO THE HEART AND SOUL OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION
Speaker: Dr Voon Choon Khing
This lecture will introduce the framework of the heart and soul of spiritual formation. It will provide you with the crucial tenets required for the on-going formation of the heart of a disciple. Themes like knowing God and knowing self are keys to the heart of spiritual formation. Other themes include how the Spirit of the disciplines and spiritual communities help nurture the goal towards Christlikeness.

MARCH 11 - CHRISTLIKENESS THROUGH DISCIPLESHIP AND SPIRITUAL FORMATION
Speaker: Dr Chew Tow Yow
This lecture will address questions like ‘What is the goal of the spiritual life? How does discipleship differ from spiritual formation? Does it? What are the stages of spiritual development in the process of discipleship? How does spiritual growth look like for an adolescent compared to someone in his or her seventies?

MARCH 18 - THE SPIRIT OF THE DISCIPLINES – CULTIVATING AN INNER LIFE WITH GOD
Speaker: Alvin Ung
This lecture will explore the importance of cultivating an inner life amid today's world of noise, hurry and crowds. It will address the role of askesis -- spiritual training or discipline -- in freeing us to grow like Jesus. Questions we will address include: In what ways can the garden of our souls be cultivated by the tools of spiritual discipline? What compulsive behaviors require rooting out? What needs careful nurturing? What sorts of askesis do busy Christians desperately desire? What is the goal of askesis?

MARCH 25 - BUILDING SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIPS FOR THE SAKE OF THE SOUL
Speaker: Rev Dr Tan Soo-Inn
This lecture will address the crucial element missing in most urban churches today – healthy spiritual friendships. It will address the struggle many churches face in trying to build community in the light of the challenges of modern technology and demands of life and work in global economy. We will look at questions like: Why is community desired by so many but experienced by so few? How do healthy spiritual communities look like? What are some practical steps we can take to ensure that we have the spiritual friendships we need for our lives?

APRIL 1 - SPIRITUAL GROWTH : HEALING AND WHOLENESS
Speaker: Rev Dr Hwa Yung
This final lecture attempts to address the reality of the human heart and human relationships in a broken and sinful world. How does original sin affect the way we deal with emptiness, guilt and shame? How has Christ changed this? Questions that will also be addressed include the meaning of sanctification and its role in discipleship. How does one be open to the Holy Spirit in His work of healing in our lives? What is the place of counseling, spiritual direction, prayer and community in healing and wholeness?

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Dr Voon Choon Khing
Dr Voon is a Lecturer and Student Counselor at Seminari Theologi Malaysia (STM). She teaches Christian Spirituality and Pastoral Counseling and also leads spiritual retreats and gives spiritual direction. She has a ThM (Duke) and DMin (GTF). She worships at Taman Ujong Methodist Church, Seremban.

Dr Chew Tow Yow
Dr Chew was a senior educationist with the Ministry of Education before joining the pastoral ministry with the Methodist church. He has since retired and continues to teach discipleship and spirituality at STM. He travels around the country teaching the Bible and leading silent retreats. He holds a PhD in Education and a MTheo.

Alvin Ung
Alvin Ung has worked in academia, stockbroking, journalism and telecommunications. He was recently vice president in leadership development at Khazanah Nasional, before stepping down to write his forthcoming book, Work in Progress: Conversations on Growing Spiritually in the Workplace, to be published by Eerdmans end-2009. Alvin earned degrees at Middlebury College (English Literature), Johns Hopkins University (Creative non-fiction) and Regent College (Theology).

Rev Dr Tan Soo-Inn
Dr Tan is Director of Graceworks, an organization that promotes spiritual friendship in church and society. He has worked as a dentist, a pastor and an executive secretary of a Christian NGO. He has a BDS, ThM (Regent College, Vancouver) and a DMin. He is the author of ‘‘Travel Mercies’ and ‘Making Sense’.

Rev Dr Hwa Yung
Rev Dr Hwa Yung is currently the Bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaysia. He holds a Bachelor of Science and Education (Tasmania), a B.D and a M.Th (London) and a PhD in Missiology (Asbury). He was a teacher, a pastor, a seminary theologian and principal before directing the Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia at Trinity Theological College, Singapore.