Materials Included
• 4 Sessions of Learner’s Materials
• 4 Sessions of Teaching Materials
• 5 Handouts

Scriptures
1. Exodus 16:22-30
2. Mark 14:32-40
3. Romans 12:1-8
4. James 4:1-10

Brief Description

It is difficult to give a single, simple definition for the word “soul.” “Soul” means “aliveness,” and yet, it also has to do with animating, activating, and actuating. It encompasses spirit and reason; it is about the essential part, core, heart, essence, root of each being; it can refer to the moral and emotional nature. In short, it requires living with flavor, living with fervor.

When my son was a preschooler, he often grappled with the right words to express himself. On one occasion I recall him trying to say something about me, to describe in a complimentary way what he thought made me special. He finally came up with, “Mom, you’re just more alive.” Now, it’s true that I do have a laugh that can fill a large room and I would rather do something crazy than be bored any day of the week. In fact, my son often joined me as I prayed to God with my eyes open. I sensed the word he was searching for was “soul.”

The church has a collective soul as the body of Christ. Christ’s Spirit unites us as a community of faith. Christ’s presence is the very essence of our existence as the church. Christ’s life in turn gives us life. We are not just a “group” of people. We are more alive; we are the church.

We are called by this unit to do our part to strengthen the church’s soul. The last thing we need is one more list of what makes for a successful church. I suggest soul-strength for the Christian church—that is, intentionally receiving and giving the grace of Jesus Christ. Besides, as most of us already know, developing a stronger soul as the church is not so much about “how to” as it is about “will we?”

The church’s soul becomes stronger the more we receive and the more we give the grace of Christ. Exercising the soul-muscle of the church includes a lifelong commitment to Sabbath rest, worship, prayer, transformed thinking, sacrificial serving, and faithfulness. My hope is that through conversation, contemplation, accountability, and practice of these commitments, we will allow Christ’s grace to activate, animate, and actuate the soul of the church. Soul-strong is what the church in Jesus Christ is called to be.

by Alicia Kirkpatrick-Bremer

User License
The purchaser of this file has permission to print twenty copies of this Learners Study Guide. Neither the file nor the printed contents may be sold copied or transferred to another person or church. The purchaser may make a backup copy of the file.

The purchaser of this file has permission to print one copy of this Teaching Guide. Neither the file nor the printed contents may be sold, copied or transferred to another person or church. The purchaser may make a backup copy of the file.

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