Renovation of the Heart - LifeSprings Resources

222 Pages·2013·4.01 MB·English

R E S O U R C E G U I D E
RESOU RCE G UI DE
Books By Gary Moon/Other Resources
 Video Curriculum
God Views: Seeing Clearly the One Who Loves You Most
 Family Devotion/Children’s Curriculum
The Bible Ride: Adventures That Bring the Gospel to Life (Volumes 1-4)
The Bible Ride Atlas (Volumes 1-4)
The Bible Ride Scenic Route (Volumes 1-4)
 Also by the Author
Homesick for Eden: A Soul’s Journey to Joy
 To Contact the Publisher
Web: www.lifesprings.net
Phone: [phone]
Address: LifeSprings Resources
P. O. Box 9
2425 West Main Street
Franklin Springs, GA 30639-0009
Last updated July 2013
2013099
R E N O V A T I O N
O F T H E H E A R T

Resource G uide
Written by Gary W. Moon
Design & Development by Jeffrey Hayes Johnson
Renovation of the Heart Resource Guide
Copyright 2003 by Gary W. Moon
Requests for information should be addressed to:
LifeSprings Resources
P.O. Box 9
Franklin Springs, GA 30639
ISBN: 0-911866-69-8
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible:
New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible
Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photo-
copy, recording—without the prior permission of the publisher.
Cover illustration, interior art and design by Jeffrey Hayes Johnson
Copyright 2003 by Jeffrey Hayes Johnson

Printed in the United State of America
Contents:
Introduction ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Foreword .................................................................... 7
How This Resource Guide Is Organized ......................................... 8
Before the First Session .......................................................11
Tips for Leading Group Discussion ............................................11
Tips for Using the Video ...................................................... 12
Final Word. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Session 1:. . . . . Introducing Spiritual Formation ......................................14
Session 2:. . . . . The Heart in the System of Human Life ...............................30
Session 3:. . . . . Radical Evil in the Ruined Soul ...................................... 46
Session 4:. . . . . Radical Goodness Restored to the Soul ................................60
Session 5:. . . . . Spiritual Change: The Reliable Pattern ............................... 76
Session 6:. . . . . Transforming the Mind 1: Spiritual Formation and the Thought Life .....94
Session 7:. . . . . Transforming the Mind 2: Spiritual Formation and Our Feelings .......110
Session 8:. . . . . Transforming the Will (Heart or Spirit) and Character ................126
Session 9:. . . . . Transforming the Body .............................................145
Session 10: ... Transforming Our Social Dimension .................................163
Session 11: ... Transforming the Soul ..............................................176
Session 12: ... The Children of Light and the Light of the World ......................191
Session 13: ... Spiritual Formation in the Local Congregation ........................206
Introduction:
FOREWORD
Although it might make him blush a bit if he hears you say it, Dallas Willard has
earned the title “America’s answer to C. S. Lewis.” Each established an impressive
academic reputation at a respected secular institution and watched it become dwarfed
by the impact of his Christian writings. Both Lewis and Willard provide such a fresh
and appealing look at the teachings of Christ and the glorious possibilities of life in his
kingdom that it makes even seasoned Christians, pastors, and seminary professors long
to go further up and further in.
Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ completes Dallas
Willard’s gospel quartet. Each sings different but harmonious notes to the same
song—a melody about authentic transformation of life and character.
In 1984 Dallas Willard wrote a book titled In Search of Guidance, which was
later released as Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship With God. In
this book he reminds readers that God has created us for intimate friendship with him-
self—now and forever. Hearing God, developing a conversational relationship with our
maker, is but one dimension of an interactive relationship into which we are invited.
Hearing God is not your typical guide to practical discernment. It’s about God’s invita-
tion to us to reorganize our lives in such a way that we walk so closely with him that it
becomes easy to know his mind and hear his voice.
But it was The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives,
published in 1988, that put Dallas on the ecclesiastical map. In it, he claimed and then
demonstrated that there is a way of spiritual transformation that is accessible to all peo-
ple and really effective. The book took on a life of its own, and its influence slowly
rolled through seminaries and local churches. Readers were introduced to the
kingdom of God with hope and clarity that had not been surpassed in Christian writing
since Augustine penned The City of God. (Yes, I realize what I just typed.)
Our relationship with God was brought into focus as a transforming friendship in
which we meet and dwell with Jesus and his Father in the disciplines of the spiritual
life. The spirit of the disciplines, we learn, is nothing but the love of Jesus, with its reso-
lute will to be like him whom we love.
By the time Dallas Willard wrote the much acclaimed The Divine Conspiracy:
Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God in 1998, he was a secret no more. The book grew
out of series of lectures Dallas had delivered on understanding the kingdom of God.
Richard J. Foster was so enthralled with the book—and Dallas as a person—that he
placed it in very rare company—alongside the writings of Bonhoeffer, Wesley, Calvin,
Luther, and Teresa of Avila. Foster rightly said that The Divine Conspiracy was warm
and accessible, and it went to the heart of Jesus’ teaching. In it we find a “conceptual
philosophy for understanding the meaning and purpose of human existence.” (from
foreword to The Divine Conspiracy, ix)
What is the “Divine Conspiracy”? God’s intent to reclaim the universe, one
transformed heart at a time.
7 RENOVATION OF THE HEART
INTRODUCTION
Renovation of the Heart, in my opinion, is the lead singer in the quartet. It is
here Dallas Willard informs the reader—from both a theoretical and a practical per-
spective—how to enter into the divine world (the kingdom among us) by the path of
inner transformation.
Renovation of the Heart is a realistic guide to discipleship and the real chal-
lenge of Christian formation. For all would-be apprentices of Jesus, Renovation of the
Heart is for you. Its aim is to help you find and fully live in the kingdom of God and his
righteousness.
How This Resource Guide Is Organized
This resource guide is divided into thirteen sessions (lessons). Each session
involves an integration of a section of the Renovation of the Heart video with material
presented in the RESOURCE GUIDE and worksheets for the students.
For each session, the leader will need:
 RESOURCE GUIDE
 Bible
 Video Player, Monitor, Stand, Extension Cord, etc.
 Renovation Video
For each session, the participant will need:
 Bible
 Pen or Pencil
 Participant's Guide (Optional)
Each session can be divided into nine parts:
(Note: The seven sections from Introduction through More Dallas serve as the
session outline. The additional section—Before You Lead—is a resource for the
participants that the leader will decide how to use each week.)
 Before You Lead
 Introduction
 Warm-Up
 Content
 Bible Study
 Transforming Exercises
 Summary
 More Dallas
 Key Term Box
 Where Else Did He Say That?

RESOURCE GUIDE 8
Before You Lead
Before the lesson itself, you will be presented with a brief overview that will
include a synopsis, outline, list of materials you will need, and (for some sessions) some
recommended readings. It is not necessary to complete the additional reading. All you
need in order to be an effective group leader is contained within this packet and
between your ears. However, if you teach this course several times, you may want to
read for additional depth and breadth.
 Overview
The material provided in this section is for the leader’s information. The
synopsis is a lesson summary that contains a story, illustration, or teaching
emphasis tied to the main idea for the session. These summaries are always
tied to an object and can be used as part of your introduction or to help
stimulate further discussion. Some of the worksheet activities will be related to
this synopsis of the lesson.
 Session Outline
An at-a-glance overview of the content and activities to be covered
throughout the lesson.
 Materials
The materials listed above are very important for both the leader and each
participant. When additional materials are needed (very rarely), you will find
them listed in this section.
The Seven-Part Session
q Introduction
I ncludes calling the class together, an opening prayer, and a brief pre-
view. This time period should be customized to the personality of the
individual group—but should not exceed 5 to 10 minutes.
r Warm-up
These stories, exercises and questions are designed to help everyone
begin thinking about the session topic. The warm-up section usually
includes a retelling of the illustration presented in the synopsis and
refers to an exercise presented in the Participant’s Guide.
9 RENOVATION OF THE HEART
INTRODUCTION
s Content
The majority of class time is focused on the content section through
which you will guide the students. This will always include viewing the
video vignettes (both Dallas Willard’s summary lecture and a portion of
the conversation among Dallas, Larry Crabb, and John Ortberg), tips for
leading discussion, and suggested questions that are provided for the
video lecture, video conversation, and the specific chapter of the book
which is being addressed.
This section also includes a bulleted summary of the key points from the
lecture and book chapter.
t Bible Study
A Bible study worksheet is provided for each lesson. There is a copy in
your RESOURCE GUIDE and in the Participant’s Guide.
u Transforming Exercises
Each week five homework exercises are suggested that focus on the five
dimensions of the person: thoughts, emotions, will, behavior, and social
interactions.
v More Dallas
 Key Term Box

Provides quick reference definitions for key concepts discussed by Dallas
Willard in each chapter.
 Where Else Did He Say That?
Quotes from three other books by Dallas Willard, Hearing God:
Developing a Conversational Relationship with God, The Spirit of the
Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives, and The Divine
Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God, are presented here.
The quotes are selected based on relevance to the chapter topic that is
being presented.

w Summary
This section will include a review of what was covered in the
session and occasional suggestions for “homework” or “journaling”
exercises. Following the summary section will be a collection of
worksheets corresponding to the lesson.
RESOURCE GUIDE 10