The being project : a 30-day journey toward awareness, authenticity and intimacy with Christ

2017·1.3 MB·English

by  Campbell, Jeffrey David

THE BEING PROJECT:
A 30-DAY JOURNEY TOWARD AWARENESS, AUTHENTICITY AND INTIMACY
WITH CHRIST

A THESIS-PROJECT
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

JEFFREY DAVID CAMPBELL
MAY 2017
Copyright © 2017 by Jeffrey David Campbell. All Rights Reserved.
To my beautiful bride, P. Candace:
My wise, soulish, life-celebrating companion on the journey.
You have my heart,
I choose us.
Slow Down, you move too fast…
–Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, The 59th Street Bridge Son
CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS viii

PREFACE ix

ACKNOLEDGMENTS x

ABSTRACT xi

Chapter

1. PRESSURE TO PERFORM AND PRODUCE 1

Introduction: Aims and Goals 1

Definitions and Terms 2

Context 3

The Problem 3

The Being Project: Reasons and Roots 4

Missionary Culture 7

Theological Foundations for Prioritizing the Affections 20

Summary 23

2. TOWARD A BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF SELF 25

Introduction 25

The Image of God in Man 25

The Self/Soul 26

Warning: Inadequate Understandings of the Nature of God 28

Restoring Relationship: Imago Dei as both Noun and Verb 38

Four Components of a Healthy Self 39

Summary 55

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3. GLEANINGS 58

Introduction 58

The Current Landscape of Soul Care 58

Soul Health as Vulnerability and Engagement 61

The Relational Formation of the Self 68

Brain Chemistry and the Soul 71

Trinity: The Theological Launching Pad of Soul Care 76

Round Table 81

4. THE BEING PROJECT 85

Design and Influences 85

Unpacking the Project 88

Understanding the Attachment to God Inventory 98

Concluding Project Development Thoughts 101

5. “CHARTING” THE WAY FORWARD 103

Introduction 103

Analyzing Pre/Post AGI Changes 105

Turning Numbers into Narrative 112

Evaluating the Method 121

Thesis-Project Summary 125

Being Project Conclusions 130

My Personal Journey of Being 134

APPENDIX A 138
Introduction: The Present of Presence 138
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Being Project Manual Weekly Content 140
APPENDIX B 147
Appendices to the Being Project Manual 147
Weekly Disciplines 147
Reflective Scripture Reading 149
Prayer of Examination 151
Spiritual Listening 151
Week One: Unmasking the False Self 153
Week Two: Life Mapping 155
APPENDIX C 160
Attachment to God Inventory 160
AGI Scoring Form 161
BIBLIOGRAPHY 163

VITA 168

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ILLUSTRATIONS
FIGURES
Figure 1: Trinity Graphic 34
Figure 2: Relationship in Genesis 2 34
Figure 3: Relationship in Genesis 3, Self love 36
Figure 4: The Johari Window 51
Figure 5: Attachment to God Grid 99
Figure 6: Pre/Post Anxiety Comparison 105
Figure 7: Pre/Post Avoidance Comparison 106
Figure 8: Pre/Post Composite AGI Score Change 108
Figure 9 Pre/Post Assessment Scores with IWM 109
Figure 10: Participant Familiarity 121
Figure 11: Average Perceived Value for Components 122
Figure 14: Value of Examine 124
Figure 15: Value of Self-Awareness Exercises 124
Figure 16: Value of Listener Meeting 125
Figure 17: Summer and Winter Christians 134

TABLES
Table 1: Attachment Styles 100
Table 2: Participant Age Demographics 104
Table 3:Attachment Style Coordinate Scoring 108
Table 4: Comparing Numbers and Narrative 112
viii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Where to begin…
Jerry and Jan Campbell (Mom and Dad) thank you for 50+ years of love and 30+
years of trans Atlantic relationship, for parenting and grand parenting at a distance, for
doing what it took to stay connected, and for believing that I had this in me. Jacob,
Emily, Cailynn, and Jess, you have dealt with a sometimes distracted father for a good
portion of your adolescence. Thank you for your grace and support. Emily, you deserve a
special thanks for 3 years of missed birthdays. I love you all and am so proud to be your
dad. Katrina, my editing wizard, thanks for your hours of detail work and your
commitment to not judge the inconsistency of my formatting choices! Thanks also to the
colleagues who served as my test group for this thesis-project. Your commitment to me
and to the project was deeply encouraging and essential to the fruitfulness of the end
product. To my dearest bride, Candy…there are just no words. Thank you for
encouraging me to make this happen, for believing in me along the way when I would
likely have quit, for doing double parent duty, for collaborative thinking, for being the
most enthusiastic proponent of the Being Project, and for love, love and more love. I am
so glad that you are mine. Finally, and most significantly, my best and deepest love and
gratitude goes to you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Your invitation to partnership
continually amazes me. We are in a relationship of unequals. Thank you for singing over
me with unfailing love and for expanding your reign in me and through me during the
years of this transformational journey.

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ABSTRACT

This thesis-project examines intimacy with God among overseas evangelical
missionaries and suggests that spiritual vitality can be enhanced through the use of
reflective Scripture reading, vulnerable relationships and renewed awareness. The thesis-
project engages data from multidisciplinary sources and uses the Attachment to God
Inventory (AGI) as a primary reference point to quantify change in the test group.
Partners committed to a 30-day intensive with prescribed reflective Scripture reading,
awareness exercises and weekly companionship. Conclusions were formed based of pre
and post AGI assessments, in addition to survey and interview data from each participant.

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