Rather than dreaming of an elusive spiritual awakening that never seems to come, here is the pick and shovel of revival—a practical way of getting out in the trenches and seeing something happen.

Years ago in the Navy I watched the cook mount a ladder to the huge soup vats and stir them with a paddle of considerable size. Now, I picture many of today’s pastors and Christian workers desperately trying to stir an oversize kettle with their own small spoons. New techniques of dipping, plunging, splashing away with the spoon are not needed. What is needed is a larger paddle! This deeper stirring will take place when the pastor broadens the base of ministry by multiplying himself. Many other Christians can be trained individually to become personal edifiers in the church.

When men and women are dealt with individually, how different are the results from what is usually obtained in a class or through the congregational approach. This more personal, intensive method is often little short of wonderful in its effect. The workers, however, will have to keep their faith alive and put in real, sustained labor.

Two distinctives mark the Spiritual Life Studies that I will be sharing with you. First, the serious manner in which all the teachings are taken directly from the open Bible and applied to the life. Second, because of the personal exchange and questions between the leader and his or her partner, all applications are immediately adjusted and fitted to the life of the partner. This approach will not then be viewed as a set course of content to which the recipient must be exposed but a manner of using biblical truth in preparing a life to become permanently fruitful.

The Spiritual Life Studies are a composite of doctrine and duty woven together. The movement is from truth to response. Selected texts, generally from the single book of John, become successive centers of teaching around which the couple focuses discussion and determines appropriate life response. As truths are repeated and dealt with more deeply week by week, definite evidence of growth is sought in the attitudes and actions. The results must show in life’s various arenas.

Given in conversational style, the blending of instruction and admonition, doctrine and duty, as they issue from selected texts, should deeply affect all who share in the lessons. Every sincere participant should become more open spiritually, more sensitive to the needs of others, and more prepared for spiritual fellowship and service.

Admittedly, it is difficult to encourage a faltering brother or sister in Christ by making repeated appointments and planning what to say and do each time. Far better to have a plan and simply enlist a partner to share the series of fellowship meetings with you.

I believe every Christian should have the studies—new believers, those moving into the area from another church fellowship, the indifferent, weak, or fallen. Perhaps it is even more important that the regular members of the church—especially officers and leaders—should have this help. The most used are often the least ministered to. All too many in the church are virtually without personal shepherding for their heart needs. Surely a limited staff cannot care for all. Here is a way to discover and develop spiritual equipment in many additional lives.

The church fellowship might be viewed as concentric circles. Place the people of little contact with the church out on the periphery, and continue the target with circles of increased interest and involvement, picturing the leaders on the bull’s-eye, surrounded immediately by the regulars of the church. Now, let the pastor and those in responsibility stand before this picture and ask themselves where their time and interest are invested.  Unto whom are they ministering? If the heart of the leadership is kept right, help in healing will radiate outward, affecting and evangelizing those outside the fold. However, the periphery should not get an undue amount of shepherding energy from those at the very center.

The whole idea of one believer meeting with another for purposes of spiritual upbuilding is taught in the New Testament. Paul commended the Roman believers because they were “competent to instruct one another” (Rom. 15:14). He himself followed the same approach as he testifies in I Thessalonians 2:11. Further biblical warrant for individuals upbuilding one another is given in Romans 14:19, Colossians 1:28 and 3:16, I Thessalonians 4:18 and 5:11, Titus 2, and Hebrews 3:13 and 10:24.

The ultimate goal of the Spiritual Life Studies is not only to edify individuals through this approach but also to discover and equip faithful ones who can become regular leaders of SLS. Even when dealing with such individuals, it is of utmost importance to avoid giving them the impression, “I am telling you these things so you can pass them on to others in need.” No, at all times I must feel that each one with whom I work has needs and should himself or herself be helped. Later, those who are willing can be trained as leaders.

Training those who will lead SLS will require special effort and some supervision. Here is a place where pastors or others who can take responsibility over fellow workers can multiply themselves and keep the ministry of edification going forward. Comparatively few Christians will persevere through this manual on their own unless led and helped by others who are self-starters. If you have this inner drive from the Holy Spirit to function yourself and also the ability to stir others to their service, then, may God help you consider stimulating Spiritual Life Studies in your circle.

One attempting to read nonstop through this manual will miss the purpose of it all. It is imperative that the sessions presented in the main section (part 2) be approached in accordance with the instruction given in the preparatory part 1.

If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed
but skill will bring success.
(Eccl. 10:10).

The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
(Prov. 14:6)

After more than half a century of questioning individuals close up and quite personally, I have found a painful ignorance of basic doctrine, and inability (if not unwillingness) to practice the precepts of Scripture. This means that to some degree there is an element of charade in our modern Christian life. A dangerous game indeed! These studies, then, are dedicated to remedying that, one person at a time. Soon there will be many who can help. But still the process will go on, one to one. This seemingly long way is the short way to a lasting revival in the church and is, after all, the biblical way.

At first these lessons were spread about with very little set down in any finished form. What has proven effective in experience is now committed to writing in this book. SLS has been used on campus, military base, prison, and mission field, but it is especially planned for the local church.

Over the years, the results of SLS in many individual cases have been truly remarkable and, in most cases, excellent. The cumulative effect in churches where employed broadly has been very heartening indeed and characterized by depth and permanency.

(The above is taken from the Introduction of my book, “Spiritual Life Studies – A Manual for Personal Edification,” available for order here.)