These are some of the questions I have received regarding pursing oblation.
Q1: What is an oblate? Continue reading Oblate Q&A
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Initial Oblate Application Part 3
Question 3: Who will accompany you? On whom will you rely to accompany you on this journey (besides the Oblate Director and Director of Initial Formation)? What outside resources will help you journey to final oblation? Continue reading Initial Oblate Application Part 3
Initial Oblate Application Part 2
Question 2: How will you get there? This question asks further questions. How will you invest yourself in the Formation Program? How can you use the resources available in the community around you to assist in your formation? Will there be retreats, days of prayer, and spiritual direction available to you and will participate in some of them? What tools (such as keeping a log or journal) can you use to grow in a contemplative stance toward your life and work/ministry? Continue reading Initial Oblate Application Part 2
Initial Oblate Application Part 1
Question 1: What are you looking for? These are the first words spoken by Jesus in the Johannine gospel addressed to the disciples who begin to follow him. This question is addressed to each candidate before beginning the year-long formation for Oblates. What are your hopes, goals and desires as you embark on this adventure? How do you hope to grow in Christian discipleship? Why does this seem to be the right time for you to consider becoming an Oblate? Continue reading Initial Oblate Application Part 1
Benedictine and Wesleyan Traditions
I have begun the initial application process of becoming an Oblate of St. Benedict. One of the questions I investigated before starting this process was how the Benedictine tradition aligned with my own Wesleyan-Methodist tradition. I found several important parallels and one major difference between the two traditions. Continue reading Benedictine and Wesleyan Traditions
Dive Deep at Young Adult Retreat
I will be the guest speaker August 9-12, 2015 at the Young Adult Retreat at Cedar Springs Wesleyan Camp in Floyd, IA.
What if in your life every action, object, and moment was sacred? What if every choice brought you closer to God, other people, and understanding of yourself? What if you could immerse your life in the wide and long and high and deep love of Christ? Dive Deep.
This event is open to all young/emerging adults (single or married, college or career).
Living Stones, the beginning
Jesus commands us, as his Church, to be and make disciples. While the process of sanctification is a continual “transformation into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord” (2 Cor. 2:18), we should also have markers which tell us we are equipped for works for service, attained unity in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, and become mature (Eph. 4:12-13). Toward that end, Oakdale Wesleyan Church has set up 12 markers, Living Stones, as steps of discipleship, so that we “like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).
It is my hope, prayer, and work, that Living Stones become a useful tool for people to have a continual transformational relationship with God beyond just my local church. Toward that goal, and with the encouragement of others, I am currently working on a book and proposal to get this discipleship tool out to the church at large. This will likely be the key focus of this blog for several months.
To be a part of this process with me right now, you can subscribe to this blog, follow me on twitter (@pvtillman), and check out the following links:
- The Missional Discipleship Groundswell Podcast on Living Stones. This is part 1, of what should be an ongoing dialogue with Heath Mullikin (@heathmullikin) and Jeremy Summers (@jeremysummers) about Living Stones. This podcast covers the development story of Living Stones and provides a quick overview of the 12 discipleship markers.
- The Living Stones sermon series given at Oakdale Wesleyan Church. This series expounds the Living Stones markers as illustrated in the lives of the 12 sons of Israel, blessed in Genesis 49:1-28.
- The Living Stones Discipleship page at Oakdale Wesleyan Church, which gives an explanation of Living Stones.
Christian Perfection, an Analogy
I have come up with an analogy, that at least in my mind, paints a clear picture of John Wesley‘s idea of Christian perfection (also called entire sanctification). I make no claims to having read every book or article on Wesleyan doctrine, so someone may have already used this analogy in the past, but I never read it. Here it is. Continue reading Christian Perfection, an Analogy
Being Dad Part 3: The Peer Years
On Fathers Day 2014 I gave each of the dads in my church a copy of David Drury’s book Being Dad. If you have not yet received you copy, please see me. I will not give this book to your wife or children to pass along to you, as this is a gift from me to you. Although I’ve read the book already, I’m reading it again, along with any of you that have begun reading (I saw one dad reading right after church). There will be no spoilers of the book here, but I will post my reflections on the three major sections of the book: The Early Years, The Growth Years, and The Peer Years, with the hope that these posts will further encourage you to not only read the book, but to also become the best dad you can be.
The final section of the book is on the transition of relationship from son and dad to peers. I know my dad enjoys his new grandfather (papa) status with my daughter, but we also enjoy our new relationship, which he initiated. Continue reading Being Dad Part 3: The Peer Years
Being Dad Part 2: The Growth Years
On Fathers Day 2014 I gave each of the dads in my church a copy of David Drury’s book Being Dad. If you have not yet received you copy, please see me. I will not give this book to your wife or children to pass along to you, as this is a gift from me to you. Although I’ve read the book already, I’m reading it again, along with any of you that have begun reading (I saw one dad reading right after church). There will be no spoilers of the book here, but I will post my reflections on the three major sections of the book: The Early Years, The Growth Years, and The Peer Years, with the hope that these posts will further encourage you to not only read the book, but to also become the best dad you can be.
The second section of the book provided many stories of leaving a legacy through lessons. And while David and I are close in age, I found some of our experiences divergent. While both our families value education, I think each of our dads imparted that legacy from a difference social and cultural background. Continue reading Being Dad Part 2: The Growth Years