Deepening Discipleship During Corporate Worship at Refreshing River of God Fellowship in Ephrata, Pennsylvania

Abstract

Chapter 1 sets the purpose, goals, requirements, and methodologies for this project. Chapter 2 establishes the theological foundation for biblical meditation, reviewing the practice of meditation in the Old and New Testaments and finding a Psalmic pattern to biblical meditation. The discussion then turns to investigating the biblical view of several marks of a disciple, such as God’s holiness, the believer’s union with Christ, Christ’s atoning work, the role of community, and the authority to proclaim the gospel. Chapter 3 surveys the history of biblical meditation in the church, including its practice among the Desert Fathers, the Reformers, and the Puritans. Attention then turns to three issues associated with the practice and stigma of meditation in the current Christian community. The issues are the role of song in biblical meditation, the distinction of biblical meditation from non-biblical forms, and biblical meditation as a remedy for a distracted society, especially when the habit of distraction infiltrates corporate worship. Chapter 4 describes how the teaching material used during the project was prepared, taught, and evaluated. Chapter 5 concludes by assessing the success of the project, personal comments, and the project’s strengths and weaknesses.