STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Year One

As a year one student, you’ll:

• Encounter Christ and grow in your intimacy with Him as you talk to Him.
• Receive tools to honestly measure yourself by God’s truth.
• Identify sinful patterns that inhibit your relationship with Christ.
• Study devotional literature and learn how your life fits in the grand theme of Scripture.
• Develop a spiritual rhythm of walking with God, and join a growing community of believers who will encourage you to mature in Christ.

Year Two

As a year two student, you’ll:

• Learn how to internalize God’s Word, discern His voice, and understand His redemptive plan for humanity.
• Develop your identity in Christ and cultivate spiritual practices that deepen your intimacy with Him.
• Learn how to bring God’s love to the oppressed and those in need.
• Recognize what is keeping you from loving God and others.
• Strengthen your biblical worldview and interact with Christian spiritual classics that have shaped the church.

Spiritual Director Certification

You can choose to become certified as a spiritual director during the year two program. You’ll have a slightly increased workload, but you’ll follow the same schedule as others in year two. As you train for the certification, you will:

• Meet with a small group of peers for supervision and training in spiritual direction.
• Read biblically informed books about spiritual growth.
• Provide spiritual direction in your practicum.
• Meet personally with a supervisor to discuss practicum cases.
Learn how to listen to others with humility and discernment, and understand the process of spiritual growth and change.

Retreats

At the retreats, you’ll meet with the 18–30 other members of your cohorts at the retreat center, where room and board is provided. You’ll talk about the coursework you’ve done between retreats, and hear lectures from experts.

Joseph and Mary Retreat House, Mundelein, IL