Introduction
Last week I had the privilege of participating in the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA)1 Connections Conference. The support, conversations, content, networking, and resources which I took away from CMDA, Bristol, TN, encouraged me in and better equipped me to participate in the extension of the Kingdom of God across the various structures at Penn State Hershey College of Medicine/Medical Center [chaplains, counselors, faculty, nurses, patients (including the care of our own family), physicians, researchers, students (medical, nursing, graduate), support staff, therapists . . .] through the Christian Medical Society (CMS)/CMDA.
Not surprisingly the worship, renewal of vision/passion for the Kingdom of God, exploration of ethical decision making, call for discipleship/evangelism/missions, and honest conversations about relationships/vocation/marriage speak into much more than health care. So as we once again dig into making “present and visible the realm of the invisible Spirit†and experiencing “God as truly manifest and notoriously active in daily life†(Foster, 272), I will draw from Spiritual Formation in Ministry and Randy Gilmour’s, Pastor of Hamilton Hills Baptist Church, CMDA Connections Conference presentations on the Kingdom of God.
A Compartmentalized vs. A Christ-centered Life
When you review your life and vocation, do you find “A Compartmentalized Life” or “A Centered Life?” (Boa, 222) We will all fall short (please take a moment to join me in confession), but we are called as part of the Body of Christ to continually return to life In Christ Alone. As we do such, even the most mundane components of daily life become expressions of “An Integrated Life” (Boa, 223), making “present and visible the realm of the invisible Spirit†(Foster, 272). [Read more…] about The Incarnational Stream & Higher Education: Holistic Spirituality