MIGHT JESUS BE INVITING YOU TO BE TRAINED IN THE ART OF SPIRITUAL COMPANIONSHIP?

In our busy society, we rarely take time to stop long enough to take a breath, let alone give some extra time to turn our ears toward Jesus. Learning the fine art of spiritual direction (companionship) is one of the best ways you can help both yourself and others “step out of traffic to take a long, loving look at your High God” (Psalm 46:10 The Message Bible)

An experience in our Sustainable Faith School of Spiritual Direction (SOSD) offers participants an immersive, integrated and robust introduction to the ministry of spiritual direction. Through the combined experience of reading superb literature, engaging in individual and group exercises, paying close attention to one’s life, practicing spiritual disciplines, receiving spiritual direction, and offering direction – all in a communal setting – students move toward competency as spiritual directors.

5 MODULES – 10 TRANSFORMING DAYS – 1 REMARKABLE YEAR – ALL ON-LINE!

As a wise person once suggested, you will always find a silver lining in every dark cloud. Or, as St. Ignatius said it, “God is in ALL things!”

Without a doubt, COVID-19 has made life very difficult, and as we see it, produced so much pain and loss in so many people’s lives, the need for Christ-centered, compassionate and caring spiritual companionship will be overwhelming going forward beyond the storm.

Here at Sustainable Faith, Sandy & I, over much of the last six years, had been conducting our trainings in person. But of course, that all changed in March 2019 when COVID hit.

Yet, here’s the silver lining.

Since we started facilitating our trainings on-line, we are finding that this unique approach to our curriculum is not only accommodating students well, it’s actually allowing many more students to participate than when we limited cohort participation to being in person! Actually, we’ve had many tells us that this new, on-line option was a God-send, providing a practical way for them to do something they just couldn’t do when our training was offered only on-location!

So with that…going forward, Sandy & I will be doing our Sustainable Faith training cohorts in spiritual direction exclusively, on-line.

BIG NEWS: Our next on-line YEAR ONE COHORT starts in October 2021! Registration is limited to 10 students. Don’t delay!

ON-LINE YEAR-ONE COHORT #5 (Time Zone TBA): Fri/Sat – Oct 8/9, 2021, Fri/Sat – Dec 10/11, 2021, Fri/Sat – Feb 11/12, 2022, Fri/Sat – Apr 8/9, 2022, Fri/Sat – Jun 3/4, 2022 Registration is NOW OPEN! CLICK HERE TO PRE-REGISTER!

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And, for those who have completed Year One, we will be offering two YEAR TWO cohorts as well. Very limited registrations here since most of our Year One students will be continuing. Contact us, for more details, if you are interested in joining one of these Year Two on-line options.

ON-LINE YEAR TWO COHORT #1 (Time Zone-Central) Sept 10/11, 2021, Nov 12/13, 2021, Jan 14/15, 2022, Mar 18/19, 2022, May 6/7, 2022

ON-LINE YEAR TWO COHORT #2 (Time Zone-Eastern) Sept 17/18, 2021, Nov 19/20, 2021, Jan 21/22, 2022, Mar 25/26, 2022, May 20/21, 2022

Click here for a Year Two Overview

Click here to PRE-REGISTER for YEAR TWO.

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Sustainable Faith School of Spiritual Direction (SOSD) is now growing at a phenomenal rate! What was once a small equipping ministry in Cincinnati designed for raising up a handful of church leaders in spiritual direction has now become a multi-dimensional, cross-denominational ministry that rewards its two-year graduates with a certificate reflecting that the student has met the demanding requirements of most spiritual direction professional networks worldwide. One recent report has deemed Sustainable Faith as “the largest spiritual direction training group in North America!”

Our training in spiritual direction flows from a Trinitarian and Christocentric foundation. We believe in the triune God, confessing God as Creator of all, Jesus as God revealed in the flesh, and the Holy Spirit as the gift of God who empowers us to enter into God’s redemptive work in the world. We guide people to embrace the contemplative life, encouraging you to honor sabbath and observe life-giving rhythms, drawing you toward healthy, embodied spiritual practices, nurturing self-awareness and vocational clarity, and ultimately, launch Kingdom enterprises.

In 2021, with the uncertainties of COVID-19 still around us, the Sustainable Faith School of Spiritual Direction will continue offering our training opportunities designed exclusively for on-line students. Our curriculum and class goals will still be the same as our excellent in-person cohorts. You will still receive the high-quality training in spiritual direction you’ve come to expect from Sustainable Faith. But rather than meeting face-to-face for our five weekend cohorts, we will be meeting together via Zoom. Know that you, the on-line student, will still receive the quality education, practical experience, and personal attention you’ve come to expect from Sustainable Faith, now the largest training school in spiritual direction across North America. Click here for an overview of our Year One coursework and costs.

Read our blog…“Have You Ever Considered Becoming a Spiritual Director?”

Our Schools of Sustainable Faith are honored to be amongst the fine schools of spiritual formation recommended by ESDA (Evangelical Spiritual Directors Association).  Those who complete the requirements of our first and second year training in spiritual direction are awarded a certificate reflecting that the student has met the demanding requirements of most spiritual direction professional networks worldwide. Graduates can also apply for membership with ESDA which will serve as a means of certifying your training/fitness as a spiritual director, and add a level of confidence and visibility for the spiritual direction ministry you have in your heart to do.

Here are the facts… Our School of Spiritual Direction (SOSD) Year One cohort will meet for five 2-day sessions over the course of nine months, meeting all day (Friday and Saturday in most cases) from 9 am-5 pm (in most cases, US Central Standard Time). A minimum of six to eight students is required to make up a cohort, with ten being the maximum. You can begin your registration on-line by filling out an application on the SOSD page: www.sustainablefaith.com/ssd and scheduling a phone conversation with Marty and Sandy Boller. Once you have filled out your application and had an interview, a $400 registration fee, paid to Sustainable Faith via bank transfer or electronic check, is required to reserve your spot.

The cost for the training is $2400 per year, which includes the $400 registration fee. The balance can be paid, via bank transfer/electronic check, in 8 equal payments of $250, and is due on the first of the month, starting in October. Please note that paying by credit or debit card/PayPal/ApplePay will result in an additional $100 charge to cover our finance costs. If you have further questions, would like to set up a phone interview or receive a copy of the course syllabus, please email us.

Click here to see the faces of Sustainable Faith: our cohorts 2015-present! 

We look forward to hearing from you! Marty & Sandy Boller