Episode 23: A Curriculum for Abiding

Our Guests for this Episode – Debbie Swindoll and Julia Johnson:

Debbie has been working in the church for 30 years. She began by leading Bible studies and eventually became a Bible teacher and developedreflective curriculum. Her interest in spiritual formation started in the early 90’s when she read Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline. She was further influenced by the writings of Dallas Willard and the devotional classics of Tozer and Bonhoeffer. She received formal training in spiritual formation in the early 2000’s when she attended Talbot School of Theology’s Institute for Spiritual Formation. She graduated from Talbot in 2007 with a degree and training as a spiritual director. Talbot’s program was more than just academics.

The experiential elements that were required within the degree program produced a significant life changing experience. After graduation, she realized that she wanted to bring elements of her training into the local church. For the last decade, she has been working with colleagues to create discipleship materials for churches that will guide them into a deeper heart transformation and more intimate relationships with God and others.

Julia has a 27 year career in the mortgage industry and has now served as the Small Group Director at Grace Fellowship for over 10 years. She experienced how God moves when we abide in Him and has embraced the joy and challenges to keep moving on in her personal journey with Christ. Her experience with Ascending Leader’s DiscipleForward and DiscipleOn Communities have had a profound impact on her and how she leads and she wants to share it with others.