This school of the Spirit is not knowledge-based, but action-based. This means you can start at any time.
Your Assignment. The basic assignment calls for you to take three actions: (1) soak in God's presence 10-15 times each month, (2) edify, exhort, or encourage 20 people each month, and (3) keep track of your activities and testimonies in a notebook. More about all this below.
For those who want more specific instructions, the Assignment page lists what I call "The Scavenger Hunt" -- a list of ten things to do in each subject. Maybe you remember going on a scavenger hunt as a child, sent out with a list of items to find. The Scavenger Hunt is a list of experiences to accumulate as you learn the ways of God.
In most cases, you can fulfill each month's assignment to connect with people in your daily routine -- it does not have to add a burden to your schedule.
The Resources. Use the resources to help you with the assignment:
The free blog. Practical articles by Stan Smith, posted every Tuesday, about each of the topics in the online school. Use the search feature on each blog to find articles on your specific area of interest. Feel free to post questions, comments, or testimonies.
Miracle Lifestyle -- http://school.gospelsmith.com
Prophetic Song -- http://gospelsmith.wordpress.com
Culture Shapers -- http://arts.gospelsmith.com
Ministry News -- http://blog.gospelsmith.com
The free monthly prophetic letter. A prophetic article by Stan Smith. For archives or to subscribe, see www.gospelsmith.InJesus.com.
The Assignment. Keep it simple and stick with the cors assignment every month -- soak 10-15 times; eidfy, exhort, or comfort 20 people; write it down. For more detail, see the Scavenger Hunt on the assignment page. If you can do 60% of it, you're doing well. See www.gospelsmith.com/Assignment.html.
The monthly teaching CD. This CD enhances the materials written in the blog. It is recorded as five short tracks (12-14 minutes) so you can play them in small group settings. We mail the CDs to all who send a donation of any amount to help us continue to make the online school available. See the donation info below.
The Three Courses
Here are links to articles or blog posts that will give you the main ideas each course will put into action.
The Online School -- These articles are foundational to the school, and apply to all the courses.
Soaking -- this time of listening to God is the vertical dimension of the online school. Our listening to God is the key to everything else we do.
Hearing God's Voice -- four keys: (1) quiet your heart, (2) focus on Jesus, (3) listen for a spontaneous flow of words, and (4) write it down (or speak it to someone, or pray it over them, or sing it to God in worship...)
How To Give A Testimony -- as much as possible, try to tell it in three steps: (1) what the original problem was, (2) how you reached out to God and how He stepped in, and (3) how your life is different as a result
The Miracle Lifestyle -- Getting into a flow of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Connecting With People -- nearly everything God speaks to us will play out in relationships with Him or with people. Though this article is written for artists, it shows how God will interweave our ministry opportunities with everyday life.
Prophetic Song -- Cultivating an intimate and spontaneous style of worship.
The Two Voices Of Jesus -- the voice of the trumpet and the sound of many waters.
At Home And At Church -- we can practice the sound of many waters, and become fluent in it. In this way, we sow to the Spirit as we worship.
Culture Shapers -- What Solomon's Proverbs can tell us about finding God-given sounds and images, and making an impact with them.
The Bible's Media Giant -- Solomon was not just a king and a religious leader. He also was a culture-shaper.
Wisdom In The Streets -- If there are any streets today where wisdom is crying out to us, they are on the internet. Go online and search for info about technique and how to get your work out there.
Keep It Simple
I'm keeping the blog entries short, 500-600 words long. They fit on a church bulletin insert and are easy to read.
Whether you use the basic assignment or the Scavenger Hunt, focus on your soaking times and your connecting with people. This is where the Holy Spirit will teach you the most.
Keep the entries in your notebook short. Write down what God speaks to you as you soak, and keep a very brief record of your connections with people, just enough to jog your memory. Here is an example --
Prayed with Alex on the phone -- seemed to be a bit of word of knowledge in the prayer.
What is the best way to use these materials?
If you are a “self-starter” you may be able to discipline yourself to use these materials on your own.
But most of us will find it more effective to partner with others. Get together with a few friends, and make yourselves accountable to do the assignments. Use the materials in small groups that meet in your church, in homes, or even in coffee shops.
Stay accountable. Even if you use the materials on your own, make sure you have friends and/or elders who can speak into your life and help you discern God’s voice as you learn to be led by His Spirit.
How You Can Help Me
Here are five ways you can help me:
1. Ask questions. Your input will help me do a better job, which in turn will help everybody else who uses this course.
2. Post testimonies. As you meet God while doing the assignments, post a short testimony -- 250 words or less -- on the blog. It may be a new flow in the gifts of the Spirit, an encounter with God in prophetic worship, or a divine appointment at an art show. However it happens, your testimonies will build the faith of others.
3. Spread the word about the online school. Send links to friends. And if you know a church that may want to schedule a workshop, let them know about the school.
4. Please pray for us. To keep up with all that is happening in our ministry, visit our weekly ministry news update at http:/blog.gospelsmith.com.
5. Help support this ministry. As you are able and as God directs, please send financial support to help us continue to make these materials available all over the world. You can send checks to the address below, or use the link to donate online. GospelSmith is a 501(c)(3) organization, and sends receipts for tax purposes at the end of each year.