Brian committed himself to practising contemplative spiritual disciplines every day for a month. Here’s what happened…

Psychological studies suggest that certain personalities are better suited to hearing God’s voice than others. Those who are “feelers” rather than thinkers seem to be pre-disposed to experiencing the Spirit in sensory ways. So what does that mean for the thinkers and the intellectuals among us?

On this episode of the show, we’re talking Spirit experiences and analytical thinkers with someone who appreciates both. Dr Brian Ross is an associate professor at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary in California who hails from the Anabaptist tradition but regularly ministers at a wide range of churches. In Brian’s words, he’s always “lived in his head,” but things changed when he began practising some of the contemplative spiritual disciplines. You’ll love this conversation, particularly if you’re a “thinker” rather than a “feeler”! Brian brings some wonderful wisdom and insight to the topic. 

In this conversation, you’ll learn about:

I’ve always lived in my head by nature, but this doesn’t mean my walk with God isn’t practical or personal. God as an incarnational being meets us where we are – that’s where God has met me. Sometimes you might hear people say things like Christianity is not a philosophy – it’s a relationship and I know what people mean by that, but I would always say, “what’s wrong with it as a philosophy?” because I find that compelling.

Nothing changed for a while. Then after a few weeks, I began to have experiences I’d never had before… that I do not have words or categories for. I found them often beautiful and compelling… So, this is what Pentecostals and Charismatics talk about!

These experiences that are often beyond words are a visceral reminder that there’s much more to reality than what we see or understand or control.

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Brian A. Ross, DMin (George Fox University), is Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministries at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary in California. He has taught everything from the history of the rise of secular ideas to courses on prayer, from church planting to guest teaching in business courses. A twenty-six-year ministry veteran, he has served as a: youth pastor, church planter, Senior Pastor, interim teaching pastor, church planting coach, preaching coach, pastoral search consultant, and outreach/strategy consultant. He is a minister with the Brethren in Christ Church and currently volunteers as a founding board member at the Midtown Vineyard Church in Fresno. A regular preacher at all kinds of churches (Mennonite to Pentecostal; 20 members to 2000 members), Ross is the author of Signs of the Times: Pastoral Translations of Ministry and Culture in Honor of Leonard I. Sweet and The Practical (and Indispensable!) Pastor’s Handbook: Exploring What You Actually Need to Do as a 21st Century Minister.