1. Diocesan Center for
Spiritual Leadership
Soma – The Body
Working Together
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

2. 3 years – 12 sessions
1. The Body Working Together
2. My Faith In Christ
3. Call & Spiritual Gifts
4. Time/ Availability & Experiences
5. Passion / Compassion
6. Behavioral Style
7. Talents
8. Strengths / Skills &
9. Assets / Treasure
10. Education / Knowledge
11. Discipleship
12. Church Implementation
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

3. Understanding our Gifts
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

4. Soma Session 1
Key Learning Objectives
1. Accept the call and reason for spiritual
leadership (Eph 4:1,11-13, 2:10; Heb 13:7;
1Pet 4:10; 1Cor 1:25; Col 1:28,29)
2. Accept the headship of God, the unity of
the church, the role of every member, the
value of all peoples (Eph 4:6,11, 1:18-23,
2:4-10; John 3:16; 1Pet 2:9-10)
3. Accept the challenge to grow in your faith
and serve one another in love for the
purposes of God (Eph 4:15,16; 1Cor 3:5;
Phil 1:6, 2:13; 1Tim 4:14-16 Matt 25:14-30)
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

5. The Church is One Body
There is one body and one
Spirit, just as you too were
called to the one hope of your
calling, one Lord, one faith,
one baptism Eph 4:4,5
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

6. The Meaning of Sōma
• Sōma is the transliteration of
the Greek word σῶμα (body)
• In the Bible it is used often to
describe the people who
followed Jesus.
• It often refers to a closely knit
society, a family as it were; a
social, ethical, mystical body.
• Phonetic: so'-mah
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

7. Sōma Objective
• Nurture our intimacy with
Christ
• Serve and lead out of our
spiritual gifts, strengths and
person
• Submit ourselves to the Holy
Spirit to be trained up and
fashioned for fruitfulness 
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

8. Sōma Objective
• Become interdependently
dependent upon Jesus
• Challenge our thinking to learn
skills (mastery) as stewards
and servants
• Disciple, equip and mobilize
believers for ministry together
• Build and sustain Christian
unity
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

9. Ephesians 4:1-3
1I therefore, the prisoner in the
Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy
of the calling to which you have
been called, 2 with all humility and
gentleness, with patience, bearing
with one another in love, 3 making
every effort to maintain the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

10. Discussion Questions
1. If taken literally, how might the life
transform your way of living and human
interaction? Why is this so hard to
achieve?
2. Compare this list with the Fruit of the
Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) and share what
other virtues you value, appreciate in
others and hope to express.
3. Share with the others what you feel
called to be doing in the church -
Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor,
Teacher (note Rom 12 and 1Cor 12).
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

11. Ephesians 4:4-6
4There is one body and one Spirit,
just as you were called to the one
hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one
faith, one baptism, 6 one God and
Father of all, who is above all and
through all and in all.
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

12. Discussion Questions
1. How do you see the reality of oneness
lived out by the Church?
2. What reaction would the world
around you have if this reality were
embraced and better lived out?
3. Of what importance is the authority of
God? (Eph 1:18-23) in your personal
life and the ministry of the church?
4. Where is this ministry supposed to
take place? By whom? (Matt 28:19-20)
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

13. Ephesians 4:7-10
7 But each of us was given grace
according to the measure of Christ’s
gift. 8 Therefore it is said, “When he
ascended on high he made captivity
itself a captive; he gave gifts to his
people.” 9 (When it says, “He
ascended,” what does it mean but that
he had also descended into the lower
parts of the earth? 10 He who
descended is the same one who
ascended far above all the heavens, so
that he might fill all things.)
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

14. Discussion Questions
1. What is the gift of Christ?
(Rom 8:9-11)
2. What spiritual gifts do you see in
those gathered with you now?
3. What relevance is the power of
Christ the incarnation,
resurrection and ascension to the
exercise of the various spiritual
gifts? (Phil 3:10)
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

15. Ephesians 4:11-16
11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles,
some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and
teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of
ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until all of
us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge
of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the
full stature of Christ. 14 We must no longer be children,
tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of
doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in
deceitful scheming. 15 But speaking the truth in love,
we must grow up in every way into him who is the
head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined
and knit together by every ligament with which it is
equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes
the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

16. Discussion Questions
1. What is the chief purpose of those who
are called? (Eph 4:12, 1Pet 4:10; Col 1:28-
29)
2. In the human body, its parts are to react
to directions provided by the brain. How
might our responsiveness to the headship
of God affect our collaboration,
effectiveness, function and relationships?
3. Pray together, confessing your need for
reconciliation with God, partnership with
the body, and Gods transformative power
to help you grow into the full nature of
Christ.
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

17. STAY ENGAGED
On the Web
In the Online Community
In your Parish
In your Deanery
At our Next Session – May 8, 2010
Read the book of Ephesians
Read Romans 12 & 1Corinthians 12
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

18. This Session of Soma was Facilitated by
Greg Troxell
Member at
St. Jude’s , Cupertino
Rev. Canon
Brian Nordwick
Mission House
Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership