Nebraska Synod ELCA

Cultivating Healing through Presence, Listening, and Discernment

Seeking the Spirit Within was born out of a clear need: clergy, lay leaders, and spiritually curious individuals were asking how to go deeper in their formation and faith experience. They didn’t just want to talk about spirituality—they wanted to live it, to feel it, to be equipped to guide others through it.

David Pinkston, Program Director, brings a deep love for spiritual direction, a practice that helps people orient their lives toward greater freedom, health, and wholeness. “Who cares for the caregivers?”he asks. “Often, caregivers are so focused on others that they rarely get a chance to process, reflect, and receive care themselves.”

More than Training – It’s a Path to Healing

At its core, spiritual direction is the art of being present to one’s life, to others, and to God. While therapy often looks to the past to move forward, spiritual direction starts with the present. It asks: Where are you now? What are you noticing?

How are you experiencing God—or struggling to?

David explains, “Spiritual direction addresses the need for greater freedom, health, and wholeness in our lives. In a world that encourages us to live above the surface—on screens, in competition, always producing—this ministry invites us to go deeper.”

It’s not a luxury. It’s healing work. And for many, it’s been life-saving.

“I’ve had clergy tell me, ‘This kept me from falling off the cliff,’” David shares. “They were burning out, feeling alone, and spiritual direction gave them space to be seen, listened to, and reconnected with purpose.”

A Ministry Rooted in the Gospel

The flagship offering of Seeking the Spirit Within is its spiritual direction training program.

In addition to training directors, the program also supports church councils, offers group discernment retreats, and equips individuals to be spiritual companions—regardless of their career or ministry context.

When asked how this work shares the gospel, David doesn’t hesitate: “It’s the ministry of presence. One of my favorite stories is Jesus with the woman at the well—two people meeting and engaging deeply with each other. That’s what spiritual direction is.”

This gospel-rooted presence shows up in quiet ways: listening without fixing, sitting with someone in a moment of discernment, helping them see that God is already present in their life. It’s a ministry of grace and attentiveness, of noticing and naming what’s often overlooked.

A Call to Support

Individuals and congregations to help in three key ways:

• Spread the Word – Let others know that this ELCA-founded program is the only one of its kind across the country.
• Send Participants – Know someone who’s a gifted listener or spiritually curious? Encourage them to explore whether they’re called to be a spiritual director or guide.
• Find a Spiritual Director – Individuals seeking direction can visit seekingthespiritwithin.org to find a list of trained alumni offering one-on-one guidance. The Nebraska Synod website also provides access to this list.

“If you’ve ever thought, ‘I just wish someone would listen to me without trying to fix me,’” David says, “that’s what spiritual direction offers.”

Want to Connect with Seeking the Spirit Within? Go to www.seekingthespiritwithin.org