The Companion
Apprenticeship in Spiritual Direction
Welcome!
In times of great upheaval and change, God calls forth people who are so rooted in Christ and surrendered to the Holy Spirit, that they can walk beside others with a discerning presence, trusting in God’s goodness. We are witnessing such a calling in our own time. The Companion apprenticeship program is a 12-month training program for those who are responding to this call, to walk beside others as they wrestle with doubts, pain, discernment, and longing for the kingdom of God. Thank you for exploring this call in your own life. We hope the information here will give you insight and clarity as you discern your next step.
Program Outcomes
Mission
The Companion forms spiritual directors who live from their identity as God’s beloved and who create hospitable, Spirit-led spaces for others to encounter God’s presence through deep listening, discernment, and compassionate presence.
Vision
Program Highlights
12-Month Experiential Model
Emphasis on Mentorship
Cohort Learning Community
Meet Our Team
Danielle Wheeler
Lead Mentor
Murphy Alvis
Lead Mentor
Murphy Alvis is a teacher, retreat leader, spiritual director, and consultant who helps people take an integrated approach to life in the Kingdom. He lives in Missouri with his wife Tasha and two children, Evelynn and Atticus. His day job is serving as the Director of Coaching and Spiritual Direction with TRAIN International, an organization that helps the American church engage in God’s global mission. He is a coach-trainer for Coaching Mission International, an Adjunct Professor of Spiritual Direction at Ozark Christian College, a Graduate Teaching Fellow and Vocational Coach at Friends University, and serves as an independent consultant for churches and organizations that want to prioritize a formation-first approach to organizational life.
Matthew Johnson
Lead Mentor
Matthew Johnson is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and evoker of stories; helping others listen for God’s guidance in their lives. He serves with the Apprentice Institute at Friends University, the School of Kingdom Living (Dallas Willard Ministries), and in his own spiritual direction practice. He is the author of “Worship” a book study in the Holy Living Series from Abingdon Press and has written small group and leader’s guides for The Good and Beautiful God, The Good and Beautiful Life, and The Good and Beautiful Community. He is a co-founder of the Neighboring Movement, and prior to that he served at the Andover United Methodist Church as the assistant minister for 15 years. In 2015, he and his wife, Catherine, hiked the Camino de Santiago, across Spain.
Trusted Guidance
Our hope for The Companion is to facilitate the expansion of the Kingdom through transformative experiences and intentional learning environments that nurture a holistic, Kingdom-centered ministry of spiritual direction for the good of the local church.
This 12-month certification offers training for those who desire to companion others through the ministry of spiritual direction. Building on the principles of competency-based theological education and with an eye towards contextualization, this program is anchored by intentional mentorship, both in groups and individually. Our team of mentors will work with students to help them craft an individualized learning plan that honors their story, their ministry, and their context. Likewise, the emphasis on mentoring also creates room for a deeply practical program – we are focusing on faithful praxis rooted in Kingdom principles, together.
5 Pillars of The Companion Covenant - The Tree
Beloved: Living from Your Core Identity Right Where God Has Invited YouAs spiritual directors, the source of our gifts and skills is the unwavering love of the Triune God, which serves as the foundation of our being. From this place of deep security, we extend love to others, embodying the self-giving hospitality of the Father, the sacrificial love of the Son, and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
1. Being Present to the With-God Life
We commit to live in ongoing communion with the Trinity, allowing our deepening relationship with God to shape how we listen, discern, and accompany others.
2. Following the Spirit’s Leading
By surrendering control and remaining open to the Spirit’s guidance, we learn to discern and follow God’s movement in our own lives and in the lives of those we serve.
3. Attending to Our Own Experience
We intentionally cultivate self-awareness and surrender, allowing God to form us so that we can be fully present and hold space for others with confidence and gentleness.
4. Evoking Awareness in Others
We hold space for others to encounter God by listening prayerfully, asking thoughtful questions, and inviting them into deeper awareness of the Spirit’s work in their lives.
5. Hosting and Holding Hospitable Spaces
We create environments of sacred hospitality where others can be fully seen, heard, and received, mirroring the welcome of the Trinity.
More Information
What Kind of a Program is This?
This 12-month training equips those called to spiritual direction through an experiential, mentor-guided journey that emphasizes practice, feedback, and individualized formation. Rooted in a Trinitarian understanding of God, shaped by Scripture, and marked by contemplative attentiveness, the program fosters discernment and the creation of hospitable space for others to encounter the Spirit. It responds to the urgent need for guides who can help others cultivate a responsive, resilient spirituality in the midst of today’s cultural challenges.
Why Is This Program Only a Year Long?
The program lasts just one year because it requires participants to have already undergone significant spiritual formation training. Rather than starting from scratch, it focuses on sharpening the competencies and postures needed for spiritual direction, customizing the journey to each learner’s experiences, gifts, and context. This allows for an intensive, individualized approach grounded in God’s love for us.
Why a Cohort?
Spiritual direction is a practice rooted in formation, and formation happens best in community. A cohort provides the relational space for reflection, feedback, and growth, while also nurturing the kind of friendships that many people long for in this cultural moment. This shared journey not only enriches the learning experience but also creates a foundation for continued development beyond the program.
Why Mentoring Rather Than a Standard Classroom Setting?
While classroom models are effective for disseminating information and introducing new frameworks, they can fall short in allowing space for the kind of practice, reflection, and individualized feedback essential for forming spiritual directors. Mentoring allows learners to engage deeply with real-world experiences, receive tailored guidance based on their actual experience (both their strengths and growth points), and grow through direct interaction with seasoned practitioners and peer mentors. This model fosters quicker feedback loops and a learning environment shaped more by reflection and relationship that inherently matches the ethos of spiritual direction.
What Does Cohort Interaction Look Like? What About Mentor Groups?
This program is designed to be highly interactive, with significant cohort engagement through shared learning practices like role-plays, observation, and reflection. The structure includes three intentional spaces: cohort-wide gatherings (“watering holes”), smaller group conversations with mentors (“campfires”), and personal times of solitude and reflection (“caves”). These layers of interaction nurture both communal bonds and individual growth throughout the journey.
What are the Rhythms?
|
Annual |
Monthly |
Weekly |
| Orientation retreat in October (4 days, 5 nights) | One zoom class for (1.5 hrs) | Sabbath |
| Personal silent retreats (1 half day, 1 full day, 1 overnight) | One mentor meeting (1 hr) | Margin |
| Commissioning retreat in September (2 days, 3 nights) | One triad meeting (1.5 hrs) | Prayer |
| Reading (4-8 hrs) | ||
| Reflection and writing (5-7 hrs) | ||
| Giving spiritual direction (3-5+ hours) |
Total hours: 20-22 hours per month in section 1
24-27 hours per month in section 2
When does it start?
- September 8th for pre-orientation reading and reflection
- October 12-17th for Orientation Retreat
What is the cost?
The total cost is $6,000 with monthly payments of $500 available.
What is the application process and timeline?
- Online application process opens early May and includes:
- Application and essays
- 3 reference letters
- Applicant interview with a program mentor
- Application fee of $50
- Acceptance leads to:
- Deposit of $500.00
- Signing of a payment contract
- Signing of the covenant (which will be shared in the application process)
- When will I know if I have been accepted into the program?
- By July 14, 2025
Conception Abbey
Conception Abbey is a Benedictine monastery located in northwest Missouri where all they do is dedicated to the glory of God as St. Benedict instructs in his Rule. For 150 years now, they have existed to praise God in their daily cycle of prayer and work, welcome guests, educate future priests, and share the Gospel.
37174 State Highway VV
PO Box 501
Conception, MO 64433
Questions? Email Us!
Matthew Johnson, Lead Mentor
matthewjohnson@apprenticeinstitute.org
Apprentice Institute Contact
(316)-295-5380
info@apprenticeinstitute.org
2100 W. University Ave. Wichita, KS 67213