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The past month I’ve been wrestling with how to proceed after the OCL Postulancy. We’re coming to the end of the content and will have a few weeks of reflection before it’s over for the summer.

I had some clarity yesterday about my conflicted feelings. I realized that I do feel at home with my fellow OCL postulants and value every one of the twelve OCL commitments in their Rule of Life. I am grateful to orient my life in a continual cycle around the common commitments alongside others in the Order and would be very happy to continue that practice. However, when I think about the form of community that I want to foster among leaders in Rapid City, I have more specific commitments than OCL expects. In my current rendition of a Fall commitment, I would ask that each invitee commit to:

• Two hours per week of shared life (group meetings count)
• Attendance at a leader’s bi-weekly DBS group and regular obedience as we meditate on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
• A once-per-month shared meal where we support one another, offer praises and needs, and share our memorization progress
• Attendance at a once-per-quarter three-hour prayer and worship afternoon/evening

For those familiar with TOAG, I have found that OCL is a well-formed framework for one’s Curriculum for Christlikeness, but elements of TOAG, such as half-time meals, teamwork in obedience/memorization, and Epaphra-nights (extended prayer) are non-negotiable.