User:John David Muyskens

Bio – J. David Muyskens

Active in Contemplative Outreach J. David Muyskens is a commissioned presenter of the Introductory Centering Prayer Workshop of Contemplative Outreach. He has conducted many workshops and retreats in New Jersey, New York and Michigan. He is the Coordinator for Contemplative Outreach in West Michigan. He serves on the staff of training sessions for Contemplative Outreach leadership formation.

Dr. J. David Muyskens is a graduate of the Spiritual Guidance Program of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and has been a spiritual director since 1991. From1990 to 2005 he was an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Spirituality at New Brunswick Theological Seminary, New Brunswick, NJ. He designed and taught courses there on prayer and on spiritual disciplines for ministers. He is a graduate of Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI. And has Th.M and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ.

J. David Muyskens has contributed to the Nelson’s Personal Handbook on Prayer edited by James Wilhoit. An article he wrote on his experience of prayer entitled “Letting Go” was published in The Church Herald, March, 2003. An article he wrote on “The Pastor as Corporate Spiritual Director” was published in Reformed Review, winter issue 2002/2003. He writes an article on prayer each month for a newsletter of the Reformed Church in America called “Wind and Fire.” He wrote books on the history of First Reformed Church, New Brunswick, NJ which began in 1703 called The Town Clock Church and on the history of the Pottersville Reformed Church, Pottersville, NJ, when it celebrated a centennial anniversary. He is a contributor to the Contemplative Living booklets of Contemplative Outreach. He is author of a book published by Upper Room Books in 2006, Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: the Practice of Centering Prayer. He is a contributor to Words of Hope daily devotions.

J. David Muyskens has participation in fostering prayer in his denomination, the Reformed Church in America: He was founder of a prayer network in the denomination. He has been a member of the Prayer Mobilization Team of the Synod of the Great Lakes, Reformed Church in America and a member of a prayer team for the Reformed Church in America called the Houses of Prayer Equipping Team.

Personal information: Dr. Muyskens is a retired ordained minister of the Reformed Church in America having served as pastor of three churches in New Jersey the last one being the First Reformed Church in New Brunswick. On retirement in the summer of 1999 he moved with his wife to Grand Rapids, MI. They have a son, two daughters and five grandchildren.