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SPIRITUAL FORMATION & CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Spiritual Formation … What is It?

Following are ideas from several Christian leaders whose life work is/was focused on spiritual formation:

“ … a journey through which we open our hearts to deeper connection with God.” – Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth

“Christian spiritual formation is the life-long process of being continuously transformed by God’s abiding love into the image of Christ for the sake of others (or the world).” – Johnny Sears, director of the Academy for Spiritual Formation & Emerging Ministries

“ … a process whereby we adopt practices that help us deepen our openness and receptivity to God’s presence and action in our life.” – Phileena Heuertz, founding partner of Gravity, a Center for Contemplative Activism

“ … the biblically guided process in which people are being transformed into the likeness of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit within the faith community in order to love and serve God and others.” – Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU)

“… process of being shaped by the Holy Spirit into the likeness of Christ, filled with love for God and the world.” – “A Call to Spiritual Formation,” 2009

The core of these definitions is a call for believers to become more like Christ, not for oneself, but for the world. So how does this transformation take place?

The basis of this is intentionality and focus, creating the time and space in your life to engage the Holy Spirit. This engagement comes best through the practice of spiritual disciplines – those practices found in scripture that promote spiritual formation among believers of Jesus Christ. These practices are a means to an end, the end being Christlikeness.

The basic spiritual disciplines include:

• Prayer – individually and corporately
• Fasting – leading to prayer
• Worship – corporately and individually
• Service – planned and spontaneous
• Study – memorize and meditate on scripture – learning more the nature of God and Christ
• Giving – regularly and when called upon

On the connected pages, you will find resources to aid your local congregation in developing and promoting spiritual formation in the lives of your people.

For more information about Spiritual Formation, please call Rev. Gary Jones at (800) 831-3972 ext. 120.