SPIRITUAL FORMATION IN THE LOCAL CHURCH: PHASE 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A Paper Presented to Dr. Barry Jones Dallas Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course SF901 Spiritual Formation in the Church by Christopher (Kit) Bogan April 2012 Box #176
SPIRITUAL FORMATION IN THE LOCAL CHURCH: PHASE 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Many churches in America are coming to the sad realization that, after years of church membership or participation, their members are not becoming more devoted followers of Christ. The widely-known REVEAL study done by Willow Creek showed that this popular church, devoted to making fully-devoted followers of Jesus Christ, could not find a measurable difference in the spiritual lives of its members through activity in church ministries alone (cf. MOVE: What 1000 Churches Reveal about Spiritual Growth). Likewise, Kent Carlson and Mike Lueken in their book, Renovation of the Church, reveal how the attractional model of church growth they had embraced in their church plant actually promoted values that directly contradicted Biblical values for spiritual growth. Churches must prioritize and resolve the problem of spiritual stagnation and stunted growth among their members. Biblical Foundations God desires that all men and women be conformed to the image of His Son (1 Thess. 4:3). We do not become Christ; rather, we become like Him, reflecting His character in our lives. Paul exhorts the Roman believers in Romans 12:2 not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of their minds, that they may discern what is the will of God. He also writes to the Galatians of this deep desire he has as a pastor, how he is again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you (Gal. 4:19). And again, to the Corinthian church, Paul writes, Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). We are to identify with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection by baptism (Rom. 6:4-6) so that we no longer live to ourselves, but rather, we allow Christ to live through us (Gal. 2:20). When Jesus returns, Christians have this hope that we will be like Jesus, for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2-3). Everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure. The goal of the church is to aid the Holy Spirit in spiritually forming disciples who reflect Jesus Christ in their lives. Most broadly put, the church does this through evangelism 1
(Matt. 28:20) and edification (cf. Eph. 4:11-13). Yet unless our goals of evangelism and 2 edification are deeply rooted in the character of Christ and His intentions for our sanctification, our fruit will be shallow or non-existent. Spiritual formation, according to Carlson and Lueken, is the meeting place of sanctification and the church. The result of the combined work of the Holy Spirit through the church is a community that increasingly reflects the heavenly people of God on earth. Mission of Spiritual Formation in the Church The mission of spiritual formation in the church is to call all people through the church to put off the sinful nature and its works and to put on the new character of Christ in loving obedience to the revealed will of God by attentively yielding to the Holy Spirit. This statement is long, but it can be broken down into intentional parts. To call all people through the church means that the church is God s tool, His body (1 Cor. 12), to call not only believers but all people to be spiritually formed in the image of Christ for God doesn t wish that any would perish, but that all should reach repentance (2 Pet. 3:9; cf. also Ezek. 18:23, 32; 33:11). To put off the sinful nature and its works refers to the importance of death to one s self-destructive pride, and death to the terrible authority of the flesh, the world, and the devil (cf. Rom. 6:1-3, Eph. 4:22, Col. 3:9, 1 John 2:15). And to put on the new character of Christ means that in place of our self-governance which leads to sin, we have as our aim to become like Jesus Christ, to act as He acts, to take His motivations as our own, and to increasingly reflect His nature and glory (cf. Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18, 4:11; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 4:23-24; Col. 3:10; Phil. 3:10, 21; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 3:2). In loving obedience to the revealed will of God teaches us of God s commanded will that we should love Him first and also love our neighbors (Matt ; Mark 12:30; Rom. 13:8?). Those who imitate Christ should also obey the will of God as Christ obeyed the will of His Father (Psalm 40:6-8; Luke 12:47-48; John 4:34, 6:38; Heb. 10:7-9; James 4:17). Believers
3 should have as their aim to know the will of God (Matt. 7:21, Mark 3:35, John 15:14, Rom. 12:2, 1 Pet. 4:2, 1 John 2:17). By attentively yielding to the Holy Spirit points out that the sanctifying work in the believer s life happens not by our own efforts, but by yielding to the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:1-6). We allow the Holy Spirit to work in us as we pay attention to the opportunities He intends to use for our formation throughout our daily lives. For an excellent Biblical treatment of this subject, cf. He That Is Spiritual by Lewis Sperry Chafer. Core Values Five core values emphasize spiritual formation in the church. First is attentiveness to the will of God, the ability to recognize His invitations to live more like Him throughout the mundane activity of life. Second is receptivity to the work of God, the openness to be molded and sometimes broken by God in order to become more like Christ. Third is remembrance of God and His works, consciously dwelling on His character and His deeds and their implications for our perspective on life. Conformity to the image of Christ comes fourth, the responsiveness to the will of God that includes putting off the old man and putting on the new. Last is integration of a personal relationship with God in all areas of the active spiritual life of most church members, in contrast to the contemplative life of monastics. Integration also affects how we share our relationships with God with others. Vision Part of the reason many churches lack a healthy spirituality among its members is because they lack any concept or vision of what it would look like. Imagine a church that remembers the Triune God and His works in worship services that embrace all of life, being the celebratory culmination of a week of life lived in His presence; where the truths remembered through the Word, music, prayer, and sacraments on Sunday morning actually connect with the rest of believers lives and spur them on in an active Christian lifestyle; where God s works aren t only proclaimed by those new to the faith in their testimonies, but by saints whose
addictions to critical spirits or ambition are finally laid down at the cross by the power of the 4 Holy Spirit; where cross-centered living grows from the starting point of faith to become the pathway for life as well; where we not only baptize believers but remember our own baptisms and what they mean for our current walk; and where transformational teaching leads to a deep awareness of our being part of God s community, the family of God. Imagine a church that pays attention to the will of God, where unbelievers obey God s will for their salvation and the lost are regularly found, making professions of faith; where believers know God s will for their lives because they have deep awareness of Scripture in their everyday lives and frequently pray, meditate on Scripture, and take moments to be silent before God; where members can point back to opportunities they took to serve others that turned into experiences that formed them; and where members constantly commune with God in active lifestyles because they know a wealth of simple disciplines that help them draw near to God; where praying to God becomes second nature before making decisions with church leaders; where members bring the decisions they make outside the church to obedience to God s will, whether in their homes, their businesses, the government or their communities; and where the future is always entrusted to the will of God, Lord willing, or D.V. (deo volente). Imagine a church that receives the transforming work of the Spirit, where believers cling to grace and flee from both legalism and license; where a spirit of optimistic brokenness testifies against a culture of both pride in one s abilities and despair after great falls from it; where families let go of the angry, bitter, or proud people they once knew to allow them to be transformed into Christ s image; where those who burnt themselves out in the name of righteousness and good deeds submit their efforts to the Spirit s leading and cease from lifekilling, self-yoking obligations; and where a spirit of spiritual openness and of continual repentance traverses from the realm of obligation to the realm of freeing obedience through confession, worship, sacraments, and prayer. These are based on the first three goals of a conscious effort to introduce spiritual formation into the church. Due to constraints of space, this paper will proceed to goals.
Goals and Objectives 5 Churches should consider seven goals to support the core values above. Goal 1 (G1) To call people to remember the Triune God and His works. This goal connects with the core value, remembrance of God and His works. These eight objectives suggest ways to reach this goal through the church. (1) The church will craft thoughtful and powerful worship services that employ the Word, music, prayer, and the sacraments. Annual or biannual surveys of the congregation can determine if the congregation believes the services reflect such thoughtfulness and power; if the Word, music, prayer, and sacraments contribute meaningfully to this goal; and if the services would be better with or without certain elements in pursuit of this goal. (2) The church will offer Christianity Intro sessions on the first Sundays of the month for people who are exploring Christianity, followed with times for question and answer. These monthly sessions will review the Apostles Creed, the story of the Bible and a Gospel presentation, the Lord s prayer, and these seven goals of the church. Evaluative measurements include attendance at these meetings and their impact on people who are exploring Christianity: for example, their desire for deeper involvement, and their depth of questions raised. (3) The church will host special services on Christmas, Good Friday, and Thanksgiving that raise and revive members attention and memory of God s person and His work in our lives. The impact of these services on attendees must be measured, since attendance can become perfunctory and the familiarity of the message can dull its importance. (4) The church will instruct people in the Bible and in theology through Sunday Schools. Subject matter covered in the several classes can be compiled over a year to see what subjects are strongly emphasized, emphasized, addressed, neglected, and very neglected. Subject matter can be evaluated theologically in reference to major subjects of theology (Trinitarianism, Salvation, Anthropology, etc) and biblically in reference to the books of the Bible and their themes (Pentateuch, Poetry and Wisdom, Gospels, Prophecy, etc). (5) The church will institute special ceremonies or rites to remember our baptisms. Stressing a baptismal spirituality (cf.
6 goals 4 and 5), the congregation will frequently be urged to remember their baptisms just as they frequently partake of the Lord s Supper. Evaluating this objective means enumerating how many times the leadership of the church reminds the congregation of their baptisms and their significance, and determining whether or not a special memorial ceremony or rite exists for this remembrance. (6) The church will share testimonies of God s current activity in each others lives. Rather than offer testimonies only of one s salvation, church members will also share testimonies of their sanctification under the Holy Spirit, revealing His current work in those who are still becoming more like Christ. (7) The church will teach its members how to let the cross grow larger in their lives. The pastor can explain this in a sermon around Easter or whenever else he may address the gospel; letting the cross grow larger means understanding further the holiness of God, the depravity of man, and the sufficiency of Jesus Christ to fill in what ought to be an ever-widening gap. Surveying the congregation might include questions regarding their perspective on God s majesty and other-ness, on their own sinfulness, and whether Christ is sufficient in their lives to make up the difference. This paper was originally intended to be four pages maximum, so I will more briefly offer the other goals and suggested objectives for each. G2 To call people to pay attention to the will of God. (1) Exhort unbelievers to obey God s will for their salvation (profession of faith). (2) Teach believers to listen to God s will in His Word (Bible study). (3) Train believers to listen to God s will outside His Word (prayer, meditation, silence). (4) Train believers to look for opportunities to act like Christ in the active life. (5) Point out and offer opportunities to act like Christ through service. (6) Make personal spiritual disciplines both easy and likely through bite-sized challenges or opportunities (including and beyond those mentioned above).
G3 To call people to receive the transforming work of the Spirit. 7 (1) Call people s attention to legalism, license, and most importantly, grace. (2) Teach optimistic brokenness in a culture of self-esteem and pride in one s abilities. (3) Challenge believers to accept the Spirit s work in breaking us down and rebuilding our character (cf. in Renovation of the Church, the father whose family struggled to interact with him without his anger). (4) Explain more clearly and emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit in believers lives. (5) Cultivate spiritual openness and continual repentance through confession, worship, sacraments, and prayer (cf. Wilhoit). G4 To call people to cast off the lordship of the flesh, the world, and the devil. (1) Offer biannual retreats on baptismal spirituality, where putting off the old man will be vividly addressed. (Actions to take include sunset meetings, Prodigal Talks, opportunities to write down sins and nail them to a cross) (2) Bring up the importance of dying self and being crucified with Christ regularly in church services. (3) Call attention to the importance and beneficial nature of denying the flesh: fasting, self-denial, meekness, moderated ambition. (4) Call attention to the insidious influence of the world through American cultural sins: isolationism, individualism, consumerism, relativism. (5) Call attention to the devil s lies: persecution, self-hatred or depression, ambition (cf. The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis). (6) Redefine what success is in the church, including a balance between the number of attendees with depth of their spirituality, the amount of giving with the spirit of giving, and the respect from others with the appropriate offense and persecution from the world.
G5 To call people to put on submission and obedience to God s will. 8 (1) Offer biannual retreats on baptismal spirituality where putting on the new man will be vividly addressed. (Actions to take include sunrise meetings, new clothing, or other creative methods to demonstrate giving something up to receive something of value) (2) Present what discipleship to Jesus looks like according to the Word of God (cf. Robert Webber s description in Ancient-Future Evangelism, the chapter on discipleship). (3) Practice mutual submission to one another. (4) Practice discernment, honoring relational commitment, setting aside prejudices, and ministries of compassion (Wilhoit). G6 To call people to pursue these goals in every area of life. (1) Devote prime time in church services and activities to strengthen spiritual formation in the primary context of the home at least once every 120 days. (2) Make concise, well-packaged resources readily available at all times to aid spiritual formation in the home. (3) Devote time in a new members process to understanding the constant presence of Christ-forming experiences inside and outside the church. (4) Seek out and regularly share testimonies to how God is working in people s ordinary lives: the business world, the home and extended family, the community, etc. (5) Review materials regularly to aid formation for believers in different and difficult stages not only new Christians, but those struggling with addictions and temptations, with crises and grief, with doubting, with a dark night of the soul, with weariness from the ordinary grind of life, and those who need restorative discipline (Wilhoit). G7 To call people to extend their personal relationships with God to others. (1) Encourage members to form others spiritually and to be formed spiritually through service.
(2) Encourage testimonies to one another through video testimonies (salvation and 9 sanctification) in Sunday morning worship services. (3) Encourage hospitality to one another that starts in the home and also extends to the church. (4) Offer hospitality to unsaved visitors in Christianity Intro meetings. (5) Teach others to handle conflict well through Peacemaker training. (6) Offer evangelism and apologetics courses or refer members to them in other locations in order to reach the culture immediately around us. (7) Engage with cultural changes to effectively present the gospel to the unsaved and the unreached around us. (8) Stimulate evangelistic outreach to neighbors in both organized and unorganized activities. (9) Offer opportunities for monthly acts of compassionate service and yearly planned evangelistic outreaches in the community and around the world. Programs and Curricula This summary recommends five programs, curricula, and initiatives. First, the church can recommend two initiatives: (1) Seven Goals for Seven Days, and (2) Zone 5 Believers. The first of these urges believers to remember the seven goals above, one for each day of the week. The initiative would build through a seven-week sermon series, and the church could regularly send out emails to those who desire them with matching formative devotionals for each day of the week. The second initiative spurs believers to turn from living religiously on Sundays only at church to living fully and godly in all five zones of life, starting with the church (zone 1), growing into the family (zone 2 essential!), the community and the workplace (zones 3 and 4), and lastly into government (zone 5). A program / curriculum for becoming members of the church is called The Journey. It s a biannual new-member experience for men and women to embrace Christ-likeness in their
own lives, in the company of the church. Part 1 are Hearer Meetings, for those who are 10 exploring Christ. This links closely with G1, the first goal above. This is the most superficial level of church participation and commitment, in a way like a pre-engagement romance between a believer and the Lord through the church. Seeker Sessions (Part 2) are for those who are growing in Christ. They are for those who make an intentional commitment to church participation and accountability for growth. Membership is conceived here; this is more like the engagement period with Christ and His church. Such participants are immersed into the life of the church through its worship, preaching, and also mentoring in classes (and, if possible or pursued, one-on-one discipling relationships; cf. Webber, Ancient-Future Evangelism). Goals 1-3 are introduced and pursued in these sessions. The Kneeler Retreat on baptismal spirituality follows Part 2; it s a weeklong (or perhaps weekend) retreat on baptismal spirituality, putting off the old man with the flesh, the world, and the devil, and putting on the new man of Christ by the Holy Spirit. The Kneeler Retreat happens right before Easter or Christmas; one could possibly offer a mid-summer option as well. Goals 1 through 6 come into view here. Part 4 is where Journey members conclude with the Faithful. Journey members conclude this process with a study on active spirituality: bringing their journey with God into every aspect of their lives. As they mature in the faith, they go from growing in Christ, to closeness with Christ, to a fully Christ-centered life. The Journey sets up new believers for a practical understanding of the faith in which they can continue to grow throughout their years of participation in the church. All seven goals should be introduced and sought after at the end of The Journey. The last programs / curricula to use are Home Pointe and FaithPath from Lake Pointe. These programs focus on bringing spiritual formation into the home, nurturing Christlikeness through the primary avenues God intended: marriage and children. The church provides these resources for families and makes sure to encourage their usage regularly among its members.
Conclusion 11 Spiritual formation should be not just on the radar for churches, but it should be a central focus pervading all of the church ministries. Core values of attentiveness, receptivity, remembrance, conformity, and integration draw out critical yet often ignored perspectives on how believers ought to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to become more like Christ. Seven goals draw out ways in which believers pursue these core values, all pointing to a biblical mission: to call all people through the church to put off the sinful nature and its works and to put on the new character of Christ in loving obedience to the revealed will of God by attentively yielding to the Holy Spirit.
BIBLIOGRAPHY Bruner, Kurt. It Starts at Home. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2010. Bruner, Kurt. Phone Interview. 11 April 2012. Calhoun, Adele. Phone Interview. 10 April 2012. Carlson, Kent and Mike Lueken. Renovation of the Church. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2011. 165 pages. Hawkins, Greg L. and Cally Parkinson. Move: What 1,000 Churches Reveal about Spiritual Growth. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. 286 pp. Ortberg, John. The Me I Want to Be. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010. 264 pp. Swindoll, Debbie. Personal Interview. 6 March 2012. Webber, Robert E. Ancient-Future Evangelism. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2003. 219 pages. Wilhoit, James C. Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through Community. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008. 210 pages. 12