Introduction
Spiritual formation is:
The process that takes place in us, as the life of the Spirit of God transforms our life, through deepening love and intimacy with Father, Son and Holy Spirit, remaking us in the likeness of Jesus Christ, in His love for the Father and the world.
R. Thomas Ashbrook, Mansions of the Heart (2009)
When Jesus called his first disciples, he told them to “Come, follow me…”
They weren’t called to follow him around as spectators, but rather to learn from him and be apprenticed to him. He was recognised as a teacher (‘Rabbi’, John 1:37) and therefore they would learn from him and would be sent out as his representatives (Matt. 4:19, Mk. 1:17, Lk. 5:10b).
At his ascension to heaven, Jesus commanded those first disciples to continue that same process of discipling others – making more ‘apprentices’ of Jesus. (Matt. 28:18-20)
It is vital to recognise at the outset that becoming like Christ is not the result of an outward behavioural change only. Performing various actions does not make us holy, but holiness comes as the product of God first opening up access to Himself through the saving work of the cross, then transforming our inner life by giving us a new heart and a new spirit. But we have an active part to play. As Dallas Willard wrote, “Grace is opposed to earning, but not to effort.”
Richard Foster wrote, “God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving his grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us.”
Spiritual Disciplines – God’s “gymnasium”
The categories below are from Foster’s book “Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth”. They are not exhaustive or exclusive, but form a useful way to look at the dimensions and variety of healthy spiritual practices.
Inward
Meditation
Prayer
Fasting
Study
Outward
Simplicity
Solitude
Submission
Service
Corporate
Confession
Worship
Guidance
Celebration
These spiritual practices are evident in Jesus’ own life in the following scriptures:
Matt. 4:1-10; Matt. 8:20; Matt. 14:23; Mark 1:35; Mark 6:31; Luke 6:12; Luke 9:62; Luke 10:20-21; Luke 15:21; John 5:19; John 12:24; Phil. 2:6-8.
We know that Christ lived a holy and sinless life. Yet his spiritual practices were not the source of his holiness, but rather were the natural result of his intimacy with the Father.
Click the links to access individual study notes:
Some disciplines have been joined together into one session based on the inherent connections between them. Others have been treated individually to allow for deeper discussion and study.
- Introduction
- Fasting and Prayer (plus prayer as individual study)
- Meditation and Study
- Simplicity, Solitude and Silence
- Submission and Service
- Worship and Celebration
- Confession
- Guidance