Thinking about Spiritual Formation
Note: I have shared these thoughts with various groups within our congregation over the past month. Hopefully, by having something in writing it will make more sense and clear up some questions you might have.
Introduction: How does a believer mature in their faith? Are there identifiable practices that help us grow into Christlikeness? The answer is, Yes! There are a variety of spiritual practices or disciplines that God uses to shape or form us into His image; however, I want to focus on three that have specific application to us a church.
One of the recurring topics of our staff meetings is “How can we help our members grow in Christ, to become spiritually formed into the image of Christ?” Right alongside that question is, “How can we as a church be the most effective in reaching our community with the Gospel?” Among the many things that aid in our spiritual formation, three rise to the top in their importance: Worship, Discipleship, and Service. Think of each of these aspects as legs on a tripod. You need all three to be balanced, stable, firm in your faith.
Worship feeds the soul and through worship we have an opportunity to encourage one another. Our God-centered worship is also a powerful witness to unbelievers who join us on Sundays. Hebrews 10:25 reminds us that by worshiping together we are building one another up. As a believer, your presence and participation in worship is vital to your spiritual health, the health of other believers, and can even determine the kind of impact we make in our community for the Gospel! Because of its importance, corporate worship should not be neglected. The CEV translation reminds us of the importance of worship by stating plainly, “Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer.” Getting out of the discipline of regular worship is not a new problem or temptation. We could easily say that in times like we are living, we certainly need each other more and more, not less and less.
Discipleship may seem like a mysterious word but becoming a disciple is the heart of what it means to be a Christian. The controlling verb of the Great Commission is to “make disciples.” By using the term, “discipleship” I am thinking of connecting with other believers in small groups where you can learn what it means to be Christian. It is in the context of small groups of believers where we can talk about and learn Scripture together, fellowship together, build community together, pray together, and serve together. The apostle Paul laid down the principle of passing along the Gospel to people who in turn can pass it along to others. This happens as we grow as disciples. As we grow in Christ with other believers, we begin to see that we are here on purpose for a purpose – to grow in Christ, and to love and serve one another.
Service is simply living out the Christian life of following Jesus. When we follow Jesus, he will show us all kinds of opportunities to serve, whether it is right in front of us at home, work, play or in the church. The church is a spiritual organism and in the Bible is compared to the human body. In fact, that is how Paul describes the church, as “the body of Christ.” Just as every part of your human body is essential to your overall health, so every member in the body of Christ is essential if the church body is to be healthy. Without all believers serving, the church limps along and cannot make much progress. All believers have been gifted to serve, to help the church fulfill its mission. Find out what God wants you to do and begin to serve, he will direct you. Will you make mistakes? Most certainly. Will it be a learning process? Most definitely. Will it make an eternal difference in your life and the lives of others? Yes!
If we lack in any of these three areas, worship, discipleship, or service, we will become unstable and unhealthy, hindering our spiritual formation. The person that only attends worship but does not connect with other believers in meaningful relationships or serve the body will remain stunted in their growth. Likewise, the person that only connects with others in a small group but does not worship or serve will be malnourished and imbalanced in their spiritual life. For some, the temptation might be to allow service to be the main thing while neglecting worship and discipleship. This is equally disastrous to your spiritual health. Like a well-balanced diet, we need all three of these practices for good spiritual health.
To address the need of spiritual formation among members and the overall health of the church in the areas of worship, discipleship, and service, we are proposing the idea of beginning what we are calling “Growth Groups.”
What are Growth Groups?
Growth Groups are sermon-based small groups that meet weekly in homes throughout our community and/or on campus. These groups practice the following:
· Fellowship/ Community
· Sermon discussion and application
· Prayer
· Local ministry projects
Growth Groups differ from Sunday morning Bible studies in some important ways.
About Growth Groups
· Are located in member homes around our geographical area and/or on campus. Persons attend a group that meets near where they live.
· Are mixed ages and genders, families with children to senior adults may be in the same group.
· Ideally are no larger than 15 persons.
· Are discussion-based on the week’s previous Sunday sermon. This naturally connects the growth groups with what happens on Sundays and encourages participation in weekly worship.
· Are led by persons facilitating (not teaching) the sermon discussion. Discussion starters and questions are provided each week from the ministerial staff.
· Meet weekly but take time off during Summer and Christmas holidays.
· Meet most any day of the week including Sunday afternoon and evening.
What Does This Mean for Current Adult Small Groups?
All current adult groups would have the following options:
· Remain with your current weekly schedule and curriculum (Bible materials).
· Transition your group to one or both of the following:
o Move your group to a different time other than Sunday morning to encourage and allow persons in your group to worship and serve on Sunday mornings.
o Move to the format of a Growth Group following the “sermon discussion” model. An upcoming “Growth Groups” training will be provided which will elaborate on how to do this.
Some persons in groups that remain with their current time and format may choose to join with a Growth Group in their area. Regardless of when small groups meet, the biblical materials used, or the class method employed, we want to value every expression of small groups that is promoting healthy spiritual formation through worship, discipleship and serving in the church.
Host Homes and Facilitators
· We are gathering a list of persons interested in hosting or facilitating a growth group or both. The goal is to have a pilot program up and running by August 1st, the start of a new church quarter. Group leaders/facilitators and home hosts along with current small group leaders interested in making a transition (or who just would like more information) will attend a Growth Groups Training event prior to beginning a Growth Group. The Growth Groups Training date is scheduled for Saturday, July 10th from 9:00-11:00 a.m. in Carpenter Hall. A continental breakfast will be provided.
Blessings to you as you follow our Lord Jesus! I look forward to how God is going to use us for his glory and to further his kingdom! “Heavenly Father, may your will be done in us and on earth just as it is in heaven. Amen.”
Pastor Joe
“I thank my God every time I remember you.” Philippians 1:3
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