CLED 715 Ecologies of Christian Formation
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My Emerging Model of Spiritual Formation
Part 1
One of the main issues with today’s digital environment is that it has become impersonal and difficult to achieve spiritual growth amongst believers. Spiritual formation is very important for all Christians as it is a measure of growth within the church of the Lord. To help disciple others and guide them through spiritual formation is a process that needs to be enhanced by the leader’s own spiritual walk. According to Lowe (2018), “an ecological perspective on how we grow as Christians enlarges our orientation to spiritual formation and engenders relationships and connections beyond our traditional privatized perceptions of how Christians grow” (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 4).Spiritual formation is of the utmost relevance in our relationship with Jesus Christ, it is a fundamental aspect of growing and maturing spiritually (Pettit, 2008). It is for this reason that Christians need to achieve an understanding in the practical aspects of spiritual formation as prescribed in the Bible.
For the proposed emerging model of spiritual formation, this author has chosen to explore more in depth the virtual interconnections so prevalent in today’s contemporary Christian education. God created an interconnected world and everything within it shares these interconnections including our interactions with each other. Nothing in this world ever happens in isolation (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 12). We have to constantly be reminded that without interacting with others we would not be able to shape and form our understanding of the world that surrounds us, much less achieve the desired goal of spiritual formation.
Current Issues and Concepts in Spiritual FormationHaving previewed one of the aspects of the ecologies of spiritual formation, we must now turn our attention to the primacy of the Scriptures for spiritual formation. One of the preconditions mentioned by Pettit for spiritual formation is a high view of Scripture (Pettit, 2008). Without a high view of spiritual formation is nearly impossible to understand what spiritual formation is or how it is to be practiced. The Bible is best understood by those who commit themselves to this high view of Scripture and seek to know what God planned for our spiritual formation. Throughout the Bible God has revealed himself and his purpose in Christ for our redemption and salvation (Pettit, 2008).
Ecological Connections
According to Pettit, every generation faces different cultural and philosophical issues. Our generation faces postmodernism and its thought pattern which may affect the way believers think about the Scriptures. However, we may be able to develop a more effective way to engage it in our process of spiritual formation (Pettit, 2008, p. 34). Our digital age has produced a globalized citizen the likes of which has never been seen before. The ecological connections as highlighted by Lowe need to take the World Wide Web into account. However, another aspect to take into consideration in spiritual formation is centered on growth and development through worship in community.
Pettit (2008) summarizes the role humanity plays in these ecological connections, “humanity in the image of God as male and female is the highest of the created order and was intended to function in vibrant physical relationship with our triune God and in authentic community with one another” (Pettit, 2008, p. 41). That is the key to the ecological connections, “with one another,” that is the intention of God for spiritual formation, to have a relationship not only with Him but with “one another,” in community with those whom we lead to Christ.
For most people the sense of community may signify to have a physical presence in order to interact with one another. But for those who are part of the digital age, distance may be an impediment to achieve a community required to properly engage in spiritual formation.
According to the author citing Van Dyke, “God has created a world where every living thing grows, develops, and is sustained through ecological connections and interactions between all of these living organisms and their environment” (Lowe & Lowe, 2018). By looking at social connections as a type of ecology, we can then understand that God predestined us to build connections and live connected with others in His creation. We have a connection with everything that inhabits this planet and these connections allow us to be connected in a direct manner to God, the creator of all things. Of the six developmental dimensions mentioned by Lowe and found in a personal ecology, the spiritual dimension is the most important as it helps Christians to “grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head” (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 18). Spiritual formation becomes then the primary aspect of our ecological connection to God and one of the pillars of healthy Christian worship.
Part 2
Biblical Theology
To properly develop a model of spiritual formation one has to provide biblical support in order to correctly disciple others. As mentioned previously, Lowe has written about the interconnectedness found through the universe and all of creation. God has made sure that all of His creation is connected to each part of it and also to Himself. Nothing grows or develops in isolation, and we are not capable to grow and develop spiritually without a connection to Him. Ever since the creation of earth, God thought about creating a unique individual in His own image. Just as He finished creating man, He decided that it was not good for man to be by himself, so He created a companion for man (Gen 2:18). God created a woman to be connected to Adam and to the whole of creation. This type of connections are the interconnections that have been previously mentioned in the essay, ecological connections.
Garden Ecology
God placed man over a pristine and good environment where he was to rule over creation on behalf of God, cultivating it and developing these interconnections with all of the created order. This was the perfect environment for the pinnacle of His creation, humankind. The Garden of Eden as it is written in the Scriptures refers to a place which requires constant irrigation in order for the vegetation to grow and develop. This is a lush environment, it’s a good and fertile ground. It is an excellent environment for the development and growth of humankind along with the rest of creation. One of the interesting facts is that the Semitic root Eden, means “fertility” (Lowe & Lowe, 19).
Since God is the source of all growth and development, it was necessary for humankind to connect through God to reach all of creation. Eden proves to be a fertile ground in which man could tend to the Lord’s creation and be a steward for God while connected to Him.
Connections to Christ
In Paul’s letters for example, he uses the Greek preposition syn, to mean “together with” or “connected to” Christ. Paul refers to this connection as part of the ecological connections designed by God and fulfilled in Christ. Paul uses syn Christo to refer to the relationship between Christians and Christ as the strongest connection that exists (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 141). The epistles highlight the thought of Paul regarding this connection, for example, “I have been crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). Other epistle states that, “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism and into death” (Romans 6:4). These are some of the Scripture verses that exemplify our connection to Jesus Christ. It is such a strong connection that we are part of the death and resurrection of Christ.
These strong connections play a vital role in the ecological connections with the Lord and our brethren through the death and resurrection of Christ.
Connections to Other Christians
As previously mentioned, there are concerns with how effective these interconnections with others play a role in Christian education. The online environment is no exception to these concerns, the way we are connected to others through these virtual connections when teaching students. A marvelous fact about these spiritual connections is that they are not bound by space or time and can occur virtually from anywhere in the world, thus enabling us to remain connected to others in Christ (Lowe & Lowe, 2018).
The vocabulary used by Paul reflected the way he thought about the way believers are connected to Christ. We are the branches that connect to the vine. In all of the ways Paul used the syn preposition in his writings, he was teaching us about our union to the Lord. We were crucified with Him, we experienced His death, and we are also resurrected with Him. All of these experiences are made possible by turning to Him, having faith in the resurrected Jesus, and continuing to be connected to Him through eternity.
Paul also uses a compound, syn + koinonia to express gratitude to the Philippians for their “participation in the Gospel” (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 155). Paul means that we are “partners/fellow participants” with him and Christ in the dissemination of the Gospel. As he wrote to the Philippians to correct the internal dissension found within that church, he also attempted to show us that if we are to be connected to Christ, there cannot be any dissension amongst the body. All believers need to be in a synchronous union to worship the Lord and become one with Him. There is a mutual spiritual connection between Paul and the Philippians in the epistle, just as it is with us today.
According to Lowe, when “we collaborate with (synkoinonos) others in any ministry effort (i.e., teaching, preaching, witnessing, leading, serving, or worshipping) as connected members of the body of Christ, there is mutual spiritual benefit conveyed between the partners” (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 156). Paul proves to us that there is a spiritual benefit to all who are participants in the ecological connection to the body of Christ.
According to Lowe, the way to connect with other members of the body of Christ in a spiritual manner is through prayer. For Paul, prayer was an act of worship in connection with one another in Christ. For Paul, actions like prayer are based on church collaborations in a mutual relationship with other members of the body of Christ. These relationships are part of the networked ecology of God which allows us to reap the spiritual benefits sought through an effective spiritual formation program. As we are with “one another” (allelon) we appreciate the interactions with other believers who share with us a connection with Christ (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 170).
Reciprocal Interactions
The nature of an ecosystem in Biology is based on the interactions between the different species that inhabit the ecosystem and the environment that supports them. All species living within an ecosystem share a connection with each other. Humans are no different, we interact with each other and the physical world that surrounds us is part of God’s ecological connections. These interactions allow for viable growth and development of all the parties involved in a reciprocal manner which benefits those involved (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 174). According to Bronfenbrenner these reciprocal interactions lead to “reciprocal development” (Lowe, 2018). These reciprocal interactions need to happen in community, they cannot happen in isolation as mentioned earlier in the essay.
This is the work of the Holy Spirit, to produce a unified community of believers who care for one another and serve one another in a mutual way (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 176).
We are also able to see these reciprocal interactions in the Old Testament through the use of the Hebrew covenant word hesed. The word refers to a “mutual” or “reciprocal conduct” when for example, believers are involved in a fellowship or friendship relationship that leads to growth and development of their spirit. The emerging model of spiritual formation proposed in this essay relies heavily on reciprocal interactions with other members of the body of Christ. Even if we are at a distance, we have seen that there are no space or time boundaries to what can be accomplished through the digital environment as long as we utilize the ecological connections as prescribed by God to grow and develop spiritually.
Spiritual ContagionAn issue that we also have to consider as we encounter the digital ecologies in which the world is a participant is the viral or contagious nature of the social networks. Through the World Wide Web many news items spread like wildfire in a matter of minutes. One can be on the other side of the world and quickly know any news (good or bad) from home. The way to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a viral manner is referred to as contagion by Blomberg (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 189). Holiness and the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are contagious, we were called by Jesus to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth and today with the online revolution it is easier than ever before if done in the right context of spiritual formation.
Part 3
Ingredients Necessary for Spiritual Growth
In order to facilitate spiritual growth amongst Christians, there needs to be several ingredients added to the process of spiritual formation. One of the first ingredients that is required to achieve the goal of spiritual growth is the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ. We have been created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ. He was clear in His mandate to the disciples to take the good news to all nations. Today, many Christian traditions focus on the individual’s spiritual growth and development. This is a neglectful action that goes against the ecological connections that God prepared for us before He created us and placed us within the creation. However, there needs to be a balance between individual growth and the growth of the community of the faithful.
In Christ
The New Testament contains Paul’s theology of the spiritual maturation process. A theology that allows Christians to find the necessary ingredients to complete their journey towards being a perfected reflection of the image of God and achieve spiritual growth in community. The basis for Paul’s theology is our connection to Christ. In his writings Paul used the Greek prefix syn to signify our intimate connection to Christ. Since we are a community of believers, we are all connected to Christ (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 138). This connection to Christ is necessary due to the sinful nature of humankind. We became disconnected from God once sin entered the Garden of Eden. The ecological connections that were supposed to happen between man, nature, and God were interrupted. Only by proclaiming the Gospel and having faith in Jesus Christ we were able to regain the connection to God in a community of believers.
The ecological interconnections or ecological relationships that are responsible for our spiritual growth and formation have to be reciprocal in nature and are expected as part of the spiritual formation process. Since an individual cannot achieve spiritual growth in isolation, the relationships built as part of the spiritual formation process need a component of reciprocity between the members of the community for the goal of spiritual formation to occur (Lowe and Lowe, 2018, p. 174). The spiritual benefits of these mutual and reciprocal connections are reflected in Paul’s use of the Greek word synkoinonos (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 155). Our connections to other Christians are the result of our connection to Christ as the head of the body. Christians are the branches extending from the vine and enjoy a reciprocal relationship with each other and with Jesus Christ. Any work done in partnership with other members of the body is a direct result of our faith in Christ and the reflection of the image of God in each person.
Regeneration
The second ingredient needed in the process of spiritual formation is regeneration. Paul in Galatians 4: 19 states that the labor done as part of spiritual formation will not be complete until we are formed in Christ’s image (NKJV). When we hear the Gospel proclaimed to us, we believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we begin the process of regenerating our minds. Paul is an advocate for spiritual growth and regeneration, this is the only way that we begin to transform ourselves into the creatures that God intended us to be. The process of spiritual formation is parallel to the process of growth and development found in nature (Reaching the Goal – Process Terms in Spiritual Formation, video, 10:00). The Greek word auxano is used both in the natural realm and the spiritual realm to talk about growth. In the New Testament, auxano reflects the spiritual growth of those who will dwell in the kingdom of God. Christians as the body of Christ will inherit the kingdom of God as they grow and develop spiritually. Their faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ allows them to be participants in the process of spiritual formation.
Transformation
The third ingredient necessary to facilitate spiritual formation is transformation. The work of the Holy Spirit in us produces spiritual growth. However, spiritual growth needs to be achieved in community, not in isolation. We have been talking about the reciprocal relationships necessary to receive mutual benefits as part of the process of spiritual formation. As God sanctifies us, we become an integral part of the body of Christ. Now as believers, we are able to proclaim the Gospel, disciple others, and help them in the transformation towards holiness. The end result of transformation is spiritual growth.
ConformationThe last ingredient necessary for us to facilitate the process of spiritual formation of Christians is conformation. The process of spiritual formation requires that we pay close attention to what is on our hearts as well as what comes out of our mouths (Pettit, 2008, p. 127). Being conformed in the image of God requires that Christians carefully watch their thoughts and avoid poisoning the soul with hatred. We are to examine our heart and purify it, so it is conformed to the heart of Christ. Pettit explains to us that knowing God requires that we know ourselves first because “if we do not know who we are, how are we to know who God is?” (Pettit, 2008, p. 128). Forming our heart is part of the emotional health that humans need in order to live in community. It is necessary for individuals to achieve a healthy state of emotions as this is an essential feature of being human (Pettit, 2008, p. 131).
To be conformed in the image of Christ we also need to mirror God’s character as part of spiritual formation. This is one of the steps that requires a heavy investment on our part. The difficulties and suffering one experiences on a daily basis help form the Christian character in the believer (Pettit, 2008, p. 145). Building one’s character ensures that the Christian community reflects the values acquired through their own life experiences. As we are conformed to the image of God we become a perfected reflection of He who created us, as Irenaeus stated, “Christ became what we are so we might become what He is” (Reaching the Goal – Process Terms in Spiritual Formation, video, 21:01). Only then our process of spiritual formation will grow, abound, renew, and transform the lives of Christians.
Part 4
The Calling of the Saints
During the previous discussion of the necessary ingredients for spiritual formation, we explored four items that are absolutely necessary to promote and sustain the process of spiritual formation. Among the items discussed we mentioned; our relationship to Christ, the regeneration produced by the work of Christ on the cross, the transformation produced by the work of the Holy Spirit in us, and lastly our conformation to the image of Christ. However, Christians need to know the reasons why these ingredients just mentioned are necessary for spiritual formation.
The believer has to discover the purpose that God has for his or her life. In other words, one needs to examine the concept of “calling” or “vocation” (Pettit, 2008, p. 198). Pettit explains that modern society lives in a “callingless” world, for people there is no more vocation to do things, a job becomes the means to a paycheck and not a labor that people may enjoy (Pettit, 2008, p. 198).
CallingThe problem with this line of thought is that people are not focused on their primary calling. Our primary calling in life is to God; we are to live in a dynamic relationship with God since we are His creation. He placed us within the midst of the creation (Eden) to be part of the ecological connections that bring glory to Him. But as Pettit has discussed, we live in a postmodern world where people are not connected to each other as part of the ecologies created by God that connect us to the Father (Pettit, 2008, p. 198). One might ask then, how do we approach this calling to God and how do we show Him that we want to grow spiritually in connection to others?
The answer is simple, the way we live our life is how we follow our calling to that dynamic relationship with the Father. Our “living sacrifice,” the way we live our lives in pursuit of holiness to glorify God becomes our calling (Pettit, 2008, p. 201). God has given each of us unique gifts that allow us to serve others in community. Each of us is a unique individual that goes through different “seasons” of life. As we adapt and go through these “seasons” we grow and develop spiritually, always connected to Christ and to each other.
Our Story
To enhance these connections, we need to realize that each of us has a story to tell. These stories bind the community together and allow us to serve each other as part of the ecological connections created by God for humankind. According to Pettit, we need to discover who God intended us to be so we can be anchored in Him and embrace who we are. Since we are unique, each of us offers something distinct to the body of Christ. Our story is the story of God in our lives, how He created us and cared for us, allowing us to grow and develop within a community of believers for His glory (Pettit, 2008, p. 223). All believers who form part of the community of faith need to engage each other through these life stories. Knowing who we are in Christ allows us to expand the kingdom of heaven on earth. It becomes then our task to know our identity in Christ in order to contribute to the spiritual growth and development of our ecological community in order to honor God.
Preaching
According to Pettit, “spiritual formation can be described as any ministry extended to the believer in the power of the Holy Spirit so that a person can live, act, and think as Christ himself lives, acts, and thinks” (Pettit, 2008, p. 247). The Holy Spirit works to transform our lives so we can be connected to Christ and the body of the church. This transformation happens through the ministry of preaching. This has been the principal instrument used by God, through the Holy Spirit, to effectively transform the lives of those who are exposed to the His Word (Pettit, 2008, p. 247). The transforming truth found in the Scriptures allows us to know who we are in Christ, and provides us with an account of the redemptive work of Christ on our lives which is used by the Holy Spirit to work on transforming our lives in order to be more Christlike (Pettit, 2008).
Community
As we have previously mentioned, no one individual was created by God to live in isolation from others. Christ has redeemed us, we enjoy a relationship with Him, and we have been transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit so that we can be conformed to the image of Christ. Thus, spiritual formation involves all the members of the body of Christ maturing together towards a life in Christ, conformed to His likeness through the power of the Holy Spirit, in accordance to the standards set by the Word of God (Pettit, 2008, p. 269). Once we discover who we are in Christ, we need to understand our place in the community of the faithful in order for us to serve our brethren and Christ with integrity and passion. The ingredients necessary for spiritual formation to proceed in a Christlike manner will ensure that we grow and develop in community with the Trinity and our brethren.
While the necessary ingredients for spiritual formation have been discussed, there is one ingredient that many scholars believe is still missing in spiritual formation.That ingredient is God’s people, the church. While this author has emphasized that the formation of Christian ecologies necessitates work in community, the cultural aspects in the United States for example are more individualistic than group based. Individualism has influenced the way we interpret Scripture for the last one hundred fifty years and continues to do so to this day. One of the biblical texts that has been misinterpreted as a result of the individualistic influences is Ephesians 6:10-17. Here the exegetical interpretation is for each of us to put on the armor of God in an individual manner forgoing the corporate view. The Greek imperatives and pronouns in this particular text are all plural and not singular. For Kitchen, the church as a whole is the correct exegesis of that passage. The entire body of Christ (the church) and not just the individual are clad in the armor of God (Liberty University, 2018).
Even if individuals were not created to live in isolation, humankind became alienated from God and each other by the entry of sin into the world. The fall of man produced alienation from God creating a need for reconciliation with God who provided the means of that reconciliation through Jesus. The result from that reconciliation was the restoration of humankind to the Father. We have seen the effects of sociological alienation between Jews and Gentiles as described in Acts 10:28. Through the work of Christ, a reconciliation between these two groups was achieved in community for the mutual benefit of the participants. The end result was the mutual edification and transformation of the individual as well as the body of Christ, the church (Liberty University, 2018). Today we see how Western culture with its individualistic tendencies has continued to promote isolationism within the community of faith, however, if we practice what has been discussed in the essay, we can be assured that the body of Christ will return to the ecological connections intended by God for humankind.
Part 5
Spiritual Formation Process Outcomes
Throughout the essay we have been discussing the process of spiritual formation. The biblical support necessary for the process has been established as well as the ingredients necessary to promote spiritual growth both in the individual and the community of faith and the calling of the saints to live a dynamic relationship with God and each other. At this point, we need to turn our attention to the expected outcome of the process of spiritual formation, complete and mature Christians. The end goal of the spiritual formation process to develop whole persons who are mature Christians, has roots in the Old Testament. However, the fulfillment of this goal was achieved in the New Testament through Jesus (Liberty University, 2017). Our souls need to achieve full maturity in order for us to be conformed to the image of Christ.
In his epistles Paul provides much of the evidence for the outcome of the process of spiritual formation. The Old Testament was the background for Paul’s message and according to Samra, Paul’s apostolic mission was “to deliver mature believers on the day of Jesus Christ” (Samra, 2008, p. 36).For Paul this was the central aspect of his mission, life, and work. He would make sure that his work would bear fruit for the glory of Christ. Paul compared himself to the Jewish emissaries of the Old Testament, both had a mission to bring to God’s people the good news of God’s plan for reconciliation. Paul saw Moses as a model for his apostleship, both in the proclamation of the Gospel and the maturation of the believers through the teaching and discipleship of the believers in Christ (Samra, 2008).
Outcomes in PaulSeveral of Paul’s epistles contain his thoughts on the outcome of the spiritual formation process, complete maturity in Christ. 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13 speak about Paul’s prayer and hope that the work that Christ had begun in the believers would increase them to reach full spiritual maturity. 2 Corinthians 10:8-16 speaks about the authority Paul has received from the Lord to build up believers, while in Romans 1:8-15 Paul speaks about visiting the church in Rome to bring a spiritual gift, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The implication found in these passages is the building and strengthening of the believers in Christ through discipleship (Samra, 2008, p. 37-45).
The community of the faithful is now responsible for the ‘building up’ of the body of Christ. Paul was specific in his language when talking about the responsibility of the community for building up the body. Even in the physical absence of a pastor like Paul, the community of the faithful is still responsible for building up the believers to complete maturity. For Paul, a mature Christian looks like Christ. In other words, those who have achieved spiritual maturity bear the image of Jesus Christ and behave like Him. Having love for God and each other is one of the marks of the mature Christian.
MaturityAnother mark of maturity in Christians is the ‘wisdom’ to understand the extent of the Gospel and its correct application to all the situations that happen in our lives (Samra, 2008, p. 57). 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4 provides a basic but thorough definition of what is means to be mature, “A mature believer is a believer whose life conforms to his/her status as an heir of God’s kingdom” (Samra, 2008, p. 59). For Paul, Christ is the greatest example of maturity, one that mature believers in Christ must follow. Through the work of Christ, we are made co-heirs of the kingdom of God, we are provided with the example of Christ so we can have the standard of maturity to which we must conform. Our spiritual formation goal is to live by the spirit of God, we must never separate ourselves from God in order to reach our spiritual maturity goal. The process of spiritual formation requires us to walk the path towards righteousness and holiness on a daily basis guided by the Holy Spirit.
The end result of the spiritual formation process can be described in terms of the Greek word τελειος, which means ‘perfect’ or ‘mature’ (Samra, 2008, p. 62).As previously mentioned, for Paul, a believer who had the spirit of the Lord was a mature believer. He used the word πνευματικος to refer to those whose spiritual character conforms to their status as mature believers in Christ (Samra, 2008, p. 65). Spiritual maturity is then a mark of those believers who have undergone the process of spiritual formation as a whole. Both individually and corporately. To be perfect, mature, and complete requires that we become holy and wise. We must also find freedom in Christ in order to be bound to Him who paid the ultimate price to free us from sin. For Paul, strength denoted maturity, as we are now steadfast in the Word of God with the wisdom to understand it and apply it. By conforming our thoughts and actions to the life of Christ, we are now following Him, the standard of maturity.
For all Christians, “the central idea of the maturation process would be that of becoming like Christ” (Samra, 2008, p. 95). Indeed, our maturity must be reached in Christ. Otherwise we would not be complete as Paul hoped we would be in the day of the Lord. Christ is the prototype and the model to follow for the believer’s new life (Samra, 2008, p. 98). As we are born again, we now have the Spirit of God dwelling within us, and as we grow and develop spiritually in community through discipleship, we will undoubtedly mature. Thus, when we complete the process of spiritual formation and reach maturity, we will be truly conformed to the image of Christ.
To be conformed to the image of Christ means that our character must change and be aligned with the character of Christ (Samra, 2008, p. 108). All aspects of the individual are found within the community of the faithful. We must not forget the ecological connections between individuals that form the body of Christ and the mutual benefits of those relationships for the process of spiritual formation. In the video lecture presentation, Scobie suggests that in the Old Testament, the human being is seen as a whole person (Liberty University, 2017). For Christian developmentalists, the view of a whole person includes moral, social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical aspects, all interconnected ecologically (Liberty University, 2017). These ecological connections between the individual and the community exist for the sole purpose of achieving the end goal of the spiritual formation process, to reach the fullness of maturity in Christ and present everyone complete as the Lord returns. Christians who reach full spiritual maturity will do so in community, not by themselves as individuals. To achieve the end goal of spiritual formation means to reject the individualistic culture present in today’s society and embrace the culture of the kingdom of God.
Part 6
The Community’s Role in Spiritual Formation
One of the greatest challenges for the community of faith is to remain whole. The post-modern approach to individualism has greatly diminished the role of the Christian community in the process of spiritual formation. We are effectively disconnected from our brethren as well as our own hearts. In previous sections of this essay we have explored the concept of ecological connections and its role in the spiritual formation process. The importance of a group effort when it comes to discipleship and spiritual maturity cannot be overstated. Not one individual can effectively grow and develop spiritually in isolation. God created humans and designed an effective way for all creatures to remain interconnected to one another through Him. At this time, we need to turn our attention to the role that the Christian community plays in the process of spiritual formation. The desired outcome and success of the process to reach full spiritual maturity depends on the body of Christ in order to achieve the ultimate goal, being conformed to the image of Christ.
Reciprocal Relationships
In the contemporary context we see that “spiritual formation occurs through interpersonal relationships within an educational community that has a theological as well as a sociological foundation” (Bracken, Dean, and Gowdie, 2016, p. 8). The role of those interpersonal relationships is vital for the development of mature Christians within the church. The discipleship process requires that those within the community of faith practice the love of the Father in order to assist the individual believer grow and develop spiritually. Bracken quotes several author’s statements to distinctly express how Christian spirituality is to be understood in the contemporary context. For Bracken et al, “Christian spirituality is considered holistic, an intrinsic human capacity, transcendent, and connective” (Bracken, Dean, and Gowdie, 2016, p. 8). Holistic and connective are two of the characteristics that are fundamental to the spiritual formation process. These two items ensure a successful outcome as the community of faith matures in Christ.
Spiritual formation is a dynamic process that involves a lifelong journey for both the individual and the body of Christ. As a group, Christians need to work together in order to advance the work required by the spiritual formation process. Scholars have questioned the viability of the spiritual formation movement. Some argue that this is an exercise in futility due to the individualistic nature of post-modern society (Porter, 2015). However, spiritual formation in community is alive and well. The argument in favor of the previous statement stems from the fact that Christianity as a movement is alive but challenged as part of the spiritual formation process. As long as there are “persons who share a common vision of the need and nature of spiritual formation in Christ,” any challenges presented by society can be overcome (Porter, 2015, p. 3). In other words, the process of spiritual formation is fully alive and thriving, the Christian community must keep working to ensure that individuals grow and develop spiritually to reach full maturity in Christ regardless of any obstacles it may face.
A very important component of the maturation process that is directly linked to the community of faith is to identify with Christ. However, according to Paul in Romans 12: 1-2, this does not mean to equal oneself to Christ but to align our minds and behavior not to the world but to Christ. Individual believers need to ‘associate’ or be ‘closely inseparable with’ Christ in order to strengthen one’s conscious association with Christ both as a believer and a member of the Christian community (Samra, 2008, p. 113). As we become part of the body of Christ, we begin the lifelong journey to maturity in Christ. Becoming a mature Christian as part of the process of spiritual formation requires wisdom. The ultimate source of wisdom is God, and in order to receive that wisdom, He reveals it to the community of believers in order to instruct all who form part of it (Samra, 2008, p. 124).
The ChurchIn order to understand the role of the community of believers in the process of spiritual formation one must first look at the concept of the church. For the apostle Paul “the process of maturation was to be carried out in and by the local church,” furthermore Paul “expected that believers’ participation in the local community would be beneficial for their maturation” (Samra, 2008, p. 133). One must understand that for Paul, the concept of church revolved around the body of Christ and the people of God, in other words, identity and community. Individual believers form part of the body of Christ (the church) and the people of God united in community. Thus, the term he used to refer to the church εκκλησια, referred to an assembly of people or community. Another interesting aspect of Paul’s theological definition of the church is the apocalyptic/eschatological nature of the body of Christ. The people of God (the church) is the manifestation of Christ here on earth, the end-time congregation of the Lord (Samra, 2008, p. 134).
The church is according to Paul, is the place where and the means through which we achieve maturation as Christians. The church then plays an important role in the delivery of mature Christians on the day of the Lord. Thus, Paul expected the church to be the place where God manifested his provision of knowledge. God will always provide the means for His people to achieve His purpose. In this case, God provides us with grace in community so we can grow and develop spiritually and reach full maturity in Christ. In 1 Corinthians 1: 4-9 Paul is thankful for God’s Word for the assembled community of the faithful which provides knowledge to the church. Paul uses the word κοινωνια to recognize the communion we enjoy with Christ, and the fellowship with other believers, the true community of faith (Samra, 2008, p. 138). The church is where growth and development of the Christian community happens. It is the place where individual believers can go to begin the process of spiritual formation, the building up of the body of Christ.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was clear when he stated, “the church is the church only when it exists for others” (Barton et al, 2014, p. 1). The church must exist in order to help others grow and mature in Christ. It is the place where members of the body of Christ receive love and support as they grow stronger in their relationship with God and fulfill their mission to take the Gospel to all nations. Dr. Mary Lowe reiterated in the video presentation, Social Networks and Spiritual Formation Part 1, that no one can grow and develop alone. We are not to attempt to mature spiritually apart from other believers who make up the community of faith, we must enter into fellowship with Christ and our brethren as part of the community of faith. The church can also be understood as the family of God, a place where all of its members can mature spiritually by providing many opportunities for the Holy Spirit to conform its members to the image of Christ.
To reinforce the argument, we need to state again that spiritual formation takes place in community and the community where it must take place is the church (Barton et al, 2014, p. 2).
Scholars have found that those churches where there is a strong and clear message regarding spiritual growth have a stronger congregational commitment from its members (Gallagher & Newton, 2009). From the sociological perspective, religion is a distinct way to provide believers with human and cultural goods. With that being said, Gallagher suggests that growth is a process that leads toward a “more mature developmental stage” (Gallagher & Newton, 2009, p. 233). Thus, the process of spiritual formation allows the believer to move towards a level of spiritual maturity that can only be achieved in community. Sociologically speaking, the concept of community seems to be the most appropriate means for individual and corporate spiritual growth. Even if some individuals believe that religious identity is based on the premise that spiritual growth is “an internal, personal, and experiential phenomenon,” in my humble opinion, spiritual formation must still occur in a group setting (Gallagher & Newton, 2009, p. 235).
Wilhoit suggests that, “Spiritual formation is the task of the church. Period,” (Barton et al, 2014). Even though this may seem like a strong statement, it is the truth. We cannot entertain the idea that the church is just a social gathering place where one can occasionally hear the Gospel, enjoy good music, and other entertainment programs. This would be a disservice to those individuals who have been saved and redeemed by the Lord. As new creatures in Christ, these individuals need a place where they can grow and mature spiritually. The community of faith, the church, provides all the necessary means for individuals to mature and be conformed to the image of Christ. To stymy the process of spiritual formation, is to reject the love of the Father and the Son and reject the Holy Spirit’s work in us to reach full spiritual maturity in Christ.
Part 7
Technology and Spiritual Formation
Throughout the essay we have explored the process of spiritual formation and the necessary steps to achieve spiritual maturity. The concept of ecological connections as explained by Lowe & Lowe is fundamental for the understanding of spiritual formation as planned by God for humankind. As part of the process of spiritual formation we discussed the biblical theology that supports spiritual formation, the necessary ingredients to achieve spiritual maturity, and the role of the Christian community of faith in the maturation process of the individual. The outcome of the process of spiritual formation is a mature Christian believer conformed to the image of Christ. But it is time now to focus on the challenges faced by the community of faith in the spiritual formation process and the creative ways that can be used to overcome those challenges to effectively achieve spiritual maturity in community. As part of the challenges to the process of spiritual formation we need to consider the various ways people engage with content in today’s social networked environment and find a set of creative avenues to overcome the perceived challenges brought to the process by nascent technology.
Technology and Formation
In order to better understand the significance of the term technology, one needs to examine a popular definition of the concept and its implications for society. The etymological origin of the word comes from the Indo-European stem tekhn, which is also found in the Greek word techne, meaning art, craft, or skill (Campbell & Garner, 2016, p. 20). According to David Hopper, technology is the creation of tools, machines, and mechanisms used by humans to exploit nature (Campbell, 2016). In other words, technology is nothing more than an instrument used by humans to achieve some goal and fulfill a need. For some scholars like Susan White, technology is considered a “sociotechnical system” that is connected to human culture and values (Campbell & Garner, 2016, p. 21). It would be difficult to imagine our current society without the use of technology for the diverse tasks we perform on a daily basis. Indeed, technology is a way of life that penetrates the inner core of humankind, even if it is viewed as an encroachment on our way of life, it has become a necessity. Questions that one may ask regarding the influence of technology and seeking creative avenues to overcome any perceived challenges brought about its use in the process of spiritual formation are related to influence, distance, and community. How do we shorten that distance and effectively engage individuals in different settings? How is our influence through social networks affecting the spiritual growth and development of others?
Influence of Social NetworksTo provide some answers to the previous questions we need to examine the influence of social networks on society. According to Dr. Mary Lowe, a 2009 study showed that we have the ability to influence our friends. Social networks have an enormous power to influence how we grow and develop in most areas of life. However, these networks are less random in how people use them intentionally. As previously mentioned by Dr. Lowe in another video presentation, the growth and development of our personal identity cannot be achieved in isolation (Liberty University, 2017). Dr. Lowe also pointed out that there are six degrees of separation that connect all of us in the United States and three degrees of influence exerted through social networks. The influence that others have on us affects how we develop and transform spiritually. Thus, social networks can be useful to connect and influence those who need to grow and develop spiritually.
Overcoming DistanceRegarding distance, this is one of the challenges that modern technology can help us overcome. We need to consider that spiritual formation is a process that requires us to come to grips with our finite humanness to develop an understanding that our sufficiency lies solely in the person of Christ (Forrest & Lamport, 2013, p. 111). Forrest points out that in today’s digital environment students and teachers must adapt to the intricacies of learning and teaching in cyberspace (Forrest & Lamport, 2013). Gone are the days of strictly brick and mortar institutions, the globalized world in which we live has changed the landscape of distance education forever. Spiritual formation as a subject is no different than any other subject matter that can be studied at a distance. The local community of faith can now become a global community that relies on the ecological connections that God created for humankind. We can now grow and develop spiritually with a larger community of faith on a global scale. Individuals now form part of a learning ecology which operates like a normal ecology regardless of the space where it occurs (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 88).
Today, the Internet is being advocated as a means of promoting spiritual formation (White, 2006, p. 303). There are some Christian educators that believe that the classroom model strengthens the relationships between students and instructors in a Christ like model of discipleship. These strong relationships become the evidence of growing and developing spiritually. White suggests that “spiritual formation can be facilitated through distance education learning opportunities by giving greater attention to the affective and relational components of instruction in the online learning environment” (White, 2006, p. 304). That is the key for the effective use of distance education in spiritual formation, the relationships formed between the participating individuals regardless of their physical or virtual setting. The community of faith can effectively overcome distance by using and adapting online platforms for spiritual growth and development.
The question to ponder now is, how do we develop meaningful relational disciples in this technological Internet age? First, one needs to consider the relational aspect of Jesus’s discipleship model. John 15: 1-17 provides a description of the authentic disciple: live in Christ, love one another, and labor for the kingdom (Shirley, 2017, p. 377). It is the task of Christian educators “to discern the spiritual dynamics in the living tradition of Jesus Christ taught across the generations” and the different digital platforms available to us (Pazmiño, 2010, p. 357). Today over 40 % of Americans use the internet to read a Bible on websites like YouVersion. More people are now connected to the Word of God via the Internet than ever before. Other digital platforms like Facebook or Instagram are used by churches to promote and nurture community (Shirley, 2017, p. 382). As created beings we have developed technology to fulfil certain needs, spiritual formation being one of them. Through the creation and use of technology like the Internet we have now increased the availability of the Word of God as well as other spiritual resources for believers everywhere.
It is our responsibility to use these digital platforms in a way that continues the mission given to us by the Lord, to take the good news of the Gospel and make disciples of all nations. We must consider the importance of the ecological connections with Christ and each other as we navigate through the different digital media platforms available today. Lastly, one needs to consider how faith is lived in today’s networked society. Our lives have become increasingly interconnected and public. There is nothing hidden anymore, social networks expose a variety of private information belonging to individuals and its misuse can have detrimental consequences for all.
Online Communities
Networked society is now based on relationships that are more flexible than fixed (Campbell & Garner, 2016, p. 65). These relationships appear to be loosely connected, demonstrating varying levels of involvement and commitment from the individuals. Campbell states that “online religious communities are often formed through people’s commitment to a shared interest, and membership is based on active participation in group conversation and online activities rather than affiliation or membership rituals” (Campbell & Garner, 2016, p. 66). For any individual interested in what a group has to offer it becomes a matter of participation. This is where many scholars and religious leaders disagree regarding relationships. For many the Internet becomes impersonal and void of any relationship or fellowship. However, it is possible to establish meaningful disciple-teacher relationships in the virtual setting. The key is to form those relationships through interaction via the digital platforms used.
While many people search online for information and answers to a question, others are searching for a place to belong to. As a faith community, the church can establish those relationships with the individuals who seek the Lord. Campbell points out that “The network, provides a metaphor to show how individuals and groups seek to describe and connect their spiritual lives in a much more global and fluid nature of contemporary social relations” (Campbell & Garner, 2016, p. 68). Even as individuals look for ways to connect spiritually through cyberspace, we must not forget that spiritual formation is a relational and person-centered process.Person-centered spiritual maturation “enables individuals to deepen engagement with contemplative practices from spiritual traditions that hold personal salience, while building communities that embody principles of inclusion, social justice, and dignity for all people and cultures” (Kass, 2015, p. 54). By growing and developing through the formation of ecological connections, individuals mature spiritually across a variety of settings. It does not matter if the interactions are face-to-face or through the digital social networks, the important thing to remember is that they need to occur in a relational manner for the successful spiritual growth, development, and maturity of the individual and the community of faith as a whole.
Part 8
Applications of the Ecological Model of Spiritual Formation
The ecological model of spiritual formation as devised by God and enabled by the Holy Spirit continues to thrive in the digital realm despite the use of technology. Because no human being is designed to live and grow in isolation, we have explored the ecologies of Christian formation as a process designed by God to allow individuals to grow, develop, and mature spiritually in community. The end goal of the process of spiritual formation is to become more Christlike so we can glorify God. Within the ecologies of Christian formation, we have distinguished the ecological connections designed by God and enabled by the Holy Spirit. The advent of new technologies has shortened the distance and the space required to form a community in order to develop and mature spiritually.The social networked society in which we live today has an enormous effect on how the church comes together as a community to participate in the process of spiritual formation. According to Pettit, all Christians have the need to achieve Christlikeness through the process of spiritual formation (Pettit, 2008). Discovering our identity in Christ, having integrity, and knowing our place in the community of faith ensures our wholistic growth and development as we are conformed to the image of Christ. This allows us to have “increasing levels of love and peace” to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and others in ministry (Pettit, 2008).
Learning EcologyAs part of the learning ecology, we need to endure the dynamic and mutualistic aspect of the ecosystem (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 88). To those who question the effectiveness of online learning as part of the spiritual formation process, literature provides ample evidence to support the digital environment as a creative way to teach the Gospel. As Cunningham states, “creativity requires relationships” (Anthony, 2018, p. 141). Even with the use of technology, “the human element is never missing because humans are employing the technology to engage one another” (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 91). It is important to note that the relational aspect of discipleship and spiritual formation cannot be ignored. As we value those relationships between the members of the community of faith over any technology used, we will be able to “implement teaching strategies that elevate the human connection over any digital device” (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 95).
EmbodimentIt is with the previous thought in mind that an important concept needs to be added to the discussion, embodiment. This term is used to differentiate the physical from the virtual self. It is something implied by Paul as he wrote letters for the newly formed church. Paul would send the letters with a carrier as if he himself was delivering them. This process is known as mediated communication. According to Lowe, the spiritual impact of mediated communication would be realized by the empowering work of the Holy Spirit who ministered to believers through the letters sent by Paul (Lowe & Lowe, 2018, p. 112). In other words, Paul’s letters would carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the churches and the Holy Spirit would reveal Him to the community. In a similar fashion today, people receive the Gospel via digital media and the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to them. In the first century, the churches would receive Paul’s epistles and learn from his teaching of the Gospel. Today, people read Scripture on their computer screen and God reveals himself to all who read or hear His Word regardless of the means through which is communicated.
Finally, we must discuss the implications of a networked religion for the Christian community. The relationships that occur through the Internet and social media networks are very flexible and allow individuals to connect to other people with the same interests. The implications of a networked religion for spiritual formation are too numerous to mention here. But people who become part of the digital community of faith realize that the religious self is malleable rather than fixed (Campbell & Garner, 2016, p. 78). The religious self allows individuals to form a unified connection to others in the digital community of faith, achieving the goal of spiritual formation through the formation of interconnected learning ecologies. A question that may come to mind then is, who and where are my neighbors? The answer according to Campbell is those in whom we recognize true humanity rooted in the image of God and Christlikeness and found virtually anywhere around the globe (Campbell & Garner, 2016, p. 89).
Conclusion
God created humankind in His image with a purpose in mind, to be connected to each other so we could grow and develop spiritually for His glory. The ecological connections designed and created by God allows believers to go through the process of spiritual formation in order to become mature and conformed to the image of Christ. The advent of technology and the Internet provides humans with a way to reach out and connect with people at a distance regardless of setting. Since there are no spatial or distance barriers to the work of the Holy Spirit, we are able to engage others effectively in discipleship. Learning ecologies play an important role in the development of relationships that are meaningful for spiritual formation. The outcome of the process of spiritual formation is a mature Christian conformed to the image of Christ. Once believers have been conformed to the image of Christ, they will have fully matured spiritually. Only then the church and all of those individuals who belong to its community will be prepared for the coming of Christ.
References
Anthony, M. J. (2018). Introducing Christian education: Foundations for the twenty-first century. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
Barton, R. H., Chandler, D. J., Tan, S.-Y., TenElshof, J., & Wilhoit, J. C. (2014). Spiritual formation in the church. Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, 7(2), 1-9.
Bracken, T., Dean, A., & Gowdie, J. (2016). Critical leadership challenge: Spiritual formation in the contemporary context. Compass, 50(3), 7-13.
Campbell, H. & Garner, S. (2016). Networked theology – negotiating faith in digital culture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
Forrest, B. K., & Lamport, M. A. (2013). Modeling spiritual formation from a distance: Paul’s formation transactions with the Roman Christians. Christian Education Journal, 10(1), 110-124.
Gallagher, S., & Newton, C. (2009). Defining spiritual growth: Congregations, community, and connectedness. Sociology of Religion, 70(3), 232-261.
Haar, S. (2019). Learning, formation, and community: Challenges facing a distributed model of theological education 1. Lutheran Theological Journal, 53(1), 4-15.
Kass, J. D. (2015). Person-centered spiritual maturation: A multidimensional model. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 55(1), 53–76.
Liberty University. (2018). The role of the faith community in spiritual formation [Power Point slides]. Retrieved from https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/ppt
Liberty University. (2017). Social networks and spiritual formation part I [Video Presentation]. Retrieved from https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/video presentation
Liberty University. (2017). Social networks and spiritual formation part II [Video Presentation]. Retrieved from https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/video presentation
Liberty University. (2017). Whole person transformation [Power Point slides]. Retrieved from https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/ppt
Lowe, S. D., & Lowe, M. E. (2018). Ecologies of faith in a digital age: Spiritual growth through online education. Downers Grove, IL, IVP Academic.
Pazmiño, R.W. (2010). Christian education is more than formation. Christian Education Journal, 7(2), 356-365.
Pettit, P. (2008). Foundations of spiritual formation: A community approach to becoming like Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.
Porter, S. L. (2015). Is the spiritual formation movement dead? Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, 8(1), 2+.
Richards, L., & Bredfeldt, G. J. (1998). Creative Bible teaching. Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
Samra, J. G. (2008). The library of new testament studies: Being conformed to Christ in community: a study of maturity, maturation, and the local church in the undisputed Pauline epistles. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu
Shirley, C. (2017). Overcoming digital distance: The challenge of developing relational disciples in the internet age. Christian Education Journal, 14(2), 376+.
White, R. (2006). Promoting spiritual formation in distance education. Christian Education Journal, 3(2), 303-315.
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