What is Spiritual Formation?
Photo by Jerry Kavan via Unsplash
One of our most popular blog posts over the last few years has been defining spiritual direction, spiritual formation, and the disciplines. We thought we would revisit the theme of spiritual formation and look at a few common questions/objections.
So what is spiritual formation anyway? Is it Catholic? New age? Isn't it just a lot of navel-gazing? What’s the difference between spiritual formation and discipleship? Spiritual formation and sanctification? Do I need spiritual formation? Is it just for the elite?
Have you ever wondered about any of these questions? Or perhaps been asked similar questions? Over the next month, we will do our best to answer them, but first, we’re going to look at what spiritual formation actually is.
DEFINING SPIRITUAL FORMATION
Perhaps now more than ever we need to know what we are actually saying when we use the term “spiritual formation.” Spiritual formation is becoming a common term that can mean different things to different traditions, and it’s a vague term in and of itself. First, we’ll define it; second, we’ll unpack the definition while exploring its biblical foundations; and third, we’ll end with why spiritual formation is important today.
Before we get started, we must acknowledge that the term “spiritual formation” is not found in scripture, at least not both words in that particular order. However, these two words are used together today because whenever transformation is mentioned in scripture, the Holy Spirit is nearby. For example:
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17–18 ESV)
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14–19 ESV).
While the word “transformation” isn’t explicitly mentioned here, it’s assumed that if we need strength to comprehend God’s love, then we would need the help of the Spirit to comprehend it, then naturally be changed by that love as we are filled by it.
In both of these verses, there are two reasons we use the term spiritual formation: a) it is the Holy Spirit working within us, and b) our transformation is of a spiritual nature. It’s not simply an external change or a change in behavior.
Using both passages as a foundation, our working definition of spiritual formation is this:
Spiritual formation is the intentional and semi-intentional response on our part to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in transforming us into the likeness of Christ, being rooted in His love, drawing us into authentic and vulnerable community, and sending us back into the world to witness to His transforming power.*
Phew, that was a mouthful. Let's unpack this hefty definition a bit.
INTENTIONAL AND SEMI-INTENTIONAL RESPONSE
First, spiritual formation is "the intentional and semi-intentional response on our part." At the beginning spiritual formation requires our cooperation. While being cognizant of the dangers of legalism, we also acknowledge that we participate in our transformation. We can't change by ourselves, and we can choose to either resist it or cooperate with it. The word “intentional” is used to describe the most direct form of our cooperation. This can manifest through a multitude of actions, but usually involves two things: the spiritual practices we engage in and what we pay attention to. We make a conscious choice to intentionally pursue God with our lives.
The semi-intentional response reminds us that often the most formative things in our lives are things that happen to us. They are outside of our control. But our response to them determines how we will be shaped by what we experience. For example, will suffering harden us, or make us more compassionate?
Dallas Willard reminds us," Everyone receives spiritual formation, just as everyone gets an education. The only question is whether it is a good one or a bad one. We need to take a conscious, intentional hand in the developmental process.”
COOPERATE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
Cooperation in our own transformation can be intentional or semi-intentional, as mentioned above, but we can't change by ourselves. We are dependent upon the Holy Spirit to transform us into what he has called us to be. It is the Lord who calls us to be new creations (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10) and the one who empowers to live into that call (2 Cor. 3:17-18). Speaking of 2 Cor 3.17, Paul tells us that we are being transformed. The verb “transformed” is in the passive, meaning it is being done to us.
The role we play in our own transformation is one of cooperation and participation in the work that God is doing within us.
TRANSFORMED INTO THE LIKENESS OF CHRIST
We are being transformed into the likeness of Christ. This is one part of our definition that distinguishes Christian spiritual formation from a more generalized approach to formation. We are being transformed into something specific (or more accurately, someone specific), namely Jesus Christ.
My transformation isn't simply about becoming a new and improved me; it’s about becoming Christlike from the inside out.
ROOTED IN GOD’S LOVE
Christian spiritual formation is about being rooted in God's love (Eph 3:16-19). Any other foundation will inevitably lead us down the wrong path. Our participation isn't about earning God's love or approval, but rather must always be inextricably linked to the reality that God loves us more than we can comprehend. He loves us enough to send His son Jesus to die for us, that we would have this life in Him.
Our journey towards Christlikeness arises out of His prevenient love, and it seeks to realize more and more the height, depth, length, and width of this love that surpasses knowledge.
AUTHENTIC AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITY
Christian spiritual formation draws us into authentic and vulnerable community. Community is an often overlooked aspect of spiritual formation. But in scripture, when God's people are living into God's invitations, it always leads to a deeper experience of community (Acts 4:32). Paul tells us in Philippians 2 that if we have participated in the Spirit and drawn comfort from the love of Christ, then we are to complete his joy by being of the same mind and having the same love (Phil 2:1-2).
My transformation into Christlikeness isn’t just for me; it’s for others, too. Any journey of spiritual formation that doesn't lead us deeper into community is incomplete.
WITNESSES TO HIS TRANSFORMING POWER
Christian spiritual formation sends us back into the world to witness to his transforming power. As we become more like Christ, we will surely invite others into this life in Christ that we are experiencing. Our transformation is both for us and for the world. Our definition intentionally places this aspect at the end because if we don't grasp the first five aspects first, we will invite others into a malformed transformation. We must first experience ourselves and then invite others into it. This doesn't mean that we have to be perfect, but it does mean that if we want to invite others into something deeper and truer, we ought to have sought it and experienced it ourselves.
WHO IS SPIRITUAL FORMATION FOR?
Now that we know what spiritual formation is, a natural question that follows is: who is it for? Is it for the super godly or hyper spiritual? Just for leaders or pastors or those serving in ministry? Just for those frustrated with their current church experience? Or can it be for everyone?
One of the problems with the spiritual formation movement is that it can come across as elitist. There is an unfortunate tendency that those who have found life in engaging spiritual practices, individually and in community, can talk in ways that seem condescending, as if they have found the special secret to a deeper spiritual life and everyone else is left in the dark. That has made the spiritual formation movement feel gnostic at times. I (Bryan) have sadly been guilty of this. In our zeal to invite people into some wonderful things God has offered, we have often left others behind, and I’m sorry for this.
The invitation to spiritual formation, though, is for everybody. God doesn't call converts; He calls disciples. And this is precisely why it is important- God calls us to live as new creatures in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
May I leave you with some timeless words from AW Tozer:
What can we plain Christians do to bring back the departed glory? Is there some secret we may learn? Is there a formula for personal revival we can apply to the present situation, to our own situation? The answer to these questions is yes.
Yet the answer may easily disappoint some persons, for it is anything but profound. I bring no esoteric cryptogram, no mystic code to be painfully deciphered. I appeal to no hidden law of the unconscious, no occult knowledge meant only for the few. The secret is an open one which the wayfaring man may read. It is simply the old and ever new counsel: Acquaint thyself with God. (A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy)
We hope this was helpful to you! As mentioned at the beginning, in the coming weeks we’ll take a look at some of the misconceptions of the spiritual formation movement, including:
Isn’t it navel-gazing?
Isn’t it Catholic or new age?
And don’t I just need discipleship?
We’d love to know: what questions do you have about spiritual formation?
*Our definition draws from the works of Ruth Haley Barton and Evan Howard.