Discipleship
“The disciplines are activities of mind and body purposefully undertaken, to bring our personality and total being into effective cooperation with the divine order.”
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Romans 8:29,
Galatians 4:9,
2 Corinthians 3:18
Spiritual Formation
As disciples and followers of Jesus, we are called to become like Jesus. We do this primarily through spiritual practices. These practices help us transform into His image. God's main goal for us is to become more like Christ (Romans 8:29). Spiritual formation guides us back to our true selves, which Dallas Willard describes as the “renovation of our hearts.”
At the moment of salvation, Christ is formed in you (Gal 4:19) but you are also called to be conformed to the image of Jesus and transformed into His image (2 Cor 3:18). The outcome is obedience to Jesus as Christ is formed in us.
Spiritual practices train us to work with the Holy Spirit. Through these practices, we present our bodies to Jesus and renew our minds to show our new selves. They help us reshape our lives around Jesus, discover our new reality in God, and trust His guidance. These practices teach us to wait on God, surrender to Jesus, and live from a place of rest, preparing us for His presence.
Our primary goal is to be with Jesus
Our first step is to learn to receive and rest in His love. This is our top value as followers of Jesus.
We engage in spiritual practices not out of obligation or guilt, but because we want to experience the fullness of God's presence. This is our journey of discovery. Many believe they lack time, but in reality, more time would just be filled with the same activities. The solution is to decide to change our habits and trust God with the results. Trusting Jesus allows us to find rest. This means letting go of our constant efforts to find rest in distractions and instead focusing our lives on Jesus' teachings.
Our second goal is to grow together in community.
Spiritual practices are personal, but our journey is not meant to be alone.
Community is essential for healing and growth. Our dedication to friendship and community is a spiritual practice. Becoming like Jesus involves allowing God to shape us within His family and in our daily lives, helping us realize we are His children. This new identity alters our thinking as we learn to accept our Father's love.
Community, accountability, and guidance from spiritual leaders are essential. They make us more capable of working with God in His Kingdom. Spiritual practices should start in a church community and then reach out to the wider community we influence.
We learn best by observing others. The Bible encourages us to follow our leaders as they follow Christ (1 Cor 11:1). Before starting our journey, we must understand what to do and how to do it. The local church trains us and enables us to train others in following Jesus. This keeps us safe from the risks of straying from God’s intentions and prevents us from falling into excesses and deceptions.
“Scripture knows nothing of a solitary Christian. People of faith are always members of a community.”
Taking Ownership
Through spiritual practices, we discipline our tongues, minds, bodies and emotions to hear God’s voice more clearly in a noisy world. They are a means to help still our striving while learning from Jesus that His yoke is easy and His burden light. As we begin to take more responsibility which in turn allows God to heal our inner wounds.
Learning to live like an apprentice of Jesus will look different for each person, as there is a constant shifting in our ever-changing seasons of life. It requires an ongoing need to arrange and rearrange our life practices. However, our goal remains the same, to become who God has made us to be - like Jesus.
“The longing for significance, love, for deep and fundamental change, for a way of life that works, to connect experientially and even viscerally with Someone beyond ourselves—these longings led me to search out spiritual practices and establish life rhythms that promised something more.”
“Spiritual formation in the Christian tradition is a process of increasingly being possessed and permeated by the character traits of Jesus as we walk in the easy yoke of discipleship with Jesus our teacher.”
We are all being formed
Our environment, relationships, and beliefs shape who we are. Our habits—good or bad—accumulate over time. The people we spend time with and our past experiences influence our identity today. In truth, we all learn from someone or something.
Who are you learning from? Who are you becoming? Is it more like Jesus?
The Bible refers to a 'disciple' as someone who follows Jesus closely as a lifelong student. The first disciples left their homes and spent 3 years learning from Him. It is similar to learning a new language and culture. Your goal is to be with Jesus and become like Him (Romans 8:29). Spiritual practices help you achieve this goal. Focus on your spiritual growth and build daily relationships with God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Are you ready to change your daily habits to make room for Jesus to help you become your true self?
We often believe we want to live well but don't commit to the actions needed to achieve that. We plan to live right, but we shy away from doing what's necessary to make it happen.
Sounds a lot like exercise…
Many of us want to be fit and healthy, but few make the small, consistent choices needed to achieve this. There's a saying: "Good intentions alone won't lead to success." We often desire spiritual growth but lack the commitment to pursue it. We tend to overlook the importance of practice while hoping for an easy path to greatness.
“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come..” - 1 Timothy 4 v 7-8 (NIV)
By trying to escape discipline, we overlook the comfort Jesus offers. We cannot expect to respond like Him in tough moments if we live like everyone else. We wrongly assume we can manage our reactions without practice when we’re not in the moment. Jesus dedicated himself to spiritual habits during his life on earth. His public ministry was a natural result of the private life he led.
THE EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY
We must recognize the harmful effects technology can have on our hearts, minds, and relationships. Technology itself isn't bad, but our use of it can be. We should think about the risks and impacts of technology to safeguard what we hold dear.
Technology is everywhere in our lives, making spiritual practices even more important. Many people feel anxious about being away from their devices. To find silence and solitude, we must learn to disconnect completely from technology to connect with Jesus.
How you use your time in the morning can affect your entire day.
Do you check your phone first thing in the morning?
Can you not disconnect from emails and screens to be with your family in the evening?
Spiritual practices help you be your true self. Ask God to reveal any painful paths you’re on and guide you back to His lasting ways—these will bring you closer to Him.
We appreciate the metaphor of a journey with Jesus. This journey includes every part of us. Alexander Venter in his book, Doing Spirituality, states, “We learn by doing. Life-changing knowledge is interactive - it comes from hearing, applying, and obeying.” This is a lifelong goal to learn and live according to Jesus’ teachings daily.
If we don't intentionally follow Jesus, life will lead us instead.
Spiritual growth needs a lifestyle change, but there's no need to panic. Be patient; it takes years to change habits, and Jesus understands. The key is to begin. Choose one small thing to start with and build from there.
“If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.”
To start your change, begin by getting to know Jesus.