Attempting to describe the spiritual formation journey is an ancient practice. The image above is of Teresa of Avila (born in 1515 near Avila) and St. John of the Cross – 25 years her junior. Together, they reformed the Carmelite order. Individually, they illustrated the spiritual formation process in a way that fit their personalities. For example, Teresa of Avila used the imagery of water to depict the way people interact in their spiritual formation process, and St. John of the Cross illustrated the spiritual formation process, adopting Jesus’ journey to the cross.
There is a lot of buzz around the idea of spiritual formation and how discipleship fits. In fact, I’ve written a blog on the topic – CLICK HERE. There are three views on this issue:
Spiritual formation and discipleship are distinct.
Spiritual formation and discipleship intersect.
Spiritual formation and discipleship are one and the same thing.
Each is worth a look. First though, let’s define terms:
Disciple: “Someone who is living out of a Basic Core that exhibits a love for God in Christ and a love for others that leads to making disciples.”
Discipleship: “…the whole of life response to a person to Jesus Christ. Everything a person believes and does is an aspect of discipleship. The goal of discipleship for an individual is growing and maturing, examining and changing how they think, feel, and act as they become more Christ-like in every aspect of life.”
As You Go…Make Disciples by Colin Noyes
These terms need to be revisited over and over again as we respond to the question: What is the relationship between discipleship and spiritual formation?
Let’s consider each view below using this framework:
Perspective: relationship between spiritual formation and discipleship
Narrative: brief explanation of what the perspective is
Practice: How does this work in a church context?
Spiritual Formation and Discipleship are Distinct
Spiritual formation and discipleship work in conjunction with each other, but do not intersect.
Practice: There will be two pathways that separate the two activities.
Spiritual Formation and Discipleship Intersect
Spiritual formation and discipleship intersect at the place where discipleship occurs.
Practice: The two activities are presented as a holistic process, and feed off each other.
Spiritual Formation and Discipleship are one and the same thing
Spiritual formation and discipleship are synonymous.
Practice: Single path leading to the same destination.
In the book, The Critical Journey, the spiritual formation process is illustrated in six stages:
1 – Awareness
2 – Discipleship
3 – Service
4 – Journey Inward
5 – Journey Outward
6 – Transformed into Love
Using the framework of the six stages provides a clear progression from one stage to the next, the end result, and where discipleship fits. I have had several conversations with church leaders over the last year, circling around the question: How does discipleship fit into spiritual formation?
7 Reasons Why Spiritual Formation and Discipleship Must Intersect:
The fruit of a disciple’s spiritual formation are more and better disciples.
Spiritual formation benefits both the disciple and the people they disciple.
A “learner” must make disciples to embody the life of a disciple of Jesus.
One without the other will leave the disciple out of balance.
Churches that focus on one over the other will be out of balance.
Disciples need a holistic spiritual formation process that incorporates discipleship.
Spiritual formation increases the disciple’s ability to listen to the Holy Spirit
Reason #3 from the list above is most compelling. In the diagram from The Critical Journey ( CLICK HERE) the description under Stage 2 – Discipleship: is the term, “Learner”. And this is where the definition of a disciple above is helpful: “Someone who is living out of a Basic Core that exhibits a love for God in Christ and a love for others that leads to making disciples.”
A disciple is a practitioner, putting what they learn into practice AND making disciples of others. The learner is a learner as long as she is “teaching” (making disciples of others). The moment a disciple stops teaching and making disciples, is the moment she stops being a learner.
Curious about your unique strengths as an apprentice of Jesus?
Highlight #1 Connections with the Global Mission Community
Attending the Fourth Lausanne Congress in South Korea was like stepping into a sacred symphony. Imagine a room filled with over 5,000 believers from 200 nations, their voices united in worship of the true and living God. It was a breathtaking experience that will stay with me for a lifetime.
Over the past 50 years, the Lausanne Movement has been the catalyst for key shifts in global evangelical mission strategy.
The first Lausanne Congress in 1974 laid the foundation for pursuing unreached people groups with the gospel and drafted a Covenant that has proven highly influential among evangelical churches and organizations.
The gathering in Manila in 1989 emphasized cross-cultural ministry and contextualization in church planting, while directing attention to the 10/40 window.
At Cape Town in 2010, the Congress reinforced the integration of evangelism (gospel proclamation) and social action (gospel demonstration), a perspective that has become foundational to many evangelical efforts today.
A Polycentric Mission
One of the new terms that came out of the Congress, for me at least, was the emergence of polycentric mission. Gone are the days when missions were primarily driven by Western nations. Today, churches from all corners of the globe are sending missionaries and supporting missions around the world. It’s a beautiful testament to the unity of the Church and the global nature of God’s mission.
The Seoul Statement and a Theology of the Body
The Seoul Statement sparked a lot of conversation, particularly its emphasis on human anthropology and a biblical view of sexuality. While there were some criticisms, I believe the statement is a valuable resource for the church. It provides a much-needed framework for understanding these complex issues in a biblical way.
The Future of Mission
The Fourth Lausanne Congress was a reminder that despite the challenges facing the world, the Church is alive and well. We are a global community united by our faith in Jesus Christ. As we move forward, let us continue to work together, to love our neighbors, and to proclaim the good news of the gospel to all people.
Highlight #2 Connections with my S. Korean Hosts
When I arrived in Seoul, it was 12:30am. The terminal was nearly empty, and there was a sign with the Lausanne logo pointing guests to the very end of a long terminal for the shuttles to the various hotels where people were staying. I debated on whether I should assume that no one was waiting for me and book an Uber. I chose the former, and to my surprise, there were three volunteers waiting for me!
This completely set the tone for my week. I was struck by the kindness of my host. The way they greeted me. The manner in which they served me when I had questions.
Imagine, shuttling 5,000 people to and from the convention center in Seoul daily, feeding 5,000 people twice a day, and responding to an assortment of questions from people of various cultures, speaking different languages than your mother tongue. It was amazing.
Highlight #3 Connections with Mission Leaders
Conversations Across Cultures
I had the privilege of participating in a table group with leaders from Pakistan, Singapore, the Philippines, Scotland, and a missionary from the US to France. Our discussions were both challenging and enriching. We explored everything from the gospel, peace and reconciliation, to reaching people far from God through church planting; I was deeply inspired by the diversity of perspectives and experiences.
Conversations with my Roommate
Yeswin is an intelligent young man, engaging, and a real joy to be around. Surprisingly, he was still awake when I arrived around 1:30am (due to my canceled flight). Every morning we went to breakfast together, traveled by bus to the convention center, and then debriefed in the evening in our room. He is a former hotel manager, but relocated his family to serve in a restricted context. Listen to his story about a project he and his wife (Shammah) conceived with their church – CLICK HERE to learn more.
Conversations with Friends
Strategically, I met with a number of people with whom I will keep in touch for ministry opportunities in India, the Philippines, and beyond. It is difficult to walk the fine line of telling enough and telling too much because some of these relationships need to remain confidential, due to the nature of their work. But conversations were started that will continue into the future. Stay tuned as some of these gather clarity and momentum for ministry opportunities to multiply disciples, cultivate leaders, and plant churches in places “people don’t want to go, can’t go, or are not able to go!” (a quote from my new friend Chris who is pictured above)
Curious about your unique strengths as an apprentice of Jesus?
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