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.
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