disciples in a

turbulent world:
A challenge that is worth the
struggle
Christian education
- spiritual information or
spiritual in/formation?
We have inherited a faith formed by a
Jewish man and a band of his friends,
which became a global movement with
three centers (Rome, Constantinople, and
North Africa) in its first 500 years.

The North African center was decimated by

Islam in the 7th - 9th centuries, leaving two
centers, which coexisted until about 1000
AD, when they split.
The Roman Church became the center
of Western culture until about 500 years
ago. Then, the faith we have inherited
re-formed in a multi-faceted argument
with medieval Western Christianity …
… then re-formed several more times in
a series of debates within various forms
nominal modern Christianity …
… the faith we have inherited was
additionally deeply influenced by the
skepticism, secularism, and
consumerism of modernity.
… our faith was additionally deeply
influenced by 19th century revivalism
and “revived revivalism” in the mid-20th
century.
This version of the Christian faith which
we have inherited presents us with a
number of categories for discipleship or
“spiritual growth,” several of which are
being re-thought (and re-formed) today.
Terms like …
evangelism, discipleship, Christian
education, teaching, sanctification,
spiritual growth
are being re-thought.
Terms like …
evangelism, discipleship, Christian
education, teaching, sanctification,
spiritual growth
are being re-thought.
The term “spiritual formation” in many
ways is a substitute for some
dimensions of all of these terms.
Truly, the church is “semper
reformanda” -- always reforming.

1. How would you describe spiritual formation in

the New Testament church?
2. … in the Patristic Church (2nd - 6th centuries)
3. … in the Medieval Church (6th - 16th)
4. … in the early Reformation (16th-18th)
5. … in the 19th-20th centuries
The modern version of Christianity
which we have inherited largely saw
spiritual formation as a cognitive
process of acquiring information
through study and teaching.
Bible studies, Sunday School Classes
Seminaries
Preaching/Teaching
Courses/Lessons
Booklets with blanks to fill in ...
It was often tacitly believed (and
occasionally overtly stated) that if one had
the right knowledge (beliefs, doctrines,
theology), right behavior would flow
naturally. (Some believed that attending
the right rituals had the same effect.)
Many of you may share this belief, which is
still dominant in the American evangelical
subculture today, I believe.
But I believe ...
Our contemporary gospel is primarily
INFORMATION ON HOW TO GO TO
HEAVEN AFTER YOU DIE

with a large footnote about increasing your personal

happiness and success through God.

with a small footnote about character development

with a smaller footnote about spiritual experience

with a smaller footnote about social/global transformation.

self

church

worldworld
world

church

self
The individual gospel
For God so loved me that he sent his
only begotten son, so that if I would
believe in him I would not perish but
have life in heaven after death. For
God sent his son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save me.
(Not John 3:16)
The ecclesiastic gospel
For God so hated the world that he
sent his only begotten son, that
whoever believes in him should not
perish but have life in heaven after
death. For God sent his son into the
world to condemn the world, but to
save the church.
(Not John 3:16)
faith formation
in a postmodern age
Spiritual Formation is a
holistic way to talk about
everything God wants to do
in us, including what we
have traditionally meant by
evangelism and discipleship
(etc.) … and more!
 To them God has chosen to make known among the
COL 1:27

Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in

you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and
teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present
everyone perfect [complete, mature, fully formed] in Christ. 29
To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so
powerfully works in me.

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of

GAL 4:19

childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be

with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed
about you!
The Gospel of Matthew ends with these important words:

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain

where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they
worshiped him, but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them
and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Therefore go and make [spiritually form]
disciples [apprentices] of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey [practice] everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the
very end of the age. (Matthew 28:16-20)
Too often, we have
preached a “gospel of sin
management” with an
optional footnote about
character development,
with a more optional
footnote about spiritual
practices and experience ...
… and an even more
optional footnote about
making a difference in the
world.
The gospel has become information on a
fast, easy, and convenient way to go to
heaven after one dies. That must
change.
Our call is not to win converts
or Christians...
(We have turned a finish line
into a starting line)

…but rather to spiritually form

disciples
disciple \Dis*ci"ple\, n. [OE. disciple, deciple,
OF. disciple, fr. L. discipulus, fr. discere to
learn (akin to docere to teach; see Docile) +
prob. a root meaning to turn or drive, as in L.
pellere to drive.] One who receives
instruction from another; a scholar; a
learner; especially, a follower who has
learned to believe in the truth of the doctrine
of his teacher; an adherent or student of a
doctrine or art as, the disciples of Plato; the
disciples of our Savior
Disciples are
apprentices
of Jesus.
From Michael Polanyi, Personal Knowledge: Toward a
Postcritical Philosophy (1958)

It follows that an art which has fallen

into disuse for the period of a generation
is altogether lost. There are hundreds of
examples of this to which the process of
mechanization is continuously adding
new ones. These losses are usually
irretrievable.
It is pathetic to watch the endless efforts
-- equipped with microscopy and
chemistry, with mathematics and
electronics -- to reproduce a single violin
of the kind the half-literate Stradivarius
turned out as a matter of routine more
than 200 years ago.
To learn by example is to submit to
authority. You follow your master
because you trust his manner of doing
things even when you cannot analyze and
account in detail for its effectiveness. By
watching the master and emulating his
efforts in the presence of his example, the
apprentice unconsciously picks up the
rules of the art, including those which are
not explicitly known to the master
himself.
These hidden rules can be assimilated
only by a person who surrenders himself
to that extent uncritically to the imitation
of the master. A society which wants to
preserve a fund of personal knowledge
must submit to tradition.
… practical wisdom is more truly
embodied in action than expressed in
rules of action. (pp. 53-54)
Disciples/apprentices primarily learn not
by listening

or trying
but by

training.
Think of running a marathon
Playing piano
Painting a landscape
Building a house
Mastering kung fu

…training.
What if we put everything on the table
and risked everything
to succeed at this one thing:

…training
disciples?
 what is
spiritual
formation?
We have a rich heritage of approaches to
spiritual formation:
Celtic Sacramental
Charismatic Ascetic
Liberal/Activist Non-ascetic
Monastic Anchorite
Revivalist Contemplative
Reformed Fundamentalist
A Triangle

Spirituality
External
Environment
Context

Community Mission

Experiences of life … joys,

sorrows, sufferings, pleasures
“Biblical literacy, though not sufficient, is
indispensable. This literacy does not consist of
historical, critical knowledge about the Bible.
Nor does it consist of theological accounts,
couched in nonbiblical language, of the Bible’s
teachings and meanings. Rather it is the
patterns and details of its sagas and stories, its
images and symbols, its syntax and grammar,
which need to be internalized if one is to
imagine and think scripturally … What is to be
promoted are those approaches which increase
familiarity with the actual text.”

George Lindbeck
The Nature of Doctrine
How, as modern Christians often put it, does one
preach the gospel in a dechristianzed world?…The
[postmodern] method of dealing with this problem
is bound to be unpopular among those chiefly
concerned to maintain or increase the membership
and influence of the church. This method
resembles ancient catechesis more than modern
translation. Instead of redescribing the faith in new
concepts, it seeks to teach the language and
practices of the religion to potential adherents.
This has been the primary way of transmitting the
faith and winning converts…down through the
centuries…Only after [catechumens] had acquired
proficiency in the alien Christian language and form
of life were they deemed able intelligently and
responsibly to profess faith, to be baptized.
George Lindbeck, The Nature of Doctrine
Process (versus event) focus into the
mission (versus lore):

Induction/Initiation
Transformation
Transmission
1. Induction:

Adapted from Hippolytus … 3rd

century
1. The Seeker Phase.
Goal: Beginning to follow Christ
Content: Observation of the
community (belonging before
believing)
Milestone: Interview (behavioral
questions) and permission to attend
the whole service
2. The Hearer Phase

Goal: Discipleship
Content: Discipleship, worship,
fellowship, hardship, stewardship,
partnership
Milestone: Requesting baptism
3. The Kneeler Phase
Goal: Equipping
Content: Equipping for ministry
(Memorizing the Lord’s prayer,
apostles creed, spiritual warfare)
Milestone: Rite of Baptism (Easter)
4. The Faithful Stage

Goal: Incorporate
Content: Discern and use gifts,
witness and outreach, induct others,
prepare for martyrdom
Milestone: Eucharist
after induction … what next?
… MT 18:2 He called a little child and had
him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I
tell you the truth, unless you change and
become like little children, you will
never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like
this child is the greatest in the kingdom
of heaven.

1CO 14:20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard
to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
 transformation

…until Christ
is formed in you.
(Galatians 4:19)
Transformation:
From Finding Faith (McLaren, Zondervan, 1999)

Simplicity
Complexity
Perplexity
Humility
 …the threefold way
(stages of spiritual formation)
…the purgative way
(catharsis)
…the illuminative way
(fotosis)
…the unitive way
(theosis)
“I know you’re out there. I can feel you now.
I know that you’re afraid. You’re afraid of us.
You’re afraid of change. I don’t know the
future. I didn’t come here to tell you how it’s
going to end. I came here to tell you how it’s
going to begin. I’m going to hang up this
phone, and then I’m going to show these
people what you don’t want them to see. I’m
going to show them a world without you, a
world without rules and controls, without
borders or boundaries, a world where
anything is possible. Where we go from there
is a choice I leave to you.”
 the end of
christian education
 …the end of classes
(and the beginning of courses)
 …the end of information
(and the beginning of in/formation)
 …the end of pretending
(and the beginning of authenticity)
 …the end of teaching
(and the beginning of
teachers/mentors)

learning is not a function of teaching,

but rather
of thinking
 …the end of Bible Study
(and the beginning of inhabiting the
Biblical narrative)
 lectio divina
ignatian readings
memorization
meditation
centering prayer
 …the end of christian
education (doctrine)
and the beginning of christian practice
(way of life)
…the end of sunday school
and the beginning life school
 the end of
christian education:
may your kingdom come…