Ready Resources - Spiritual Formation

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Click here for the entire Spiritual Formation Resource in a pdf file.

PRODUCING AUTHENTIC CHRISTIAN DISCIPLES

When John Wesley and other young men at Oxford University formed the “Holiness Club” their goal was to live an authentically Christian life. Wesley had been greatly influenced by writers who emphasized imitation of Christ, like Thomas a’ Kempis in his work named precisely, The Imitation of Christ. The spiritual landscape of England and Europe at the time was filled with what Wesley termed “Christians in name only.” By seeking a “methodical” observance of scripture and spiritual disciplines, the Holiness Club’s dedication inspired the derogatory nickname that would characterize an entire movement and later denomination: METHODISTS. Early Methodists were ridiculed for at least two distinctive qualities: strict adherence to expectations of personal and social holiness and spiritual “enthusiasm.” Their discipline and passion for holiness became the first Methodist’s distinguishing marks of spiritual authenticity.

Ironically, Methodism has slowly lost its earliest distinctive marks related to spiritual formation. In the landscape of twenty-first century congregations and denominations, we are being “out-Methodist-ed.” Other branches of the Christian family have taken Wesley’s original intent to spread “scriptural holiness” across the land and translated it into highly structured methods of “discipling” people in small groups. The early genius of Wesley was combining his message of fully available and transforming divine grace with a highly structured “delivery system” of small groups for spiritual formation and maturation.

Today, by and large, most Methodist congregations have lost that emphasis, as Wesley feared when he said, “I am not afraid that the people called Methodist should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this will undoubtedly be the case unless they hold fast to the doctrine, spirit and discipline with which they first set out.” A renewed effort to reach people with the gospel and then shape them into genuine Christian disciples over time must be our renewed focus.

The challenge of most United Methodist congregations today is combining a renewed passion for evangelism with a well defined “system” of “discipling” people. That is to say our goal is not just producing “Christians in name only,” but authentic Christian disciples whose lives bear the evidence that they belong to Christ, align their lives with Christ’s teachings, and embody Christ’s transforming grace in the world. The key to genuine “discipling” is a clear understanding and compelling practice of “spiritual formation.”  

MORE >> Click here for the entire Spiritual Formation Resource in a pdf file.