disciples in a turbulent world:

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disciples in a turbulent world A challenge
that is worth the struggle
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Christian education - spiritual information or
spiritual in/formation?
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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.
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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
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the faith we have inherited was additionally
deeply influenced by the skepticism, secularism,
and consumerism of modernity.
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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.
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Terms like evangelism, discipleship, Christian
education, teaching, sanctification, spiritual
growth are being re-thought.
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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.
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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
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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 Cours
es/Lessons Booklets with blanks to fill in ...
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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 ...
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• 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.

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self
church
world
world
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world
church
self
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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 316)
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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 316)
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(No Transcript)
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faith formation in a postmodern age
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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!
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COL 127 To them God has chosen to make known
among the 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. GAL 419 My dear children, for whom I am
again in the pains of 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!
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• 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 2816-20)

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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
...
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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.
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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
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disciple \Disci"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
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Disciples are apprentices of Jesus.
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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• practical wisdom is more truly embodied in
  action than expressed in rules of action. (pp.
  53-54)

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• Disciples/apprentices primarily learn not by
  listening
• or trying
• but by
• training.

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

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• What if we put everything on the table
• and risked everything
• to succeed at this one thing
• training
• disciples?

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what is spiritual formation?
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We have a rich heritage of approaches to
spiritual formation Celtic Sacramental Charism
atic Ascetic Liberal/Activist Non-ascetic Monas
tic Anchorite Revivalist Contemplative Reform
ed Fundamentalist
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A Triangle Spirituality Community Mission
External Environment
Context
Experiences of life joys, sorrows, sufferings,
pleasures
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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 Bibles
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
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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 convertsdown
through the centuriesOnly 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
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Process (versus event) focus into the mission
(versus lore) Induction/Initiation Transform
ation Transmission
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1. Induction Adapted from Hippolytus 3rd
century
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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
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2. The Hearer Phase Goal Discipleship Content
Discipleship, worship, fellowship, hardship,
stewardship, partnership Milestone Requesting
baptism
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3. The Kneeler Phase Goal Equipping Content
Equipping for ministry (Memorizing the Lords
prayer, apostles creed, spiritual
warfare) Milestone Rite of Baptism (Easter)
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4. The Faithful Stage Goal Incorporate Content
Discern and use gifts, witness and outreach,
induct others, prepare for martyrdom Milestone
Eucharist
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after induction what next?
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MT 182 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 1420 Brothers, stop thinking like
children. In regard to evil be infants, but in
your thinking be adults.
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transformationuntil Christis formed in
you.(Galatians 419)
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Transformation From Finding Faith (McLaren,
Zondervan, 1999) Simplicity Complexity Pe
rplexity Humility
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the threefold way(stages of spiritual
formation)
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the purgative way(catharsis)
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the illuminative way(fotosis)
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the unitive way(theosis)
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the end of christian education
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the end of classes(and the beginning of
courses)
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the end of information(and the beginning of
in/formation)
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the end of pretending(and the beginning of
authenticity)
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the end of teaching(and the beginning of
teachers/mentors)learning is not a function of
teaching,but ratherof thinking
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the end of Bible Study(and the beginning of
inhabiting the Biblical narrative)
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the end of christian education (doctrine)and
the beginning of christian practice(way of
life)
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the end of sunday schooland the beginning life
school
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the end of christian education may your
kingdom come
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