DEAR READER,
Our vision for every issue of this publication is to create the kind of environment in which you’re not only invited to listen in on a conversation about spiritual things, but also feel free to pull up a chair and enter the discussion. The guiding image for the journal is the inspiration for this kind of conversation: seven large leather chairs arranged in front of a large wooden table before a crackling fireplace. That’s where we believe true transformation begins, when God is invited into conversation—with us and through us. This regular feature is just one way that you can “join the conversation.” We hope that through it, we will all be transformed more deeply into His likeness.
This particular topic, A Call to Spiritual Formation, is of obvious interest to us—and we’d love to hear what you think. Facilitated by a small group in Denver, Colorado, this document was originally drafted by 150 people across the Church and then crafted by approximately 50 individuals at the RENOVARÉ International Conference in July 2009. Its purpose is to bring to the forefront “the absolute necessity of an intentional process of spiritual formation for each and every Christian.”
Read the document below, and let us know your thoughts. How do you respond to this call? Does it encompass all that it should and exclude all that is unnecessary? We encourage you to pull up a chair, get comfortable, and join us in conversation about this very important topic.
How do you do that?
Well, like our friends over at Metamorpha.com, you could take the text and blog about it. (In fact, you could check out the conversation that Kyle and his friends are having on their site as a jumping off point.) Or if you’d like to join us by the fireplace, you can start a discussion here on our website (just make a comment in the comments section) or on our Facebook page, talk about it on Twitter, send us an email, or drop a us a line with thoughts and questions, using the good old-fashioned pen-and-paper method. We’ll publish what we can, both here in the pages of the journal and on our newly redesigned website (on which we’d also love your feedback!)
So, please, come join the conversation.
Warmly,
The Editors
A Call to Spiritual Formation
San Antonio, 2009
Christian spiritual formation is the process of being shaped by the Spirit into the likeness of Christ, filled with love for God and the world. God calls us all to become like
Jesus. Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”* We experience this abundance of life—here and now—as our passions, character, understanding, and relationships are increasingly aligned with those of Christ. This lifelong transformation within and among us is the continual gift of God’s Spirit. We are called to be renewed into the likeness of Jesus—but we do not always fully embrace this calling. Sometimes we seem content to be known as “Christians” without intentionally engaging with this work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Other times we desperately long for a new way of life, wanting to grow in our walk with Jesus, but needing help and encouragement. We, therefore, commit to pursue passionately and to receive joyfully God’s grace to be more fully transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.
As we are rooted in Jesus and in the kingdom he proclaims, we are progressively transformed. Jesus is the center of all life and history, both the source and goal of all creation. God shaped this universe as a place where the love and life of Jesus Christ might flourish. Because we are formed in the divine image, we have the capacity to receive and express this life and love. Although human disobedience corrupts the divine image in us, God still forms a people able to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love their neighbors as themselves. Jesus makes this possible through his life, death, and resurrection. In him we experience a restored relationship of love with God and one another, and continual transformation into his likeness. We are becoming a reconciled and renewed community—which is both the goal and the substance of life in God’s kingdom. This is the good news we proclaim with joy to the whole world.
Our engagement with God’s transforming grace is vital. Renewal into the image of Christ is not a human attainment; it is a gift of grace. God mercifully uses all our experiences, including our suffering and trials, to teach and transform us. Even so, transformation requires our involvement and effort. We need to make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit’s work in all our life experiences, particularly through intentional engagement with historical Christian disciplines, including Word and sacrament. These practices open us to the presence and grace of God. As a result, we become, through time and experience, the kind of persons who naturally express love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Spiritual formation happens in community. As we long to know and follow Jesus and be formed into his likeness, we journey with those who share this longing.
God is calling the church to be a place of transformation. Here we struggle to fulfill our calling to love. Here we learn to attend to the invitations of God’s Spirit. Here we follow the presence of God in our midst. Spiritual community is the catalyst for our transformation and a sending base for our mission of love to the world.
Spiritual formation is, by its very nature, missional. As we are formed into the likeness of Christ, we increasingly share God’s infinitely tender love for others.
We deepen in our compassion for the poor, the broken, and the lost. We ache and pray and labor for others in a new way, a selfless way, a joy-filled way. Our hearts are enlarged toward all people and toward all of creation.
We invite all people, everywhere, to embrace with us this calling to become like Jesus. By God’s grace, we will seek to become lovers: lovers of God, lovers of people, and lovers of all creation. We will immerse ourselves in a lifestyle that is attentive and responsive to the gracious presence of God. We commit ourselves to the community of Christ’s beloved, the church, so that we can learn this way of love together. We entreat you to join us.
• • •
Letters should be no longer than 500 words and should be sent to the Managing
Editor via e-mail at joinus@conversationsjournal.com or surface mail at:
Conversations
McCarty Building
2055 Mt. Paran Rd. NW
Atlanta, GA 30327
Contributions may not be acknowledged, and not all will be published. Those used must include your full name as well as city and country of residence. They may be edited for length and clarity. So, please, join the dialogue. Responses do not have to be limited to the latest issue. Simply let us know how you react to the ideas that are shared, and tell us where they take you on the journey.
We have a chair reserved for you, and you will be missed if you do not take your place.
Editor’s Note: To read more about A Call to Spiritual Formation, you can visit the website at http://www.acalltospiritualformation.info.
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