80 Facts You Should Know About Christian Spiritual Formation

1. Christian spiritual formation is continually developing a relationship with the Triune God.

2. Christian spiritual formation is the process of partaking in the perichoresis of God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.

3. Christian spiritual formation is the continual process of allowing the Holy Spirit to install updates and synchronising with Christ’s character in the operating system (OS) of our spiritual life

4. Christian spiritual formation is relational inclusive of developing and deepening relationship with God, with other people and with our self (Mk. 12:29-31).

5. Christian spiritual formation is the interaction of the overwhelming love of the Father, the sacrificial work of the Son on the Cross, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and the willingness of a person to be formed and transformed.

6. Christian spiritual formation develops within the framework of the revelation of God through his word (Bible) as illuminated by the Holy Spirit in our hearts

7. Christian spiritual formation starts in the depth of the self but continues and is nurtured by the Christian faith community

8. Christian spiritual formation is the process of growing into the character of Christ (Christ-likeness)

9. Christian spiritual formation perfects the intrinsic ongoing spiritual formation which forms, deforms and transforms us from conception to the grave.

10. Christian spiritual formation is will of God for the people of God

11. Christian spiritual formation is filling up of the empty cisterns of our souls with living water

12. Christian spiritual formation is primed and supported by the exercise of spiritual disciplines

13. Christian spiritual formation is a process of becoming

14. Christian spiritual formation is intentional

15. Christian spiritual formation is a journey and a process

16. Christian spiritual formation is life in the Kingdom of God

17. Christian spiritual formation is removing the idols that sit on the thrones of our beings

18. Christian spiritual formation is saying “yes” to Jesus

19. Christian spiritual formation is saying “no” to our egos by taking up the cross

20. Christian spiritual formation is living to serve others (servanthood)

21. Christian spiritual formation is the process of “being saved” for the “saved”

22. Christian spiritual formation is living the fullness of life in the shadow of death

23. Christian spiritual formation is not New Age

24. Christian spiritual formation is submitting to the Lordship of Christ

25. Christian spiritual formation is moving from prayers in the mind to prayers of the heart

26. Christian spiritual formation is praying unceasingly

27. Christian spiritual formation is learning to love and serve the poor, the blind, the hungry, the weeping and the persecuted

28. Christian spiritual formation is personal but not individualistic

29. Christian spiritual formation is communal

30. Christian spiritual formation utilises the Wesleyan Quadrilateral

31. Christian spiritual formation is a universal particular in Christian spirituality

32. Christian spiritual formation is the process of embracing the Mystery of the Divine

33. Christian spiritual formation involves spiritual friendship and mutual encouragement

34. Christian spiritual formation counteracts the negative but embraces the positive aspects of our cultural heritage

35. Christian spiritual formation is enhanced by the matrix of a Christian faith community that nurtures

36. Christian spiritual formation is not an intellectual exercise but engages the heart


37. Christian spiritual formation is missional

38. Christian spiritual formation draws its strength from memories of God’s love and providence

39. Christian spiritual formation is more than Christian education but not less

40. Christian spiritual formation is not a program

41. Christian spiritual formation is not indoctrination

42. Christian spiritual formation is tuning into God’s grace

43. Christian spiritual formation is developing shalom with God

44. Christian spiritual formation is developing our spiritual gifts for the edification of the church by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit

45. Christian spiritual formation nourishes our souls to bear the fruit of the Spirit

46. Christian spiritual formation slows us down to listen to God

47. Christian spiritual formation slows us down to listen to our souls

48. Christian spiritual formation is about personal wholeness, justice and peace

49. Christian spiritual formation rejects the world’s ethos to lord over others but encourages to be a slave to all (Mk. 10: 42-45)

50. Christian spiritual formation partakes of the sufferings of Christ

51. Christian spiritual formation is the process of healing our brokenness and woundedness

52. Christian spiritual formation is not works righteousness

53. Christian spiritual formation is a love affair with God, our Beloved

54. Christian spiritual formation is taking off our old natures and putting on new ones

55. Christian spiritual formation is laying the groundwork for the Holy Spirit to affect spiritual transformation

56. Christian spiritual formation commences after justification but is not justification

57. Christian spiritual formation is sanctification

58. Christian spiritual formation is enhanced by solitude, meditation on Scriptures and theological reflection

59. Christian spiritual formation is developing a life of obedience which becomes a life of faith

60. Christian spiritual formation is renovation of the heart (Dallas Willard)

61. Christian spiritual formation is growing in Christ through community (James Wilhoit)

62. Christian spiritual formation is living in a Christian faith community that receives, remembers, responds and relates (James Wilhoit)

63. Christian spiritual formation affirms the Jesus Creed (Scot McKnight)

64. Christian spiritual formation is a long obedience in the same direction (Eugene Peterson)

65. Christian spiritual formation is enhanced by transforming moments (James Loder)

66. Christian spiritual formation is conforming to His image (Kenneth Boa)

67. Christian spiritual formation is the imitation of Christ (Thomas â Kempis)

68. Christian spiritual formation is how faith matures (Carl Ellis Nelson)

69. Christian spiritual formation flows with sacred rhythms (Ruth Haley Barton)

70. Christian spiritual formation is life together (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

71. Christian spiritual formation is the pursuit of holiness (Jerry White)

72. Christian spiritual formation is learning the knowledge of the Holy (A.W. Tozer)

73. Christian spiritual formation focuses on the centrality of the Gospel (Timothy Keller)

74. Christian spiritual formation is inner growth, outer change (John H. Westerhoff III)

75. Christian spiritual formation is growing in the life of the faith (Dysktra)

76. Christian spiritual formation draws its strength from intergenerational faith communities (Allan Harkness)

77. Christian spiritual formation is enhanced by interactions in small groups (Jennifer Turner)

78. Christian spiritual formation is a celebration of discipline (Richard Foster)

79. Christian spiritual formation is facilitated by the person and work of the Holy Spirit (Torrey)

80. Christian spiritual formation will be consumed in God at his parousia