Spiritual Formation Community as Matrix

Spiritual Formation Community as the Matrix of Christian Spiritual Formation

A holistic Christian spiritual formation community (SFC) matrix contains the components of practice, worship, and instruction in the context of a community. The goals of the spiritual formation community matrix paradigm are that members of the faith community (1) grow into Christ-likeness, (2) become a people of God, and (3) build the kingdom of God and heal the whole of creation (shalom). Its essential components are the spiritual formation elements interacting in a spiritual formation community (more on this later) that acts as a crucible for CSF in individuals and the community itself. The faith community is central in this paradigm.

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Spiritual Formation in Theological Institutions

This is a useful book to read

Balzer, Cary and Reed, Rod. 2012. Building a Culture of Faith. Texas, TX: Abilene Christian University Press

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one who counts

It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knows neither victory nor defeat

PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT

Speech at the Sorbonne, 23 April 1910

source: Wiki

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Conversations with my Granddaughter (10)

Grandchildren

Little one, you are two years old now. Grampa has been thinking about what a blessing you are and how to put it into words when Grampa came across this quotation from another grandpa who appreciates his grandchildren. This grandpa’s name is Frederick Buechner and he is a writer of books. On the subject of grandchildren, Buechner writes,

To have grandchildren is not only to be given something but to be given something back.

You are given back something of your children's childhood all those years ago. You are given back something of what it was like to be a young parent. You are given back something of your own childhood even, as on creaking knees you get down on the floor to play tiddlywinks, or sing about Old MacDonald and his farm, or watch Saturday morning cartoons till you're cross-eyed.

It is not only your own genes that are part of your grandchildren but the genes of all sorts of people they never knew but who, through them, will play some part in times and places they never dreamed of. And of course along with your genes, they will also carry their memories of you into those times and places too—the afternoon you lay in the hammock with them watching the breezes blow, the face you made when one of them stuck out a tongue dyed Popsicle blue at you, the time you got a splinter out for one of them with the tweezers of your Swiss army knife.

 On some distant day they will hold grandchildren of their own with the same hands you once held them by as you searched the beach at low tide for Spanish gold. In the Meantime, they are the freshest and fairest you have. After you're gone, it is mainly because of them that the earth will not be as if you never walked on it. ~originally published in Beyond Words

Grandpa Buechner is a very wise man. Grampa loved his description of grandchildren because you embodied everything he writes about.

Two years ago when you first arrived, Grampa prayed for you in the hospital. Grampa’s prayer is a prayer of thanks as the Good Lord has given you as a gift to your parents and also to Grampa. Over the two years, you have helped Grampa to realize that you have not also given Grampa a gift of yourself but also additional bonus. The Bible states that children are gifts from God. And Grampa will add that they are bonus to grandparents.

Little one, you have given Grampa the bonus of reliving your Mummy’s childhood. Being first time parents, much of Grandma and Grampa's time is taken up to ensure that your Mummy ‘stay alive’. This may seem funny as your Grampa is supposed to be an expert on children’s health. But when it comes to your own child, there is no such thing as an expert. We were so busy with looking after her, and with our jobs that we did not realize how much of her childhood we have missed. Yes, we did celebrate the day she first walked, say her first word, and placing another mark on the wall to show how much she has grown. You, little one, has made Grampa aware that there are large chunks that Grampa have missed. Now that Grampa do not have to be involved in the day to day care of a growing child, Grampa have the privilege and luxury of observing and enjoying your growth; discovery of new skills, sense of wonder, and the innocent happiness of a child. Grampa cherish our making new memories together. Little one, you are indeed the ‘freshest and fairest’ Grampa have. And Grampa continue to thank God for you.

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Conversations with my granddaughter (9)

Superheroes

Hello little one,

I noticed recently that you are taken up with superheroes. You are running around with your superhero action figures yelling “iron man!” and “spiderman!”  And you have included them in your imaginary play. Instead of the usual tea party I have observed in other children of your age, you have seated them up in a row and with a syringe you serve them medicine! Hmm. I wonder where you learned this from.

You know little one, you are not the only one that is taken up by superheroes. The big people are also taken up by superheroes. They call them celebrities. These are not actually the superheroes that you see in Grampa’s comic books. The big people’s superheroes do not have superpowers. They are good looking and famous.  They are supermodels, sportsman, billionaires, bestselling authors or megachurch pastors. In other words, they are not what the rest of the big people are. Very few big people are great looking, good in sports, very rich, can write, or have the charisma and leadership to look after large churches. Most big people are rather plain looking, overweight, quite poor, have poor reading and writing skills, and have not opportunity to lead others. Yet, these people are buying into the dream that they can be what their celebrities or superheroes are. They believe they can become like them – full of glamour and glory. They put these people on a pedestal and sought to emulate them. They teach their little ones that these celebrities are the role models. I guess in the old days, the big people will make these celebrities gods. Little one, most big people are not happy to be themselves. They spent most of their lives trying to be someone else. That is why there is so much unhappiness in this world. Most big people are not comfortable in their own skins.

Little one, Grampa believes that the true superheroes are not like these big people’s celebrities. Real superheroes are those big people who try their best to look after themselves and their families with whatever resources they have, to the best of their abilities. There is no glamour or glory for these superheroes. Many big people struggle to live day by day, just doing the best with however they have. A wonder woman is the ‘kakak’ who leaves behind a family to work as a maid in a foreign country so that she can earn for her children to have enough food to eat and go to school. A superman is the uncle from Bangladesh who works in the construction site with a lot of heavy lifting, living in frugal crowded condition so that he can earn enough money to send home to his family. These superheroes are willing to suffer loneliness, homesickness, humiliation, and depravity so that their family may have a better life. There are other superheroes too such as the man who is suffering from cancer who trys to be cheerful in spite of his body falling apart; a woman in a loveless abusive marriage, trying to hold it together for the sake of the children; a man who was unfairly imprisoned for daring to speak up for the poor and oppressed; and a person who donate an organ so that another may live. These are true superheroes!

May God grant you, little one, the ability to discern who true superheroes are. These are the ordinary big people around us who strive so hard to make a better life for others. Do not be deceived by the false superheroes on pedestals that have clay feet. Now, go and play with your batman action figure.

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Objects in the Rear View Mirror

Meat Loaf – Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are Lyrics

Songwriters: JIM STEINMAN

The skies were pure and the fields were green
And the sun was brighter than it's ever been
When I grew up with my best friend Kenny
We were close as any brothers than you ever knew

It was always summer and the future called
We were ready for adventures and we wanted them all
And there was so much left to dream
And so much time to make it real

But I can still recall the sting of all
The tears when he was gone
They said he crashed and burned
I know I'll never learn
Why any boy should die so young

We were racing, we were soldiers of fortune
We got in trouble but we sure got around
There are times I think I see him peeling out of the dark
I think he's right behind me now and he's gaining ground

But it was long ago and it was far away,
Oh God it seems so very far
And if life is just a highway,
Then the soul is just a car
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are

And when the sun descended and the night arose
I heard my father cursing everyone he knows
He was dangerous and drunk and defeated
And corroded by failure and envy and hate

There were endless winters and the dreams would freeze
Nowhere to hide and no leaves on the trees
And my father's eyes were blank
As he hit me again and again and again

I know I still believe he'd never let me leave,
I had to run away alone
So many threats and fears, so many wasted years
Before my life became my own

And though the nightmares should be over
Some of the terrors are still intact
I'll hear that ugly coarse and violent voice
And then he grabs me from behind
And then he pulls me back

But it was long ago and it was far away,
Oh God it seems so very far
And if life is just a highway,
Then the soul is just a car
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are

There was a beauty living on the edge of town
And she always put the top up and the hammer down
And she taught me everything I'll ever know
About the mystery and the muscle of love

The stars would glimmer and the moon would glow
I'm in the back seat with my Julie like a Romeo
And the signs along the highway all said,
Caution! Kids At Play!

Those were the rights of spring and we did everything
There was salvation every night
We got our dreams reborn and our upholstery torn
But everything we tried was right

She used her body just like a bandage,
She used my body just like a wound
I'll probably never know where she disappeared
But I can see her rising up out of the back seat now
Just like an angel rising up from a tomb

But it was long ago and it was far away,
Oh God it seems so very far
And if life is just a highway,
Then the soul is just a car
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are
And objects in the rear view mirror
May appear closer than they are

She used her body just like a bandage,
She used my body just like a wound
I'll probably never know where she disappeared
But I can see her rising up out of the back seat now

Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC

Grandchildren

Grandchildren by Frederick Buechner

To have grandchildren is not only to be given something but to be given something back.

You are given back something of your children's childhood all those years ago. You are given back something of what it was like to be a young parent. You are given back something of your own childhood even, as on creaking knees you get down on the floor to play tiddlywinks, or sing about Old MacDonald and his farm, or watch Saturday morning cartoons till you're cross-eyed.

It is not only your own genes that are part of your grandchildren but the genes of all sorts of people they never knew but who, through them, will play some part in times and places they never dreamed of. And of course along with your genes, they will also carry their memories of you into those times and places too—the afternoon you lay in the hammock with them watching the breezes blow, the face you made when one of them stuck out a tongue dyed Popsicle blue at you, the time you got a splinter out for one of them with the tweezers of your Swiss army knife. On some distant day they will hold grandchildren of their own with the same hands you once held them by as you searched the beach at low tide for Spanish gold.

In the meantime, they are the freshest and fairest you have. After you're gone, it is mainly because of them that the earth will not be as if you never walked on it.

~originally published in Beyond Words


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Spiritual Formation Institute Seminar 2014/1