Spiritual Formation Discipleship, Part 3 -- The Principles and Practices

Author's Note:  If you look at the dates of this and related posts, you will find that there is well over a year between the first two posts introducing this concept, and this one.  In this post, I wish to get to the point, so to speak, and define the principles and practices that Jim, Mary, and I defined to set the context of Spiritual Formational Discipleship (SPD). The following two links will take you to the original introductory posts.

Post on how it all started.

Post introducing Spiritual Formation Discipleship.

 

We defined 10 princples, which formed a context for SPD.  Each principle had a number of practices under it.  These practices might be repeated for more than one principle.  Also, the practices are not meant to be an exhaustive list of spiritual discicplines and practices.  For that matter, the principles are not necessarily exhaustive, but as I read them, it strikes me that they are pretty inclusive of Christian life and discipleship. 

Principle 1: Uniqueness

We recognize that everyone is unique and we tailor our discipleship to the individual's uniqueness and life situation.

Each individual has unique:

• Ministry Gifts (Romans 12:4-8, Ephesians 2:10)
• Equipping Gifts (Ephesians 4:11-13)
• Spiritual Gifts and Functions (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)
• Natural Gifts
• Experiences
• Personal Struggles
• Interest, Hopes, and Dreams

Practices of Uniqueness:

Spiritual Direction:  Learn to discern what God is doing, or wants to do, in your life.  Understand how your uniqueness affects the way you relate to God.

Assessment Tools (e.g., spiritual gift assessments, Meyer-Briggs, LifeKeys).

 

Principle 2: Holy LIstening and Reflection

Holy Listening and reflection is necessary to learn to listen to God, and to reflect on what God is doing in our life. 

Practices of Holy Listening:

• Journaling.
• Reflective reading of the Bible (lectio divina).
• Centering Prayer/Jesus Prayer.
• Making time for reflection.
• Practicing times of silence and solitude.
• Principles of Spiritual Direction (see notes, below).

When I refer to Spiritual Direction, I mean it as it is typically used by the contemplative tradiation.  Refer to, Holy Invitations by Jeannette A. Bakke.  Some key points include:

• The practice of helping a person discover what God is doing in their life.
• It is not counseling or any activity that tries to "fix" a person.
• It involves prayer.
• It is more a matter of asking the right questions, than having the right answers.
• It can help a person work through what is going on in their life at the moment.

 

Principle 3:  Holy Spirit Led Discipleship

We acknowledge that the Holy Spirit is the one who leads us in the process of being a disciple of Jesus (Philippians 2:13, John 16:13a, Ephesians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 12:11).

Practices of the Holy Spirit

• Watch what the father is doing.
  
  Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.  John 5:19
  
  
• Holy Listening
• Spiritual Gifts

 

Principle 4:  Way of the Cross -- Dying to Self

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it."  Matthew 16:24 – 25

Practices of the Cross

• Surrender to God ("Sacrement of the Present Moment")
• Service
• Loving one another
• Fasting
• Simplicity
• Solitude
• Holiness

 

Principle 5:  Communion With God

So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.  1 John 4:16   (cf. 2 Cor 13:13, Is 32:17-18, Eph 3:16-17)

Practices of Communion With God

• Worship
• Prayer
• Holy Listening
• Spiritual Retreats
• Sabbath Walks
• Sacrement of the Present Moment

 

Principle 6:  Faith Walk

...for we walk by faith, not by sight.  2 Corinthians 5:7

Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. 1 Peter 1:21

...if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.  2 Timothy 2:13

Practices of Faith Walk

• Bible Study (James 1:22-25)
• Trusting God (Hebrews 11)
• Obedience to the Word of God (James 2:17)
• Living by these SPD Principles
• Understanding the perceived absence of God.

Note:  There are times when we may not perceive the presence of God.  This does not necessarily mean that God is discpleased with us.  There are times we go through what John of the Cross called the "dark night" of faith.  This is a normal part of walking with God in this life.

 

Principle 7:  Growing in Community

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.  1 John 4:12

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.  Hebrews 10:24 – 25 (cf. Acts 2:42-47)

Practices of Community:

• Small Groups
• Ministry and Service
• Worship
• The Lord's Supper
• Mentoring
• Bearing One Another's Burdens (Gallatians 6:2)

 

Principle 8:  Becoming Like Christ -- Imago Dei

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.  Romans 8:29

Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.  1 Corinthians 15:49

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  Ephesians 5:1 – 2

In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.  Ephesians 2:21 – 22

But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ... Ephesians 4:15

And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.  2 Corinthians 3:18

Practices of Imago Dei

• All Spiritual Formation Practices
• Practicing the Presence of God, by Brother Lawaurence
• Sacrement of the Present Moment, by Jean-Pierre de Cassade (my favorite)
• The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a'Kempis
• Present Perfect: Finding God in the Now, by Gregory A. Boyd
• Holiness and Purity

Note:  The practice of holiness is something I added to the original list of principles and practices.  Over the years, I have come to appreciate the need to seek this in our lives, given the temptations of the world.  My approach to this is to realize my own powerlessness in the flesh to obtain any kind of holiness and purity with my own effort.  I need to surrender to God (the cross), and allow Him to work His holiness in me.  It also involves learning the positive prinicple of setting our minds and hearts on that which is good and pure (rf. Phil. 4:8-9).  This is a process that I am told continues for all our lives.

 

Principle 9: Knowing and Following God's Heart

I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.  Jeremiah 3:15

Practices Leading to Knowledge of God's Heart

• Holy Listening
• Bible Study
• Isaiah 58
• Isaiah 61 (cf. Luke 4:18=19)
• Love (Matt 22:37-40, 1 John 4:16)
• Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.  James 1:27
• Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)

 

Principle 10:  Replication

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples 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 everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18 – 20

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.  2 Corinthians 5:18 – 19

The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.  Ephesians 4:11 – 13

Practices of Replication

• Mentoring
• Servant Leadership (Mark 9:35, John 13:3-16)
• Promoting these Princiles and Practices to followers of Jesus

Summary Thoughts

The above principles and practices are things that can be applied by any follower of Jesus.  I have intentionally not told you how to apply these, because each of us is unique (Principle 1).  However, I urge you to trust God to show you how to apply these to your life (Principles 3 & 6).  Ask God to bring people into your life that can mentor you and walk with you, as you seek to follow Jesus.  Also, don't feel like you somehow have to perfect each of these principles and practices, along with all that is implied behind them.  Just let them be guideposts along the way.  In time, you will learn how to incorporate them into your daily walk with God. 

May God Bless You (Ephesians 3:14-21)