Spiritual formation is a deeply personal and inward transformation process designed to shape our hearts, minds, and character into the likeness of Christ. I will call this a form of a sanctifying process, where we are set apart for God’s use and our own individual growth. This process is a work of the Holy Spirit, accomplished through our active cooperation in committing to spiritual disciplines, engaging in Christian community, and taking on an ongoing responsibility for lifelong growth in Christ.
If I stopped there with that definition, you might wonder who would have a problem with that? Well, surprisingly (maybe not) this topic gets added to the seemingly ever-growing list of “controversial” topics that seem to dot the landscape of the Christian faith. Therefore, the fundamental issue at the heart of this debate is whether the methods and philosophies of the spiritual formation movement align with biblical truth.
Is Spiritual Formation Biblical?
Whether or not spiritual formation and its movement is biblical depends on who you ask. Of course, proponents of it believe it aligns well with Scripture, while opponents raise their concerns. To help you understand better, here are some of the key disciplines of spiritual formation.
- Prayer - Personal and corporate times of dialogue with God. This will include adoration, confession, intercession, thanksgiving, and listening.
- Bible reading and meditation - This involves reading Scripture regularly, along with memorizing and reflecting on the meaning and purpose of the text. The aim is not just to gather information but to be transformed by the word of God.
- Worship - Intentional times of praise and adoration to God both individually and corporately, often through song, silence, liturgy, all done reverently.
- Fasting - Choosing to abstain from food to seek a more focused spiritual connection with God.
- Silence and solitude - A time of withdrawal away from the noise of life to focus on God, rest, reflect, and listen for his voice.
- Confession - Acknowledging sin before God and confessing sin to others.
- Fellowship and community - Building relationships with other believers for fellowship, accountability, and encouragement.
- Service - Using your gifts and talents to care for others and show them the love of Jesus by caring for them.
- Seeking guidance - Pursuing and getting wise counsel from mature Christians.
- Sabbath and rest - Taking intentional moments of rest to honor God and recharge the spirit, mind, and body.
You can make a case for each of these disciplines from Scripture, and on a surface level there does not seem to be anything wrong with these disciplines. If that is the case, then what is the concern about the spiritual formation movement?
What Is the Spiritual Formation Movement?
Two key people introduced the modern spiritual formation movement. The first is Richard Foster, who wrote Celebration of Discipline in 1978. This book reacquainted the evangelical church with disciplines such as solitude, silence, fasting, and meditation. His book was followed ten years later by a book written by Dallas Willard, called The Spirit of Discipline, which focused on how spiritual disciplines are a path to Spirit-led transformation. His book gave the movement an intellectual and academic framework and opened the door for spiritual formation to be taught in evangelical seminaries.
Critics of the movement believe that certain practices of spiritual formation are associated with mysticism, New Age techniques, and Eastern meditation. This is especially true of things like practicing meditation. Others feel there is a shift away from biblical truth to relying on personal spiritual experiences as the measure of authenticity. Some critics argue that this movement leads people to approach holiness from a works-based mindset, claiming that the disciplines focus on human effort rather than the transforming work of the Holy Spirit alone. Finally, some question whether the practices align with Scripture and if they are too reliant on psychology or therapeutic methods.
How Spiritual Formation Happens in the Christian Life
According to Dallas Willard, here is how spiritual formation happens:
“Spiritual formation in the tradition of Jesus Christ is the process of transformation of the inmost dimension of the human being, the heart, which is the same as the spirit or will. It is being formed (really, transformed) in such a way that its natural expression comes to be the deeds of Christ done in the power of Christ.”
Proponents of spiritual formation might add that it goes beyond just changing external behaviors. The disciplines are supposed to lead to a deep, inward transformation. The transformation that happens results from cooperation between the work of the Spirit and the work of the human in choosing to take part in these disciplines.
One thing that is necessary is distinguishing spiritual formation from salvation. While salvation is an act of grace through faith, which requires no work on your own to obtain it, spiritual formation comes after salvation and is a byproduct of faith, grace, and work. Stated another way, you have a role to play in your spiritual transformation, and the disciplines will move you in that direction.
You might then wonder, does spiritual formation = spiritual transformation?
While the answer to this question will depend on who you ask, those who practice spiritual formation would probably conclude that spiritual formation is not transformation. Instead, it is the behaviors that are put into practice that lead to transformation. Spiritual formation is about intentional habits or practices that give room for the Holy Spirit to do the work of transformation in the believer’s life.
Conclusion: Should You Practice Spiritual Formation?
One important question underlying spiritual formation is what role do we play in the sanctification process? Is this only the work of the Holy Spirit and all it requires us to do is read the Bible and pray?
I believe most would agree that the disciplines of the faith contribute to our growth, and we cannot grow if we don’t practice them. We all know that if you don’t pray, read the Bible, or if you neglect fellowship, those things (or lack thereof) will hinder your spiritual development. But the question remains: how far do we take this?
Are there benefits to disciplines like fasting, silence, meditation, or confession? The answer is a resounding yes! However, we must be clear about how we define these terms. That also matters. For example, the Bible tells us to meditate on his word day and night, so we are careful to do what it says (Joshua 1:8). However, in meditating, are we thinking deeply about God’s Word or are we seeking to enter some type of subconscious spiritual state that will produce change? I would deem the former healthy; the latter is potentially dangerous for the Christian and could even play a (negative) role in spiritual warfare.
If you are intentionally taking time to pray, study, worship, and meditate on God and his word, even shutting out the surrounding noise to focus in on what God is saying to you, those are good things. They are spiritual disciplines that every believer should practice. If that is your definition of spiritual formation, then practice it. Beyond that, things land on shaky ground.
Spiritual disciplines are part of this journey, and Jesus modeled some of them for us. While you could never earn salvation through spiritual formation alone, your growth into a healthy and mature follower of Jesus depends on how you learn and apply the things he has told us to do. To some level, we all practice spiritual formation. Whether you should fully embrace it depends on your definitions of these disciplines and the way in which you practice them.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Joel Muniz
He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose, which helps readers understand how God leads them into his will, and the author of The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has released his first course, Bible Study Basics, to achieve that goal. To learn more about his ministry and resources, please visit clarencehaynes.com.
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