By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23a (NRSV)
Some wonderful teachers have reminded me through the years that everyone has a spiritual formation (Dallas Willard for sure, but others too). The question throughout life is, "What kind?" Who are we being formed to become? What do we give our hearts and minds to? In the current North American context, what Dr. Willard has written is true:
"Consumer Christianity is now normative. The consumer Christian is one who utilizes the grace of God for forgiveness and the services of the church for special occasions, but does not give his or her life and innermost thoughts, feelings, and intentions over to the kingdom of the heavens. [emphasis added] Such Christians are not inwardly transformed and not committed to it." (From The Divine Conspiracy)
When I first encountered this statement years ago, it answered so many frustrations and questions I had about life as a congregational Pastor. It even answered some frustrations I have about my own personal slowness in developing into a "fully devoted disciple of Jesus". I began to reflect on discipleship, personally and for the church at large, as the process of becoming. In the congregation I served then (which has carried over into the ministry where I currently serve) we began evaluating the state of our ministry by a different question than "Have you grown numerically and financially?" The real question of faithful formation is this, "What happens in the life of the person (and community) who engages in life here?"
So, friends, what is happening in your life? What is the spiritual formation you are experiencing? Are we growing into fully devoted disciples? Are people who connect with us (individually, congregationally, regionally) being drawn closer to God? Where and how is God calling us to grow deeper and stronger?
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)
Michael Doerr
First Christian Wauseon