River City Church - Smyrna, GA
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
Josh shares from Psalm 1 this morning as we continue our three-month focus on the importance of the local church, living in community, and being formed together. Today, we're looking at what it means to step into spiritual formation. Formation is already happening. We are being formed by one thing or another. One group or another. Are these what we want to be formed by? Three questions to consider: What am I pursuing? How am I currently being formed? What things hinder me from desiring to be formed by God in my day-to-day routines? 2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 12:1-2; Psalm 1.
Josh shared a few definitions today for spiritual formation and spiritual disciplines:
1) James Bryan Smith - “Christian spiritual formation is the process of being transformed into the image of Christ, through a relationship of intimacy with God, by the power of the Spirit, in order to live a good and beautiful life of faith, hope, love, joy and peace- for the sake of the world.”
2) Ruth Haley Barton - “Spiritual transformation is the process by which Christ is formed in us …for the glory of God, for the abundance of our own lives, and for the sake of others."
3) Evan B. Howard - “The intentional and semi-intentional processes by which believers (individuals and communities) become more fully conformed and united to Christ, especially with regard to maturity in life and calling."
4) Spiritual disciplines: "Any intentional space or practice done with the goal of cultivating attentiveness to God and what the Holy Spirit wants to do in and around us."
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