Spirituality & Discipleship
This page is my storehouse for both my research about spirituality and discipleship AND the resources I’ve created to help leaders and seekers to grow spiritually.
Missional Spiritual Formation leaders are called to cultivate growing disciples of Jesus who are equipped to discern God’s action in the world and empowered to participate in it.
Spiritual Formation Posts
Drawing TRUST | My Word for the Year
I write this post on the morning of January 20, 2025. There is a strange convergence of world events today: It is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We recognize this man for the work he did to ensure civil rights for all people in our country. There is a cease-fire in Gaza...
Join Us for a 4-Day Mindful Advent Challenge
Looking for a meaningful way to observe Advent? Sign up for our daily Advent devotionals, featuring contemplative spiritual art and mindful sketching, to center your heart and spirit.
My New Course | Overflow: Loving God With Our Mind
I’m excited to share with you my latest course at Faith+Lead Academy. It’s called Overflow: Loving God with our Mind.
One Week Left to Sign Up for the Art of Discipleship Course
Join me for a 4-Week journey through the Art of Discipleship. Every Tuesday evening on Zoom we will explore what it looks like to follow the Way of Jesus in our world today.
Drawing the Science of Photosynthesis in Trees on the iPad
In this livestream session I talk about the Two Books that we read to learn about God: the book of nature and the book of scripture. I also work on an illustration for Science and the Church of how photosynthesis works in trees.
Framing Discipleship in Clip Studio Paint on the iPad
What does it mean to frame a subject? Join me as we discuss different frameworks for discussing discipleship and watch as I begin to draw the frames of our conversation in Clip Studio Paint on the iPad.
Recommended Reading
Journeying in the Wilderness by Terri Elton
The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr
Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster
Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard
Belonging by Karoline Lewis
The Corner of Fourth and Nondual by Cynthia Bourgeault
The Critical Journey by Janet O. Hagberg
Renew Your Life by Kai Nilsen
Invitation to a Journey by M. Robert Mullholland Jr.
Acts of Faith: Meditations For People of Color by Iyanla Vanzant
Earth Crammed with Heaven: A Spirituality of Everyday Life by Elizabeth Dreyer
Thirsty for God by Bradley Holt
Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices by Brian McLaren
We Make the Road by Walking by Brian McLaren
Cultivating Sent Communities edited by Dwight Zscheile
Power Surge by Michael Foss
I have two favorite metaphors to discuss spiritual formation.
The first is a journey. Jesus called to his first disciples, “Follow me!” and they traveled with him as he demonstrated what it looks like to live in fellowship with God.
The first disciples in John 1:38 asked Jesus, “Where do you dwell?”
Jesus replied, “Come and See,” so they followed him.
To be a disciple of Jesus is to move, to explore, to grow.
But what is the destination?
That leads me to my second favorite metaphor. The Vine and the Branches.
Jesus said in John 15:1-5, “I am the vine and you are the branches…remain/dwell in me and I will remain in you, and you will bear much fruit.”
The destination of this journey is not a physical time or place. The destination is the love of God.
God’s love is infinite, therefore we will never arrive. We simply keep growing.
We go and grow in two directions.
First, we grow deeper roots to be grounded in the love of God.
Second, we grow taller and wider branches to spread the fruit of God’s love wider.
Cultivating A Spiritual Formation Plan for the Local Congregation
The local church is the ideal place to grow spiritually. However, it is often difficult to do so. One of my ongoing projects is to experiment with how to cultivate spaces for people to grow spiritually. This article gives some basic outlines for how to think about this.
Check Out My Spiritual Formation Resources
Mindful Sketching
Learn how to connect your breath to your body and use the process of mark-making to become present with God.
Other Spiritual Formation Sites
Journeying in the Wilderness
