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.
CLICK HERE for a curated list of other spiritual formation sites that I recommend
My Courses Available on Faith + Lead Academy
Spiritual Formation Posts
Project Updates
As usual, there are many different things going on around here. It has been a while since I listed them off. Here goes... In the Studio: For the past couple months I have been working on a big project for The Discovery Church Children's Ministry in Denver. I used to...
The Stations of the Cross
On Good Friday we will be experiencing the stations of the cross together at Grace. I will be doing live charcoal drawings of each station as scripture and meditations are read. In preparing for this experience I came across an online version of the stations that I...
Conversations…What is new wine in new wineskins all about?
This question was emailed to me... HI Pastor Steve- My question I hope will not be as ambiguous as "How does the Holy Spirit work in our current lives" like I asked you last time; I realized that was a tad too broad - but I had my DATE with God last week and have...
Images of Fasting – FCA presentation
I had the extreme privilege of speaking at the Andover/Blaine FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) 30-Hour Famine last Friday. One of their student leaders, Laura Hellmann, asked if I would talk to them about the purpose and spiritual benefit of fasting. The request...
One Day Without Shoes
During this season of Lent, this is yet another way to connect to a world in pain. http://youtu.be/BitShRujoeA
Parents are the key
I came across this article today regarding the state of spirituality among young adults. This passage at the end was especially telling for me and a great challenge for our children, youth, and family ministry at Grace. You can read the whole article here. Emerging...
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
