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Monday, February 14, 2005

New Reality Number Four

The Return to Spiritual Formation

I have learned a few things about Cathy in our two-plus decades of marriage. I have discovered what she likes and doesn’t like. I have learned about her family. I don’t know about her. I know her! She and I have achieved and intimacy that comes from hanging out together, sharing dreams and hurts, working on projects together, experiencing leisure and fun together and from sharing countless days of more routine experiences.

Those who claim to be followers of Jesus claim to have a relationship with him. We don’t just learn about Jesus, we KNOW Jesus. After all aren’t we told that the devil knows about Jesus?

If you were to walk into a health club or gym today and start a new membership there would be a person assigned to you to help you get started. They would take you through a series of questions asking you what your target weight would be, what you hoped to achieve by working out. They would then show you the machines you would need to be using and help you right out goals to assess when you were making progress.

People don’t come to church to make the church better they come to make themselves and their lives better. Rather than dump on new believers or attenders information about Jesus why don’t we show them the equipment and show them how to live with Jesus and get to know him in a relationship?

Life coaching seems the way to go about this. Viewing this method as spiritual formation is best. If your church pursued life coaching for people you would accomplish seven things.

You would communicate to the person that personal spiritual growth and development is anticipated and expected. Show them that you care for them and that the church is there for them not vice versa.

You would check the pulse to determine the needs and hopes of the church. Letting need drive ministries not budgets.

You would be intentional not just busy. A rocking chair has a lot of motion but never goes anywhere.

You could use this as an opportunity to introduce people to and educate then about spiritual disciplines and spiritual growth.

You could custom make spiritual formation to fit interests they are already pursuing. For instance don’t quite your indoor soccer league to go to church, take church to the soccer league.

You could help with life needs not just spiritual needs. For instance financial planning.

posted by Nick @ 11:25 AM

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