DSMN 500 - (WA#1) Spiritual formation and Discipleship PDF

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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY

Written Assignment 1 Spiritual Formation and Discipleship

Submitted to Dr. Johnathan Geukgeuzian,

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of

DSMN 500-B02 Discipleship Ministries

By

Niambi Edwards September 6, 2020

2 Table of Contents Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3 Spiritual Formation..................................................................................................................................3 The Impact of the Holy Spirit in Spiritual Development.........................................................................4 Three areas Related to Spiritual Growth..................................................................................................5 Strong and Weak Points from the Personal Growth Assessment..............................................................6 Disciplines to Work on............................................................................................................................7 Love for God (Up)...............................................................................................................................7 Love for One Another (In)...................................................................................................................7 Love for Our Neighbors (Out).............................................................................................................8 Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................8

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………………9

3 Introduction Spiritual formation is when human beings have a deep desire to have a more meaningful and transformational life in Jesus Christ and for the glory of God, also through service to others. The focus of spiritual formation is the Holy Spirit, who is also God, and who guides human beings on the journey of their spirituality.1 Discipleship is the process of learning about Jesus Christ and following His example and teaching in real life practice. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus calls upon people to follow Him; be His disciples and to make disciples of men. Discipleship focuses on Jesus Christ and is a movement towards acceptance of Jesus Christ as God and Savior. 1 Christians undertake continuous study of Christ and how to emulate Him through studying the Bible and attendance of Church fellowship on a regular basis. God cannot be contained in a denomination or Church fellowship, but through a personal relationship with Him through continuous spiritual formation. Spiritual Formation Some scholars believe that spiritual formation is shaped by reading the Bible, through consistent prayer and meditation/reflections, and fellowship with the Christian community. The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) in the U.S. defines spiritual formation as the Biblically guided process through which people become transformed to be Christ-like through the Power of the Holy Spirit, and to love and serve God and others, as they operate in

1

. Morse, MaryKate. “Evangelism, Discipleship, and Spiritual Formation: Which is What?” (April 4, 2018). https://www.missioalliance.org/evangelism-discipleship-and-spiritual-formation-which-is-what/ 2. Teo, Wilson. “Christian Spiritual Formation.” (2017). https://www.regent.edu/acad/global/ publications/elj/vol10iss1/christian-spiritual-formation.pdf 3. Early, Dave & Dempsey, Rod. “Spiritual Formation is how to grow in Jesus with Passion and Confidence.” (2018). Rod Dempsey and Dave Early Ministries. B&H Academic, Nashville, Tennessee.

4 fellowship with other believers.2 Spiritual formation is meant for all believers, and results from truthfully and deliberately seeking the face of God, through enablement by the Holy Spirit.3 Spiritual formation is evident in those believers who are in-filled with the Holy Spirit and manifest the empowerment with spiritual fruits. When Christians produce fruits, they glorify God and can then be said to be living in discipleship to Christ Jesus, and living life as God intended us to live.3 In cases where a believer is not changing and growing with time and Christian nourishment, then spiritual formation aimed at achieving Christ-likeness is not taking place, and they could be said to be stagnant. The glorious transformation is available for all believers in Christ Jesus, when they walk in the Spirit and in Truth, and continually seek the face of God. Through reading the Word, praying without ceasing, serving God and others, giving generously and being part of the Christian community in honesty and continually, it is possible for believers to become transformed, and to enjoy the glory of God in their interactions. The Impact of the Holy Spirit in Spiritual Development Spiritual formation is the direct work of the Holy Spirit in Christians, by infilling, indwelling, guiding, gifting and empowering the transformation and restoration into the likeness of Jesus Christ through faith.2 Filled with the Holy Spirit, believers are empowered and given authority to declare and assert God’s love to the World. When the Holy Spirit indwells and infills them, three purposes are fulfilled including relational, transformational, and vocational purposes, which play a key role in spiritual formation. The Holy Spirit convicts, cultivates, and establishes believers as the children of God, and through sanctification continues to transform the 2

4. Rev. Simpson, A. B. “Walking in the Spirit.” https://www.cmalliance.org/resources/archives/ downloads/simpson/walking-in-the-spirit.pdf 5. Dowd, Ed. “Three elements of Spiritual Growth.” (September 11, 2010). https://www.ucg.org/sermons/threeelements-of-spiritual-growth 6. Manning, Lydia, K. “Spirituality as lived experience: Exploring the essence of spirituality for women in late life.” (February 14, 2013). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3572539/

5 individuals into the image of Christ. After transformation, the Holy Spirit proclaims God’s glory through the individuals’ vocations and gifting.2 The Holy Spirit delivers the transformed believers from sin by driving out the existence of evil in their lives in thought and action, and they grow into a magnificent awareness and perception of God.4 The Holy Spirit provides a Divine will and life for believers, and they are able to walk in peace, calmness, and faithfulness and dedication to the Christian faith. Christians who are in-filled with the Holy Spirit are not driven by emotions, difficulties, failures or circumstances, but remain firm in the order of the Divine will of God and faith in Christ Jesus.4 Walking in the Holy Spirit enables Christians to enjoy the benefits and Divine interventions of being in sync with God in truth and in spirit. When a believer is growing spiritually, they become increasingly filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit, and continually deny themselves for the glory of God in their lives. The believers grow in grace, they are empowered to live a holy life, and their love for God and others increases.4 The Holy Spirit enables believers to surrender their will and their hearts and souls to the leading of God through the Holy Spirit thus living life as God intended for us. Three areas Related to Spiritual Growth Spiritual growth is experienced when people read the Word of God in the Bible, when the Holy Spirit indwells in them, when they pray without ceasing, and join communities of other believers to witness and serve the Church of Christ Jesus. Spiritual growth increases as individuals increase their knowledge of God, submit them to the will of God, and allow God to direct their emotions through the Holy Spirit in positive direction for His glory.5 Research indicates that as people age, their spiritual capacity also grows because they have achieved selfacceptance, and perceive themselves positively. Older people reflect on their lives more and are

6 open to experience knowledge and understanding of God’s will, hence the growth of their spirituality, as they yearn for meaning and focus on life after death.6 Spiritual growth is an important aspect in all spheres of health in supporting a well-rounded individual in social, psychological, emotional, and physical wellbeing. Strong and Weak Points from the Personal Growth Assessment My strengths are in serving others and being generous and compassionate towards the needy. I also have a strong prayer life and seeking the Holy Spirit to infill me and my family, and also to know the Word of God on a daily basis from preachers of the Gospel and occasionally reading the Bible. I pray with my family daily and remember to intercede for others in the society including parents, siblings, the sick and hungry, my neighbors, the Church of Christ, political leadership, the orphans and widowed, and my country as a whole. I recognize and appreciate the power of the Holy Spirit in my spiritual growth and development, and therefore, pray without ceasing to be in-filled for God’s glory. I despise gossip and try to live up to this value and are happy to see people blessed and coming to the fold of God as believers. There is room for improvement in as far as seeking God by personally reading His word and meditating on it is concerned, as well as in being deliberate to pray for those that do not know Christ is concerned. I am also poor in documenting what I have learnt from sermons for future reference, and rather depend on my mind’s understanding of God’s word at that particular time. Fasting and praying is an area of improvement for me, and I am yet to discover my many spiritual gifts to use intentionally in building up the body of Christ. I need to be more intentional in how I do it, so that my faith is backed by works, and I become empowered by the Holy Spirit to bear fruit to the glory of God, and therefore, live as God intended for me, through Christ Jesus my Lord.

7 Disciplines to Work on Love for God (Up) I will ensure that I engage in daily reading of God’s Word, memorizing the Word by verse for use when witnessing and during prayer and declaring God’s promises. I will invest in a journal and discipline myself to write down key points from the passages of Scripture that I read on a daily basis, for reference and continual learning. I will intentionally identify specific people in my circles who need prayers and engage in specific petitions to God on their behalf, in addition to the general intercessions I do. I will continue to intentionally pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit and allow God, to guide, strengthen, help and teach me at all times. I pledge to also recognize the work of God in and around me and to be careful to listen to His still small voice, to be in sync with God so that I do not miss His manifestations. Love for One another (In) To improve love for others, I endeavor to have regular meetings with church and community groups even if it is online, during this Covid-19 times to share the Word and love of God. I will continue to strengthen my self-awareness and love of God and others, by not engaging in gossip and unnecessary or careless talk. I will endeavor through the love of Christ who strengthens us to be quick to forgive others and not to hold grudges, to God’s glory and honor. Love for Our Neighbors (Out) I hope to discipline myself and to always think of others ahead of myself, so that I pray for my neighbors and colleagues who do not know Christ to come to Him. I will push myself to befriend people who are not in my circles due to religion and cultural beliefs, and in the spirit of

8 loving my neighbor as I love myself, work towards embracing them in warmth as neighbors and friends. Praying that God will give me more understanding so that I listen to others more than I talk to them, so that I can gain understanding and insight as to why they are who they are, before introducing them to the saving grace of God. In line with this, I will prepare a brief gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, which I will use when talking to others and introducing them to the love of Christ. I will continue to serve the poor in my community to the glory of God. Conclusion Spiritual formation is the process of developing a way of living that is an example of that of Jesus Christ. The Holy is God that guides Christians along the path of spiritual formation. Discipleship has helped Christians understand the complexities of divine life. This simplification makes it simple for Christians to practice Jesus’ teachings in real life, which is spiritual formation. Spiritual formation is the only way through which Christians can establish a personal relationship with God.

Bibliography Dowd, Ed. “Three elements of Spiritual Growth.” (September 11, 2010). https://www.ucg.org/ sermons/three-elements-of-spiritual-growth

9 Early, Dave & Dempsey, Rod. “Spiritual Formation is how to grow in Jesus with Passion and Confidence.” (2018). Rod Dempsey and Dave Early Ministries. B&H Academic, Nashville, Tennessee. Manning, Lydia, K. “Spirituality as lived experience: Exploring the essence of spirituality for women in late life.” (February 14, 2013). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC3572539/ Morse, MaryKate. “Evangelism, Discipleship, and Spiritual Formation: Which is What?” (April 4, 2018). https://www.missioalliance.org/evangelism-discipleship-and-spiritualformation-which-is-what/ Rev. Simpson, A. B. “Walking in the Spirit.” https://www.cmalliance.org/resources/archives/ downloads/simpson/walking-in-the-spirit.pdf Teo, Wilson. “Christian Spiritual Formation.” (2017). https://www.regent.edu/acad/global/ publications/elj/vol10iss1/christian-spiritual-formation.pdf...