18. The Kingdom Life: A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation

Dallas Willard "had me at hello" (Jerry McGuire reference). So this book was nothing earth-shatteringly new. 

Here is a good quote by Willard:

There is a deep longing among Christians and non- Christians alike for the personal purity and power to live as our hearts tell us we should. What we need is a deeper insight into our practical relationship with God in redemption. We need an understanding that can guide us into constant interaction with the Kingdom of God as a real part of our daily lives.— Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines

This is another book that was published after Dallas Willard passed away. It is interesting that they put his name at the top because I think he only wrote one of the articles in the whole book (and I am not convinced he actually wrote it as this was published in 2016, and he died in 2013). They reference meeting with Dallas Willard and quote him quite a bit, but I think it is somewhat misleading to give him top billing as an author. His books are referenced often, but it is really NOT a Dallas Willard book. And if you have read this blog, you know I love Dallas Willard. 

His books are referenced in several places so why not just read Renovation of the Heart, The Spirit of the Disciplines, The Divine Conspiracy, or The Great Omission, etc.? This book skimmed the surface of what spiritual formation is all about. I don't know. It just didn't GRAB me. 

I think there could probably be a better book for our spiritual direction training to accomplish the goal of the Year Two Module 1 which is:

Pastoral, spiritually formative ministry is guided at a higher level by meta-questions, the principal of which is "What's the nature and scope of this 'Kingdom of God' (so often on the lips of Jesus!) that's meant to show up in the directee's life?" What exactly are we talking about?" But there are other big questions like, "What's the truest and best image of God we can carry?" With chapters like "The Gospel of the Kingdom and Spiritual Formation," "The Trinity as Foundation for Spiritual Formation," This book does a fine job of locating the ministry of spiritual direction in the larger context of spiritual formation and the kingdom of God.

After the first chapter, I thought it read very much like a Navigator book, and I looked at the contributors, and many of them are Navigator staff, former Navigators, or are seminarians near the Navigator headquarters in Colorado. I love the Navigators because through their excellent discipleship I was given tools for spiritual formation very early on in life starting at 19 years of age.  

I heartily agree with the final "Elemental Principles" in the Epilogue, especially the first: 

Spiritual Formation occurs in believers as they engage in intentional personal formation, community formation, and missional formation. These three dimensions must not be compartmentalized or separated but organically connected. (Location 4890)

This is one thing I am most grateful for in my 4 1/2 years with this great organization. We were taught intentional practices and given an environment to grow personally in the context of community and given a vision to make Christ known throughout the world. I will be forever grateful.  I think my boss for the ministry that we now are a part of also has that kind of vision! I love my life!

I found the book basic but solid. I know many do not get the fantastic "sovereign foundations" for spiritual growth I was given 40 years ago. I will never take that for granted. I think it does put all of the people in my spiritual direction school on the same page.

It is written by a "think tank" for Spiritual Formation. So, it is somewhat heady and intellectual in nature. I think they needed more women on the team too. I wonder why they didn't ask Jan Johnson to be a part of it? Hmmm..  

Here is a quote I like: 

Spiritual formation is the training process that occurs for those who are disciples of Jesus. Spiritual formation and discipleship are all about development of the life in the kingdom of God that comes to us through the risen Christ. As a disciple of Jesus, I am living with Him, learning to live in the kingdom of God as He lived in the kingdom of God. Spiritual formation is taking the explicit statements of Jesus and learning how to live this way. Jesus did tell us, did He not, that we should make disciples, submerging them in Trinitarian reality? Baptizing them in the Trinitarian name doesn’t just mean saying the names “Father,” “Son,” and “Holy Spirit” over them while you get them wet. The name in biblical understanding is reality, and to baptize them is to submerge them in the Trinitarian reality. We must understand the relevance of the Trinity to the gospel! The gospel is about life with the Trinity. (Location 872)

I don't know if I agree with Willard's definition of discipleship versus spiritual formation though: 

Dallas Willard made an important distinction between discipleship and spiritual formation that can help us here. He said that discipleship is the decision to follow Jesus, to be His apprentice. This is about positioning, making oneself available. Spiritual formation is the direct action of the Holy Spirit upon the inner person.[Notes from Plenary Session by Willard at Spiritual Formation Forum, LA, 2004] Once a person is “in Christ,” God is at work to will and to work all good things. That is the starting point; the next part is how the mind gets renewed.  (Location 1842)

I read an article by someone who makes a different distinction, and I will link it here. I am still pondering. I have always been somewhat at odds with the Willard peeps who almost poo-poo discipleship in favor of spiritual formation. Jesus said to "go and make disciples" so that is the intentional practice of helping others grow. I see that you are discipling, and the process for that person is discipleship whereby that person becomes spiritual formed which is spiritual formation. I will ponder this more. This post has been good to write. 

I think those of us who have been discipled either one on one or in the group context know what that means. Others, who maybe grew on their own without anyone intentionally investing in them (and hats off to them) don't really understand this. A girl I discipled once said that she can walk in a room and tell those who have not been discipled and those who have. (She says to herself, "They have not had a Carol in their life," and that makes me laugh.)  I thought that was interesting. Anywho, here is the article, I have spent far too long on this post, but I am still trying to decide whether this book really accomplishes the goal of my spiritual direction school and what might be a better option in the future. It is an OK book, don't get me wrong. I just wonder if there is a better one?

A link to the article: https://www.100movements.com/articles/why-the-difference-between-discipleship-spiritual-formation-matters

Here is the quote from this article that rings true for me:

Discipleship, however, is a kind of Spiritual Formation. And in many ways, it's the gateway for the outworking of the intentional spiritual formation we are looking for in the rest of our life. If you are being discipled well, it means the person investing in you recognizes that Jesus is actually the one discipling you.