Introduction
Topic of Discussion: Spiritual Formation
One of the topics that has generated a lot of discussion in the religious community is spiritual formation. Different churches have distinctive and frequently divergent worship practices. It is obvious how drastically divergent Roman Catholic and Protestant teachings are held by their respective populations. Human nature is so quick to judge, which causes a major breach amongst Christians from other churches. Some of the spiritual formation traditions that are in line with current spiritual practices are presented in Richard Foster's book. It is critical to look at the point of view presented by Richard and Barton on spiritual formation and know the tradition, which is in line with how most of the believers should carry themselves out in the church.The Inward Work of the Spirit
One of the spiritual formation tradition that the two authors believe in is that people should not in any way aim at the outward action of others. The argument is that every human life has a hidden dimension that others cannot see. The conscience centre of the hidden human life rests the human spirit. The human spirit is what translates to what the believers term as ‘will.' It influences the action that a particular individual takes and dramatically affects the ability to discern the right things from the wrong ones. According to Foster, the inward work of the spirit is more difficult than what we see outwardly thus spiritual formation demands that the human beings should never look at the outward actions of people. It is God who sees the heart because he is all powerful and he alone can judge the action of other individuals.Unity in the Church
The spiritual formation tradition equally demands that the different people who believe in faith should think regarding the church, which is inclusive or universal. The individuals who are up to the task of streamlining the spiritual formation are expected to know that the transformations have to be done for the whole church and not a single church. The element of spiritual formation lists the different types of churches, which exists in the contemporary world and notes that each one of them should uphold a common spiritual formation because they all serve one God. Each of the churches teaches about the kingdom of God, and it has to be one. Thus, having a common spiritual formation shows conformity when serving God.Attention to Balanced Visions
Spiritual formation tradition equally demands that the believers, especially the religious leaders, should give sustainable attention to balanced visions or focus on the contemplative. Foster notes that the tradition has for a long time been neglected and it is about time the clergy adopts it to give spiritual formation a new look. All the members of the clergy believe in the cross and the crown of Jesus. They believe in the unique courage that Jesus had to agree to be offered as a living sacrifice so that the humankind could be set free. Most of the believers regardless of their race or the churches or their background will always preach for peace; the Christians will equally sing common songs such as the renowned Amazing Grace. So there is need to listen to an individual from another faith as long as the common interest is to live a righteous life and be part of the kingdom of God.Not Judging Based on Practices
The traditions equally demand that the spiritual formation that is being upheld by different individuals in the Christian life should not in any way be deemed according to the practices that have been documented in various books. Christian spiritual formation does not in any way relate to the practices, and none should be judged based on these practices whatsoever. According to Foster, the practices that most of the believers ascribe to are useful, and some are not. He later states that they are not essential. According to the believers, what is essential is a life with Jesus Christ and walking the righteous path.Avoiding Curriculum-based Solutions
The spiritual formation tradition also demands that the believers should not rely on curriculum-based solutions. The idea is that almost all the curricula that teach the spiritual life are important. Foster creates a twists and states that they are not the most important. Most of the religious curricula do not bring out the relationship that exists between the humankind and Jesus Christ. Every author has his or her version of the stories and the solutions that they present to aid the believers in handling the problem that they have. The only solution that Foster presents is that the different churches that we come from out to look directly into the life that was lived by Jesus Christ, the manner in which he related with people and try to emulate these ways. The best book that can help in unfolding the relationship between Jesus and the people is the Bible, and it is the unifying factor for the Christians.Spiritual Formation and the Great Commission
Spiritual formation tradition equally demands that it should be rooted in the great commission. Jesus commissioned his disciples in the book of Mathew 28: 19-20 that they were to go and make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The words used by Jesus Christ did not target a particular group of people neither did it align individuals regarding ethnicity or the nation where they come from. Christians are one as long as they serve a living God and play true to the teachings of Jesus Christ, it is needless for people to have the rifts that have for a long time existed and made things happen as they do. Thus, Foster proceeds to teach about the importance of thinking internationally as far as the word of God is concerned. He says that we have to note that Christ is for us all and not chosen few as some of the churches deem it, thinking internationally brings about the idea of universality.Overcoming Obstacles to Spiritual Formation
One of the greatest problems that I have had as I grow in faith is sticking so much on the practices that some of the people in different churches live up to. Being a Protestant, I have always believed that baptism only takes place in a river and should be done in the form through which Jesus was baptized. Such a practice makes me criticize the people who worship in the Roman Catholic Church because they have a different way of baptizing people, probably by pouring water on the head of the individual being baptized. I have equally condemned the manner in which the Holy Communion is given in some of the churches, and the belief that I live up to is that it is the best. The idea of criticizing other individuals based on these practices is a stumbling block to living up to the spiritual formation that is preached by Foster.Sensitivity and Education in the Church
It is vital to sensitize people on matters dealing with spiritual formation. In the church community, some people still have a feeling that I have, and they think that the practices that some other churches have are quite irrelevant and were not approved by Jesus Christ. The plan that I have to improve the notion begins from within. I have to look at my internal life and where the conscience rests. I have learned that I cannot make any difference if it does not come from within me. Once I am done transforming my inner self, it will manifest itself on the outside, and I will get to see others as brothers and sisters in Christ regardless of the church they pray in, their race, or the nation where they come from. Most of the community members have to be educated on some things. As opposed to me, they could not be great believers as I am and building the spiritual formation to enable them to see others as equals may be an uphill task. I plan to organize different teachings that will help induct these and help them in developing their internal human life and making sure that they let the Holy Spirit dwell in it. As it is in my case, to portray the outward feeling, people have to look at the internal life and the kind of heart they have. It is not such an easy thing at the community level because most of the people would not have the self-drive to develop the internal feeling. I would advocate for prayers to make them look at things differently, and through the prayers, they will be able to have different points of view about the traditions of spiritual formation. One of the problems that people have in the church where I come from is being judgmental about the practices that other believers uphold. I will equally organize with the clergy so that the members of the church are educated on these matters. One thing remains that not all the members of the community are Christians. The non-believers will be left because it is quite difficult to change them.Introduction of Spiritual Formation in the Church
As a church leader, there are some issues that have to be considered when introducing the concept of spiritual formation in the church. Every transformation, especially in the church, should have a smooth transition. If I were the church leader, I would first liaise with the other leaders when introducing the concept to the church. Before it is explained to the church members, it is essential for the initiators to explain some of the advantages that will come with its introduction. Additionally, the introduction of spiritual formation should highlight some of the ways in which the teaching conforms with the teachings of Jesus Christ and Christianity in general. As stated, the introduction has to be slow and steady, the members of the church may be puzzled if the church leader comes with a whole new system and introduces and expects people to abide by it. It has to begin from a particular point, with time it will progress, and people will get used to it and make it a routine. Most people will strongly believe in spiritual formulation if they are in line with the teachings and the kind of life that Jesus Christ lived. The church leaders should thus use this as a tool for making sure that the traditions of spiritual formation sink in the mind of people and they stop judging.Overcoming Obstacles to Spiritual Formation in the Church
One of the obstacles that the church leader will come across is the Bible being used against him. Certain verses in the holy book condemn some of the practices that most of the churches live up to. As I stated, the biggest problem is the condemnation of some of the practices that other churches live up to. Telling these individuals that they should stop the condemnation will only spark arguments in the church. Some of these practices have been condemned by the bible. The other obstacle that could be seen in the church is inviting another individual from another church to teach the word of God as a way of demonstrating spiritual formation. The idea is that the priests from these other churches would not teach the right concept according to the scripture.Unity and Progress in Spiritual Formation
One of the ways of overcoming the identified obstacles is identifying some of the common things that people from the different churches do the same way. One of the unifying facts is God. Even if these practices are different, a single God is being worshipped and adored. They equally ought to know that the Kingdom is one and as long as one lives according to the expectations and the teachings of Jesus Christ, they will no doubt inherit the kingdom of God. Another unifying factor is the type of songs that the different churches sing during the praise sessions. Most of them are somewhat similar signifying that there is a common origin. Highlighting these aspects proves the uniformity that exists.One of the signs that will no doubt prove progress when spiritual formation has been introduced is reduced criticism and openness among the members of my church and those of different churches. Peaceful coexistence has never existed with the hate that has been witnessed among these believers. Additionally, as the church leader, I would monitor the behavior of people in the church whenever I invite an individual from another church to come and minister for people in my church. Hospitality will no doubt mean that the idea is sinking.Conclusion
In conclusion, Foster and Barton create a critical argument about the importance of spiritual formation among the different churches. It is a big irony that the churches that should be preaching peace are the ones that are rivaling against one another. It is about time that the Christians realize that Christ is not choosy and all He looks at is the heart. Additionally, it is often of equal importance for the members of the church to realize that they are not expected to judge. Only God can see the heart of human beings and not a mere mortal. Thus, the criticism should end, and all the members of the church should deem themselves as people who serve one Supreme Being, God. The example provided highlights some of the issues that unite all the Christians under one umbrella.References
A, Kempis, Thomas. The imitation of Christ (Image Classics), New York: 1995. ISBN-978-0-385-02861-5.
Barton, Ruth Haley. Sacred Rhythms: Arranging our lives for spiritual transformation. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press 2006. ISBN-10:0-8303-3333-1
Foster, Richard J. Streams of living water. San Francisco: HarperCollins Publishers, 2001. ISBN-10:0-06-062822-7
Nouwen, Henri JM. Life of the Beloved. New York: Crossroads Publishing Co. Inc., 1992. ISBN 0-8245-1184-0
