1. Christ Through Us CS654 Spiritual Formation in Congregations

2. Firestarters Has your thinking about “community” changed in the last three weeks. If so, how? Why spend so much time working on “me” in order to move toward spiritual formation in the congregation? Make a list together of some quality characteristics that define spirituality. Brainstorm! (A quality characteristic lists a characteristic that is preceded by a modifier. For example, this class is joyfully connected.)

3. “Vocational” is “missional” The Christian life involves living a life in balance, individually and corporately Connecting (Christ with us - relational) Contemplative – the Prayer-filled life Social Justice – the Compassionate life Becoming (Christ in us - transformational) Charismatic – the Spirit-empowered life Holiness – the Virtuous life Doing (Christ through us - vocational) Evangelical – the Word-centered life Incarnational – the Sacramental life Christ wants to live with us, dwell in us, and work through us.

4. Connecting (Relational) Contemplative A life of loving attention to God A holy habit of love that leads to partnership with God in God’s creative and redeeming work Social Justice A life committed to compassion and justice for all peoples A life that receives all peoples: enemies and friends, poor and rich, illiterate and educated…

5. Becoming (Transformational) Charismatic A life immersed in, empowered by, and under the direction of the Spirit of God A life transformed by the empowering charisms and the nurturing fruit of the Spirit Holiness A life that is empowered to live whole, functional lives in a dysfunctional world A life of partnership with God in heart and life

6. Doing (Vocational) Evangelical A life founded upon the living Word of God, the written word of God, and the proclaimed word of God A life of discipleship to Christ Incarnational A life that makes present and visible the realm of the invisible Spirit A life which becomes the habitation of the Holy—a tabernacle— where we learn through daily activity to function in cooperation with and in dependence upon God.

7. Authentic Christian spirituality follows the pattern of the incarnation—it becomes flesh. Vocation is following the heart of God into the world.

8. Knowing God in the fullest sense requires a heart that beats in sync with God’s own and a willingness to follow it into the world

9. Christian spirituality finds its completion when we incorporate the element of self-denying participation in God’s purposes in the world.

10. Vocation From the Latin vocare – to call. Historically, having a vocation meant that one had been called—divinely called and appointed—to a particular line of work and way of life. We each have a calling upon our lives to participate in the purposes of God—to play a role in his grand designs To care for creation To restore people to himself through Christ To build his kingdom

11. The Invitation To contribute to something that matters, to something bigger than our individual selves

12. The Invitation To contribute to something that matters, to something bigger than our individual selves Not a duty imposed but an incredible gift

13. The challenge is to be responsive to God wherever God places you!

14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c_A7pstBjU&feature=rel mfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c_A7pstBjU&feature=rel mfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycLb6wJDieY&feature=rel mfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycLb6wJDieY&feature=rel mfu

15. Vocational burnout? Victor Frankl - Burnout is seldom the result of an excessive workload. Rather, it is caused by the loss of a sense of meaning in what we are doing

16. Vocational burnout? Victor Frankl - Burnout is seldom the result of an excessive workload. Rather, it is caused by the loss of a sense of meaning in what we are doing Henry Scougal – Every human being craves a cause worth exchanging his or her life for

17. Participate in the redemptive work of God The “Rule of God” flows from acknowledging God’s lordship in every aspect of living. We are called to contribute to the advance of this kingdom. In Rwanda, a missions group teaches people to live through learning simple principles of God’s love. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_wxm1pPzuY&feature=re lmfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_wxm1pPzuY&feature=re lmfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_zSqz2886A&feature=BF a&list=UUOhyc9LlH8jIXI1MdPZAtjw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_zSqz2886A&feature=BF a&list=UUOhyc9LlH8jIXI1MdPZAtjw

18. Hoist the Sails http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG-l1kK-BpU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG-l1kK-BpU Hilary of Poitiers (4 th century) “If I am actually to do it, I must ask for your help and mercy, ask you to fill with wind the sails I have hoisted for you and to carry me forward on my course—to breathe, that is, your Spirit into my faith... And to enable me to continue.”