Dallas Willard says: “Spiritual
Formation is the process through which those who love and trust Jesus Christ
effectively take on his character. This process of “conformation to Christ”, as
we might call it, is constantly supported by grace and otherwise would be
impossible. But it is therefore passive” Grace as opposed to earning, not
effort. In fact, nothing inspires and enhances effort like the experience of
grace. Yet it is today necessary to assert boldly and often that becoming Christlike never occurs without
intense and well informed action on our part.” (The Christian Educator’s
Handbook on Spiritual Formation, p225, 1994) He continues to say: “Sometimes we
think of Spiritual Formation as formation by the Holy Spirit. Once again, that’s
essential. We can’t evade it…formation by the Holy Spirit. But now I have to
say something that may be challenging for you to think about: Spiritual
Formation is not all by the Holy Spirit; None without the Holy Spirit. But
there is always more involved. And here again we run into the problems of
passivity over and against activity. Here lies the deepest challenge to the
very idea of obedience to Christ in our times. We have to recognize that
spiritual formation in us is something that is also done to us by those around
us, by ourselves and by activities which we voluntarily undertake…there has to
be method.” Willard continues “Spiritual formation, without regard to any
specifically religious context or tradition, is the process by which the human
spirit is given a definite “form” or character.” (Renovation of the Heart)
Craig Dykstra confirms this he says: The practices of faith are not
ultimately our own practices but rather habitations of the Spirit, in the midst
of which we are invited to participate in the practices of God. The Presbyterian Church in the
USA explains Spiritual Formation as” the activity of the Holy Spirit which moulds our lives into the
likeness of Jesus Christ. This likeness is one of deep intimacy with God and
genuine compassion for all of creation. The Spirit does not only work in the
lives of individuals but also in the church, shaping it into the body of
Christ. We cooperate with this work of the Spirit through certain practices
that make us more open and responsive to the Spirit’s touch, disciplines such
as Sabbath keeping, works of compassion and justice, discernment, worship,
hospitality, spiritual friendships and contemplative silence.”
In this relativistic world where everything is permissible and
Christianity is considered “outdated” we need to equip our children with
knowledge and skills to enable them to get the message of Christ out into the
world without feeling insecure, unsure and ashamed of their faith. In the
spiritually volatile culture in society our schools need to be completely
Christ centered, because when Jesus is central in the complete school programme, life and truth is brought
to the present reality. Our schools need to b places where a high level of
thinking happens, challenging our students with the higher order thinking
skills, we need to teach critical and analytical thinking. As Christian schools
we have an opportunity to fill an intellectual vacuum and provide and
intellectually rigorous, spiritually vibrant alternative to what exists in many
communities and schools. With our students we have to explore faith’s
relationship to reason, we need to target their thinking as much as their
feelings and will. Spiritual Formation of students in Christian Schools goes beyond strategy and
curriculum it looks at the heart; The heart of the school, the heart of the
teachers and the heart of the students. It is like the forming of a pot from
clay, it brings to mind shaping and moulding, helping something
potential, become something actual. Spiritual formation speaks of a shaping
process with reference to the spiritual dimension of a person’s life. Christian
spiritual formation thus refers to the process by which believers become more fully
conformed and united to Christ. Christian schools focus on the Expected Student
Outcomes of the Association of Christian Schools International and include
these in their school curriculum, Spiritual Formation and Biblical worldview
outcomes need to be as important as the Knowledge and skill outcomes to enable
us to educate holistically, in body, soul and mind.
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