The Deeply Formed Life

1. Embrace contemplative rhythms to counter exhaustion and superficiality

"As long as we remain enslaved to a culture of speed, superficiality, and distraction, we will not be the people God longs for us to be."

Contemplative rhythms are essential for spiritual formation and countering the exhausting pace of modern life. These practices include:

• Silent prayer: Focusing attention on God through shared presence
• Sabbath keeping: A weekly period of rest and delight without work
• Slow reading of Scripture: Meditating on God's word for deeper understanding
• Commitment to stability: Remaining in community for long-term growth

By intentionally slowing down and creating space for God, we resist the cultural pull towards constant activity and shallow spirituality. This allows for deeper connection with God, others, and ourselves, leading to a more rooted and sustainable faith.

2. Pursue racial reconciliation as a core aspect of Christian faith

"The Cross of Christ isn't just a bridge that gets us to God; it's a sledgehammer that breaks down walls that separate us."

Racial reconciliation is not optional for Christians but central to the gospel message. This involves:

• Recognizing the ongoing impact of historical racial injustice
• Examining personal biases and prejudices
• Actively working to dismantle systemic racism
• Creating diverse, reconciled communities that reflect God's kingdom

The church must lead the way in proclaiming and embodying a message of hope, justice, and reconciliation. This requires honest conversations, intentional relationship-building across racial lines, and a commitment to addressing both personal and systemic forms of racism.

3. Engage in interior examination for personal growth and relational health

"To follow Jesus in this world requires us to embrace a fully human life, alive to the dimensions of our interior worlds that often are repressed, ignored, and explained away with Bible verses and in the name of respectability."

Self-examination is crucial for spiritual and emotional maturity. Key practices include:

• Exploring family-of-origin influences: patterns, trauma, and scripts
• Examining personal anxiety and its roots
• Processing emotions and feelings
• Analyzing reactions to identify underlying issues

By courageously looking within, we can identify areas of woundedness, unhealthy patterns, and emotional immaturity. This self-awareness allows for healing, growth, and the ability to love others more fully. Interior examination is not self-obsession but a pathway to greater wholeness and Christ-likeness.

4. Integrate sexuality and spirituality for holistic living

"To be deeply formed is to regularly come back to a different rhythm—a rhythm marked by communion, reflection, and a life-giving pace that enables us to offer our presence to the present moment."

Sexual wholeness requires integrating spirituality and sexuality rather than compartmentalizing them. This involves:

• Recognizing the connection between spiritual and sexual longings
• Rejecting both repressive and reductive approaches to sexuality
• Embracing a sacramental view of the body and sexual expression
• Practicing healthy touch, social bonding, and (for married couples) lovemaking as spiritual disciplines

By seeing our bodies and sexuality as gifts from God, we can cultivate a more integrated and wholesome approach to relationships, intimacy, and personal identity. This counters cultural messages that either demonize or idolize sexuality, leading to greater freedom and joy.

5. Cultivate a missional presence in a distracted world

"Deeply formed mission is first about who we are becoming before what we are doing."

Missional living flows from a deep connection with God and manifests in everyday life. Key aspects include:

• Being present and attentive to others in daily interactions
• Discerning God's activity in unexpected places and people
• Offering non-anxious, incarnational presence in a distracted world
• Seeing all of life as an opportunity for witness and service

Rather than relying on programmatic or formulaic approaches to evangelism, deeply formed mission emphasizes the quality of our presence and relationships. By embodying Christ's love and peace in our daily lives, we become living invitations to experience God's kingdom.

6. Practice hospitality as a reflection of God's welcome

"Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place."

Radical hospitality goes beyond mere entertainment to create space for genuine encounter. This involves:

• Opening our hearts, not just our homes
• Welcoming those different from us, including the marginalized
• Creating environments of safety and belonging
• Listening deeply to others' stories without judgment

By practicing hospitality, we reflect God's welcoming nature and create opportunities for authentic relationship and transformation. This counters the isolating tendencies of modern culture and provides a tangible experience of God's love and acceptance.

7. Pursue justice as an essential expression of faith

"Justice is what love looks like in public."

Practicing justice is a core aspect of Christian discipleship. This includes:

• Recognizing our innate sense of fairness and desire for justice
• Identifying specific burdens and areas of injustice that move us
• Collaborating with others and existing movements for greater impact
• Being willing to sacrifice comfort and face opposition for justice's sake

Justice work is not limited to large-scale activism but can be practiced in everyday decisions and relationships. By consistently choosing to stand with the vulnerable and work for equitable systems, we participate in God's restorative work in the world.

8. See work as a sacred calling and opportunity for witness

"The workplace is a primary place (arguably the primary place) for spiritual growth."

Sanctifying work involves seeing all legitimate labor as holy and an opportunity for mission. Key practices include:

• Recognizing God as a worker and all work as potentially sacred
• Offering high-quality work as an act of worship
• Maintaining integrity and Christ-like character in the workplace
• Balancing work with rest to avoid idolizing productivity

By reframing our approach to work, we can find greater meaning and purpose in our daily tasks. This perspective allows us to be salt and light in our workplaces, witnessing to the transformative power of the gospel through our attitudes and actions.

9. Announce the gospel through compassionate curiosity and presence

"To announce the gospel in a deeply formed way moves us beyond techniques and one-size-fits-all strategies."

Gospel proclamation should be relational and tailored to individual contexts. Effective approaches include:

• Listening deeply to others' stories and struggles
• Discerning specific ways the gospel addresses personal pain points
• Offering hope and invitation rather than judgment or coercion
• Embodying the good news through practical acts of love and service

By moving beyond formulaic evangelism to genuine engagement with others, we create space for authentic encounters with God's love. This approach recognizes the unique journey of each individual and trusts in the Holy Spirit's work of conviction and transformation.

Last updated: August 8, 2024