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Christ Through Us

Christ Through Us. CS654 Spiritual Formation in Congregations. 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?

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Christ Through Us

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  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

  12. The Invitation

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

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

  15. Vocational burnout?

  16. Vocational burnout?

  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=relmfu • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_zSqz2886A&feature=BFa&list=UUOhyc9LlH8jIXI1MdPZAtjw

  18. Hoist the Sailshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG-l1kK-BpU • Hilary of Poitiers (4th 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.”

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