Spiritual Formation and

gathered worship.

The Prayer of the Kingdom of God

1. Our Father above us and all around us …

2. May Your unspeakable Name be revered.

3. Now, here on earth may Your kingdom come …

4. On earth as in heaven may Your will be done.

5. Give us today our bread for today.

4. Forgive us our wrongs as we forgive.

3. Lead us away from the perilous trial.

2. Liberate us from the evil.

1.For the kingdom is yours and yours alone.

2. And the power is yours and yours alone.

3.And the glory is yours and yours alone.

4.Now and forever, 5.Amen.

5. For the kingdom is yours and yours alone.

4. And the power is yours and yours alone.

3. And the glory is yours and yours alone.

2. Now and forever, amen.1. Amen.

Opening exercise:List the elements of your

“liturgy” or service …

Spiritual formation:

The development, through practice, of people who “be,” think, feel, work, relate, and

play

… in the way of Jesus.

Spiritual formation:

The development of disciples.

“AWOL” - a way of life (absent without leave)

transformation

make [spiritually form] disciples …teach them to do

all I have commanded you.

(Matthew 28)

transformation

I have given you an example … love one another as I have loved

you.

(John 13-15)

transformation

to be conformedto the image of God’s Son

(Romans 8)

transformation

… be transformedby the renewing of your minds.

(Romans 8)

transformation

… I will show you the most excellent way …

follow the way of love(1 Corinthians 12-14)

transformation

…until Christis formed in you.

(Galatians 4:19)

Our contemporary gospel is primarily

INFORMATION ON HOW TO GO TO HEAVEN

AFTER YOU DIE

with a large footnote about increasing your personal happiness and success through God.

with a small footnote about character development

with a smaller footnote about spiritual experience

with a smaller footnote about social/global transformation.

self

church

world

self

church

world

self

church

Nation?

Religion?

Ethnic group?

A dangerous diversion

self

church

World transformed =

Kingdom of God

world

self

church

Two Gospels:

Gospel of saving individual souls from hell, and abandoning earth to destruction.

Gospel of saving earth* from human sin, beginning with us.

*Including individuals

Personal transformation is the starting point but not the end point.

We are “blessed to be a blessing” …

Changed to be agents of change

Healed to heal others

Transformed to transform the world.

Respond … Listen one another into free speech.

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.

The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!

Mark 1:15

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples (apprentices, learners) of all

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to practice everything I have

commanded you. And be confident: I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Spiritual formation involves intentional spiritual practices (or disciplines) so people can learn

a way:

Actions within our power which we do to train ourselves to do things currently

beyond our power, and to become people we are currently incapable of being.

-Running a marathon

-Playing the guitar

-Learning Chinese

Actions within our power which we do to train ourselves to do things currently

beyond our power, and to become people we are currently incapable of being.

-And if you’re part of a local congregation, you’re already

doing many of them!

Spiritual formation through gathered

worship …

gathered worship as spiritual formation

Gathered (or Public) Worship

Liturgy: A planned succession of group practices and rituals.

Liturgy is the work of the people which the professionals plan and lead. Programming is

the work of the professionals which the people observe.

Rituals:

Practices done to bond to the meaning they represent.

Ritualism:

Performing the prescribed action without connection to

the intended meaning: religion on autopilot.

How can we maximize gathered worship for spiritual formation as

disciples?

(How can we avoid spiritual malformation through ritualism or

autopilot religion?)

1. Inconvenience:

Going to a place I didn’t choose

At a time I didn’t choose

For a purpose I do choose.(Hebrews 10:24-25)

2. Association

Associating with some people I like

And others I don’t like

For a purpose I believe in.(Romans 15:7)

3. SpeedAltering my pace to see what I’ve

missed and to feel a different rhythm.

Speeding up … slowing down

(Hebrews 3:15)

4. HospitalityUsing my presence and our space

to help “the other” feel welcome in my presence, and in the presence

of our community.

(1 Corinthians 11:33)

5. Public Prayer, Creed, Confession, and Song Forming hopes, dreams, concerns, beliefs, and

desires in alignment with God’s will … together.Desire for justice, mercy, peace

Desire for honesty, humility, gratitude, truthDesire for God’s kingdom, honor, power, glory

Desire for good desire formation! (Aspiration)(Romans 15:5-6)

5. Public Prayer, Creed, Confession, and Song

Public prayerConfession

CreedSong

6. Attentiveness Waiting for what I may receive only

by waiting receptively.

(I Peter 2:2)

7.GenerosityTaking greater pleasure in being

productive (fruitful) than consumptive.

(2 Corinthians 8:7)

8. ModelingExposing apprentices to masters

In prayer, teaching, artistry, faithfulness, service, hospitality,

etc. Contemplative and charismatic

models …(1 Thessalonians 1:6)

9. Concern for the whole church, the world, the poor,

the enemy, “the other”Quoting, affirming, praying for, and inviting

othersBlaspheming the idols of civil religion

Giving voice to the poorRitual of the newspaper

(Ephesians 4:1-6)

10. Mystery“Flat” actions versus layered

actions…Layers of meaning in the eucharist

Rituals of beginning and continuing(1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:23 ff)

- The cup of thanksgiving- Participation in the body and blood of Christ

- One loaf, one body- My body … for you

- Forgiveness of sins

- Remember me- New covenant in my blood …

- Proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes- Until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God

(1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:23 ff)

The body of Christ, broken for you…

The blood of Christ given for you…

11. Benediction

Christ has no body here but ours.

No hands, no feet here on earth but ours.

Ours are the eyes through which he looks

On this world with kindness.

Ours are the hands through which he works.

Ours are the feet on which he moves.

Ours are the voices through which he speaks

To this world with kindness.

Through our smile, our touch, our listening ear,

Embodied in us,

Jesus is living here.

So let us go now

Filled with the Spirit

Into this world

With kindness.

Through our smile, our touch, our listening ear,

Embodied in us,

Jesus is living here.

So let us go now

Filled with the Spirit

Into this world

With kindness.