Spiritual Formation of Mature Believers: How Glencairn MB Church Deepened Mature Believers By Means of Spiritual Memoir Writing

Abstract

Exploring spiritual formation in the local church, this research portfolio examines a potential three year model for helping mature disciples of Jesus deepen into Christ-centered life. First, disciples are encouraged to examine where the Triune God has already been at work through an in-depth reflection on the formative influences on their past. The author provides an example through the writing of her own spiritual autobiography. Second, the portfolio offers a spiritual formation model and curriculum designed for the local church to create an environment in which the believer and God’s Spirit collaborate in the formation process. Third, a research study which implemented a portion of this curriculum in the context of a local church reveals the positive results that believers experience as they grow in Christ in community. The primary conclusions are that spiritual growth can be powerfully experienced in an environment which structures the formation process around personal encounters with God, which are then processed in community. Secondly, spiritual growth can be successfully facilitated if the believer is first led to a deep encounter with the self, then guided in the process of spiritual formation for inner change, and finally released on mission. Furthermore the research herein discusses key environmental factors which facilitate spiritual formation in the context of a local church. When spiritual formation becomes an intentional focus of the congregation, maturity in Christ becomes both a desired outcome and a necessary component of Spirit-led mission.