Discipleship & Spiritual Formation

Discipleship & Spiritual Formation focuses on becoming more like Jesus through lifelong growth in faith, character, and obedience. Explore Bible-based articles on following Christ, spiritual disciplines, prayer, Scripture reading, community, and the habits that shape a mature disciple. You’ll find practical guidance for mentoring, accountability, repentance, perseverance, and cultivating a gospel-centered life in every season. Whether you’re learning the basics of discipleship or helping others grow, these resources equip you to form disciples who love God, love people, and live on mission.

October 6, 2013

Christian Standard

The Unpopular Answer

By Chad Ragsdale When someone asks me about God”s will for their life, my reply isn”t usually what they”re anticipating. “Be holy,” I say, for this is the Bible”s simplest solution to the problem. “So . . . I”m trying to figure out . . . what exactly is God”s will for my life?” Living and working among hundreds of Bible college students for several years, I”ve heard different versions of this question dozens of times. Where should I go to school? What career should I pursue? Whom should I marry? Should I get married at all? We can, if

August 25, 2013

Christian Standard

Disciples Who Make Disciples

By Greg Nettle I don”t believe I can overstate that one of the most effective ways to be a disciple who makes disciples is simply to model what it means to be a follower of Jesus. In other words, to say to those in our sphere of influence what the apostle Paul says to us: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). How do we invite others to follow our example as we follow the example of Jesus? How do we become disciples who make disciples? The short answer is through relationships. But I

June 22, 2013

Christian Standard

Training for Godliness

By Danny R. Von Kanel Approaching the last lap, Allen”s third-place position was typical. We had crossed the countryside to watch him run races, but in the end, there was little drama. Allen, it seemed, finished each two-mile run in third place. But this race would be different. Rounding the curve, Allen pulled even with the second runner. Halfway through the last lap, Allen pulled even with the first-place runner. Then a sprint ensued to the finish line . . . but Allen lost by a nose. Running has application to the Christian life. First Timothy 4:8 says, “For physical

June 4, 2013

Christian Standard

Getting It Lived

By Mark A. Taylor We were talking about truth and grace. It was toward the end of a lively conversation during our first blogtalkradio program, Beyond the Standard; this episode was about how to influence life change. George Ross, Tim Harlow, and Brian Mavis discussed the challenges of standing for the truth while standing with the sinner. How do we love and listen to people, leading them to the truth without hitting them over the head with it? Brian told about a friend of his with “grace” and “truth” tattoos, one on each wrist. “Since I”m right-handed, “˜grace” is on my

March 30, 2013

Christian Standard

The Alternative Story

By Joe Boyd I want to change the world. I”m obviously not alone. Protestors, politicians, pastors, parents, and beauty pageant contestants””we all love to talk about changing the world. Just stick a microphone in front of one of us and we”ll gladly poetically drone about change and hope and the power of possibility. Except for a few fringe extremists, everyone I know genuinely desires world peace. We want to see the hungry fed, the endangered children saved, and the abandoned elderly dignified. It isn”t too hard for us to imagine a better world without slave traders, child abusers, and hatemongers. We want

March 2, 2013

Christian Standard

Wanted: Titus 2 Women

By Sheila S. Hudson When I was a rookie minister”s wife, a gentle lady named Merle took me under her wing. Merle was a retired schoolteacher “clothed with strength and dignity” who could “laugh at the days to come” (Proverbs 31:25). Her wisdom earned respect communitywide, while her “never-grow-up attitude” endeared her to believers and nonbelievers alike. Her husband was an extraordinary elder whose wisdom earned esteem in all arenas. Miss Merle modeled Titus 2:3, “Teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what

February 18, 2013

Christian Standard

Why Dwell in a House of Fear?

By Neal Windham A word may not mean what we think it means, especially if our emotions or preconceptions get in the way. Nowhere is this more true than when we talk about words associated with Spiritual formation. At age 2, my grandson Whit sometimes misunderstood the words of the songs he was learning. For example, “Jesus loves meat, this I know, for the Bible tells me so,” and “You make all things beautiful out of dups” (not “dust”). Not surprisingly, as a 5-year-old, his father, Luke, used to sing, “Elsha died, Elsha died” in a minor key, dirgelike, weeping

February 17, 2013

Christian Standard

Abundant Solitude

By Tony Twist He saw strangers coming toward his home. Years of persecutions had sensitized him to the schemes and seductions of the enemy, and alarm bells were ringing in his head. He quickly put his most precious possessions, his wife and two young daughters, in the hiding place. Sure enough, the men burst into the house looking for his girls (ages 9 and 11). Their intention was to gang rape, traumatize, and dishonor them so they would never have Christian children. For the radical Muslim leaders fighting “infidels,” this was a calculation of war. For our student, it would have been a devastation of his family. We now have almost 100

February 16, 2013

Christian Standard

The Continual Process of Spiritual Formation

By Jim Powell The goal of being like Christ will never be completed. Until we take our last breath, we will struggle in our desire to be the person Jesus calls us to be. Despite our best intentions, and even with noticeable progress, we will still fail in acts of omission and commission with attitudes, thoughts, words, and deeds. What is true for the individual believer is true for the community of faith. To move a congregation toward Christlikeness is a perpetual challenge that will never be mastered and tends to produce as many failures as successes. As our church

February 12, 2013

Christian Standard

What We’re Learning on Our Walk (Part 1)

By Jim Probst At Eastview Christian Church (Bloomington, IL), we were searching for a way to convey spiritual formation to our congregation. For many, this would be a new idea. Others would see it as the next step in their journey. For all of us the right metaphor could frame a common experience with a common language. In our church, which has grown well beyond 5,000 on a typical Sunday, this would be a major effort requiring coordination between church leaders and many departments. After months of praying, planning, and writing, we determined to develop a churchwide study through our

February 11, 2013

Christian Standard

The Spirit in Spiritual Formation

By J.K. Jones Jr. I”m grateful for our emphasis on logic and reason, but I believe the Holy Spirit is larger than something we can capture or fully understand. But starting with the words of Scripture, we can begin to grasp the Spirit”s role in the life God has planned for us to enjoy. Some things are so big they nearly resist explanation. Consider the way of an eagle in the sky. I”ve watched our national bird soar over the Mississippi River, gliding effortlessly on waves of unseen air currents, then dive at light speed to scoop breakfast from the

February 10, 2013

Christian Standard

Spiritual, Like Jesus

By Les Hardin When it comes to spirituality, I find myself caught between two conflicting truths. The first truth is I was born and raised in the church. My parents took me to church when I was only two weeks old, and there”s never been a time in my life when I didn”t know Jesus on some level. I am descended from elders and deacons, trained at the seminary by serious men: a discipler, a teacher of Israel, and a ministry veteran. But here”s the second truth: in spite of my upbringing and training, I have no idea what it

February 9, 2013

Christian Standard

Living in Rhythm with Jesus

By Casey Tygrett Let”s face it. We can”t dance. Most of us, anyway. Perhaps you are one of the chosen few who can actually dance, but that takes rhythm. And the kind of rhythm involved in dancing is a gift I was not blessed with. There is no rhythm in this overcommitted and under-paused culture, either. But Jesus offers a solution for that. The rhythm we create for ourselves is fragile and broken and built on selfish foundations that turn and fade with the seasons of our lives. It”s not that our seasons aren”t important, but when we travel the

February 8, 2013

Christian Standard

Spiritual Disciplines Are Not About YOU

By Jan Johnson When people ask about the college classes I teach, I hesitate to name this one: Developing Spiritual Disciplines. Why? Because they usually look at me as if I”d just asked to give them a flu shot. So I quickly add, “But we have a wonderful time! Students do interesting experiments and report encounters with God that make me cry when I grade their papers.” Then their faces soften. The idea of spiritual disciplines is frequently misunderstood. The crux of a person”s misunderstanding is in thinking that disciplines are about them. No, spiritual disciplines are about God. So

February 7, 2013

Christian Standard

Seeking God

By Mark A. Taylor Throughout the month of February, you’ll find many articles on this site around the theme of spiritual formation. And you may wonder why. Barney Wells, a professor at Lincoln Christian University, says there”s a widespread “recognition that we need to go deeper in our preaching, teaching, and community life.” Jody Owens, professor of Bible and pastoral ministries at Johnson University, adds, “All ministers are aware this is a pressing need,” but “they”re finding little time to dedicate to intentional discipleship.” Those Christian college teachers, as well as several others included in Jennifer Johnson”s report, are giving their

February 5, 2013

Christian Standard

Spiritual Formation””Defining the Terms

By Casey Tygrett   Abide Abide is the central word in Jesus” teaching on the vine and the branches in John 15. It is a key teaching because it emphasizes our need to remain in the life, teachings, and transforming presence of Jesus throughout our lives. A life of abiding is key to Christian spiritual formation. Abiding can be a form of prayer in which a person concentrates on just being with God without needing to make requests or even use words. Abiding is a key concept to spiritual formation because it essentially is the “base camp” out of which

February 3, 2013

Christian Standard

Growing Like a Garden

By Casey Tygrett I remember the first time I planted seeds to make a garden. I tilled. I prepared the soil. I planted. I watered. I waited. Eventually, things began to grow, and I had a chance to watch the plants mature each day. It was a series of holy moments. I cannot think of a better metaphor to help describe Christian spiritual formation. The planting of the seed of the kingdom of God in our hearts through salvation, and cultivating that seed through habits and disciplines produces spiritual fruit. This is a great way of explaining Christian spiritual formation.

December 31, 2012

Christian Standard

Closed for Renovations

When we talk about makeovers, we”re usually focusing on externals: a new hairdo, new makeup, or maybe a new kitchen or paint job for our house. What would happen if Christians took time for a spiritual “inside” makeover?   By Danny R. Von Kanel As we prepare to face a new year, maybe this is the time to consider a spiritual makeover. The following steps can help make it happen.   Take a spiritual inventory of your relationship with Christ. A spiritual inventory reveals your spiritual condition. Such honest grappling with your spiritual state includes addressing sin, character flaws, relationships, spiritual disciplines,

October 23, 2012

Christian Standard

Interview with Kyle Idleman

By Paul Boatman Kyle Idleman, as teaching pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, wrote Not a Fan (Zondervan, 2011), a book that has gained wide circulation among Evangelical Christians.   Kyle, what possessed you to write a book? It came out of my personal journey. In Not a Fan, I detail a personal transformation moment when I sat in our sanctuary before Easter, thinking about how to have a message that would be attractive to the thousands who will fill the room like a big stadium. A conviction came over me: All too easily the church could be a

May 21, 2012

Christian Standard

Pursuing God, the Cure for Narcissism

By LeRoy Lawson The Pastor: A Memoir Eugene H. Peterson New York: HarperCollins E-books The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell New York: Free Press, 2009 13 Things that Don”t Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of Our Time Michael Brooks New York: Vintage Books, 2009 Eugene Peterson was feeding his fellow Christians long before he published The Message, his paraphrase of the Bible in contemporary English, but that amazing tour de force raised our gratitude even higher. His insights into church and ministry have refreshed many a weary minister,

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