One of the most common challenges for church leaders is to inspire their congregation to take tangible steps to grow and mature spiritually. Sermons are preached and the latest promising program is implemented but the results remain the same. Only a handful respond in a way that is clearly transformational. Part of the reason may be that churches are more focused on strategy and disciplines rather than mind-set and motives.

As the pastor of spiritual development, sometimes frustrated congregants came to me with a spiritual void in their life. They sought spiritual growth by dutifully reading Scripture, but over time it became an uninspiring routine. Their prayer life, too, had become dull. They obediently checked off the right boxes for spiritual growth, but the hoped-for results were not happening. My own spiritual journey as their pastor resonated with their frustration. Then I was introduced to the practices of spiritual formation. I was immediately drawn into refreshing disciplines for spiritual growth. Reading Scripture through Lectio Divina taught me to let the Spirit of God to speak through the passage. And Imaginative Reading helped me engage in the story emotionally as one of the biblical characters. Both methods moved me from a shallow, cerebral reading to a deeper, transformational experience of God's voice. Likewise, other spiritual disciplines taught me to hear God in prayer and to be led by the Holy Spirit in how I should pray. In a very short time these practices began to bring new life into my communion with God. I was excited! God was using spiritual formation practices

to re-energize my spiritual journey. I shared what I was learning with my congregation, and many others began to enjoy renewal. It was like a long-awaited rainfall on a dry field, reviving dormant spirits with purpose and enthusiasm. Are you a church leader looking for a revitalization strategy? I would recommend that you introduce spiritual formation disciplines to your congregation.

However, these disciplines only help those who are already wanting and seeking spiritual growth. Many church attendees claiming to be Christian don't consider spiritual growth necessary. “I'm saved and going to heaven. Why bother putting work into being closer with God?” Part of the problem goes back to how we evangelize. So often it comes across like a sales pitch for eternal life insurance. It's not an invitation to a life-style in which inner healing (maturing spiritually) drives greater engagement in the cause of Christ: to restore the world under His Lordship as God originally intended the world to be. I most often hear the gospel reduced to a saving prayer that guarantees life eternal in heaven when we die. However, Jesus required much more than a simple prayer. For instance, in Matthew 19:16-22 the rich, young ruler asks Jesus the question most evangelists long to hear. “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” Note Jesus’ response. Jesus doesn’t tell him to pray and repent of his sin and all would be well. Nor does Jesus tell him to wait for and believe in his atoning work on the cross. Both of these responses would suit our common understanding of how to be saved. Instead, Jesus invites the rich, young ruler into his cause: sell your possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow me. This is exactly what the early the church did in the book of Acts. Jesus needed to change the young ruler’s focus from self-centeredness to becoming part of Jesus’ agenda: the Kingdom of God was restoring creation back to the way God meant it to be. The rich young ruler needed to understand that eternal life is found in the Lordship of Jesus and that, under Christ, his wealth was no longer his own. Evangelism today often caters to a self-centered agenda. Heaven is yours, for free! Just say the sinner's prayer. Then it's done, so why work on spiritual growth? Not everyone sees the need or has the desire for inner healing. Like some of the apostle Paul’s converts (see Romans 6), many unfortunately can't see the need to attend to their brokenness. Like the rich, young ruler, many who became Christian at an early age grew up in the church following the commandments. They can't see that they need to mature spiritually. They believe that they have already secured a place in heaven and that true holiness only comes after death. So, maintaining the status

quo is all they need. Generally, that means reading their Bible, saying prayers and going to church. If they compared themselves to the Christians in Acts, there is a huge difference. Would they give so sacrificially? Could they endure such persecution or martyrdom? The Acts life-style and motivation is far beyond what they can comprehend. Why would they want that? Contemplating Romans 8:17 scares them rather than inspiring them to rally for Christ's cause. Only a growing maturity in Christ enables us to have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5). Only the mind of Christ can motivate us to sacrifice our possessions, our comforts and even our physical life.

For church leaders wanting to move their congregations toward spiritual transformation, the first step is to correct how they present the good news. The gospel is an invitation into a cause, the cause of Christ. It demands we forgive and love our neighbour. It calls for total commitment to the Spirit-led life (Galatians 5:13-26). It requires a heart dedicated to servanthood, sacrifice, humility and grace for the sake of this world. This cause is rooted in the atonement and resurrection of Jesus, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God the Father.

For a sample of what this missional gospel presentation could look like, check out parts 1 & 2 of James Choung’s YouTube links below.

Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCVcSiUUMhY&t=56s&ab_channel=JamesChoung

Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4V60n6KiB8&ab_channel=JamesChoung