Comments on: Ministries That Help or Hinder Spiritual Formation

By: alanfadling

alanfadling — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:51:58 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Jen. Well said…

By: Jen Brukiewa

Jen Brukiewa — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:25:47 +0000

I thiiiiink….yes! I wonder how often our desire to grow and do the spiritual formation thing actually replaces the work of Christ for us and in us. How naturally we adopt the habit of self dependence as opposed to Christ dependence, and how subtle is the shift! Doesn’t this shift always lead to either pride or emptiness/hopelessness?

By: alanfadling

alanfadling — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:48:09 +0000

Thanks, Virgil, for your helpful response. I’m posting a couple more Merton quotations in the next few days that add to this conversation. I hope they help…

By: virgil

virgil — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:25:04 +0000

Alan, this is a great reminder to all of us when we sense the church, ministry and mission settings become the very hindrance to our interior filling and growth. I have sensed this in ministry and at church but I couldn’t really put my finger on it. The very things we consider to be good, wholesome and spiritually inviting can become the very things that prevent spiritual growth. When this happens, what practical things should we do? And what ways can we articulate this message to people in the church?

By: Nancy Lopez

Nancy Lopez — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:29:13 +0000

oh yeah….the flesh always tries to find a way to grow itself.