Our lives are not static; we are all on a life-long journey that includes change – externally and internally; individually and communally. Who am I becoming and who are we becoming?

As Christians we believe that Jesus is with us on our journeys. His Holy Spirit is at work in our daily realities with a deep desire to draw us closer into the life of Christ and form us into his image.

Spiritual formation is God’s work in us as individuals and as communities: growing our intimacy with himself, growing our capacity to love well. We cannot change ourselves. And yet, we are active participants in the process as we stop to listen, as we look out for God in our daily lives, as we make space for his Word, as we surrender to him. We live in a world where God’s presence is often not evident and yet we are invited to expect his presence, voice and work in everything.

The following paper can help you reflect further on spiritual formation, both biblically and personally. Download here.

Spiritual Formation and Scripture Engagement

This page is on the IFES Scripture Engagement website for a number of reasons:

• Scripture plays an important role in God’s work of formation in our lives. It leads us to Christ. It has the power not only to inform, but to transform. Through it, we grow in our relationship with God and learn to see our journeys in light of his story and purposes. Spiritual formation is not possible without space for God’s word in our lives.

• Scripture engagement needs to be integrated in the bigger picture of our lives and walk with Christ. For it to develop its formative potential, it needs to be complemented by prayer, community, silence, obedience and other spiritual practices. Spiritual formation not only integrates these, but helps us remember that God is found in the realities of life – wherever we are right now. It is about all of life.

Sabine Kalthoff
IFES Secretary for Spiritual Formation