“When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them,
‘What are you looking for?’ ”(John 1:38 NRSV)

People are seeking what the church purports to offer—a way to God. The secular press has noted people’s spiritual restlessness and search for meaning. Increasing numbers of people openly express their need for meaning, their longing for “something more,” their desire to be connected with others, and their need to transcend the material world. Beneath this spiritual restlessness, God is actively seeking each one. And God is unwilling to let us be satisfied with less than the true life for which we were made.

What Is Christian Spiritual Formation? Christian spiritual formation is the overall process by which people seek God, come to know God in Christ, develop and mature as disciples of Jesus, and live expanding lives of love and service in the power of the Holy Spirit.

How Do People Grow in the Christian Life? We enter into Christ by the grace of God. We grow in Christ’s likeness by seeking him through the practices of prayer (giving our hearts to God), study (giving our minds to God), and action (giving our hands and feet in service to God). Together, these practices represent a “rule of life” (an intentional pattern of Christian discipline) and allow us to participate in the pattern of Christ’s own life with God in the world. We enter into the heart of Christ through our prayers, into the mind of Christ through our study, and into the work of Christ as we serve others. These practices are passageways into the transformation of our lives with the aim that we become united with the heart, mind, and work of Christ.

The Apostle Paul saw the Christian life as one of dying to our old life and clothing ourselves in Christ (Rom. 13:12a-14). As we practice the pattern of Christ’s life, Christ grows in us and we in him. The Holy Spirit works within us progressively to awaken our hunger for God, to restore us to life in Christ, and to guide our growth in the fullness of Christ’s life and mission. We hear the pain and promise of spiritual growth in the pleading of the Apostle Paul when he writes, “My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you . . .” (Gal. 4:19 nrsv). As we enter into the heart, mind, and work of Christ through practice of the means of grace, Christ meets us, comes alive in us, and makes God’s love visible through the character of our lives, individually and corporately.

What Is the Primary Context for Our Spiritual Growth? It is the congregation—the expression of the body of Christ, through which Christ reaches out to us, gives us his life with God, nurtures our faith and practice, and sends us out to walk in the way that leads to life in our families, communities, and world. The congregation provides a spiritual family for supporting and encouraging this process of transformation. And it is as members of congregations that we become instruments through which Christ does the same for others.

What Is the Task for Congregational Leaders? The task for leaders is to create spaces in which people can learn to pay attention to God. This means that the leaders themselves know how to and are paying attention to God; and it means that leaders know how to guide others in Chris-tian spiritual formation. Within the congregation, there are at least five contexts that are important to people’s spiritual growth and warrant ongoing attention and support from leaders: nurturing personal attentiveness to God; encouraging spiritual companionship in small groups; fostering spiritual life in families; maturing as spiritual leaders; and connecting people in a worldwide network of prayer and ministry.

The remainder of this pamphlet addresses these five challenges and identifies some of the resources of The Upper Room® Ministries to support spiritual growth in these areas. Contact The Upper Room® Ministries at: P.O. Box 340004, Nashville, TN 37203-0004; tollfree (877) 899-2780; www.upperroom.org.

Nurturing Personal Attentiveness to God
One question facing congregational leaders is “How can we help individuals identify their hunger for God and teach them how to become attentive to God?” God is at work drawing individuals into relationship even before they are aware of their spiritual yearnings. And individuals experience a hunger for God and long to be connected to God. Leaders can begin by asking, “What are the hungers of your heart?” They can also begin to teach the spiritual practices (prayer, meditation on Scripture, spiritual reading, etc.) as ways of making space to pay attention to God. This inward attentiveness to God expresses itself outwardly through works of compassion, justice, and generosity. The Upper Room® Ministries offers resources to help persons pay attention to God.

• The Upper Room® magazine is a daily devotional guide focusing on daily Bible reading and reflection. For individual subscriptions, call (800) 925-6847; for other subscriptions, call (800) 972-0433; editorial office (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7252. E-mail edition: www.upperroom.org/devotional.
• The Upper Room Chapel and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, gives individuals an opportunity to participate in and enjoy a spiritual “holy moment experience” through the chapel art and museum artifacts. Tollfree (877) 899-2780, ext. 7207. http://www.upperroom.org/chapel
• The Upper Room Ministries® provides a number of books that support the spiritual practices; for example, The Spiritual Formation Bible; Upper Room Disciplines; Journeying Through the Days; The Upper Room® Spiritual Classics series.

Encouraging Spiritual Companionship in Small Groups
One question facing congregations is “How do we help one another continue to pay attention to God and watch over one another in love?” From the witness of the Scriptures and history, we see clearly that we need the support and company of others in order to mature as Christians. Many people are involved in any of a variety of small groups, including support groups, study groups, prayer groups, recovery groups, accountability groups, and so on. One challenge for church leaders is to support the variety of small groups with guidance and resources that will promote and enrich the groups.

The Upper Room® Ministries offers a variety of resources for small groups.

• Alive Now® is a bimonthly magazine that supports the spiritual life of small groups and individuals by helping them reflect on life in the 21st century. For individual subscriptions, call (800) 925-6847; for other subscriptions, call (800) 972-0433; editorial office: (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7218. www.upperroom.org/alivenow
• The Walk to Emmaus® is a 3-day course in Christianity wherein participants spend time centered on grace and discipleship. Afterward, participants continue their walk by meeting in small accountability groups. For information call (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7222. www.upperroom.org/emmaus
• The Living Prayer Center is a 24-hour a day, 7 days a week, intercessory prayer ministry staffed by volunteers from around the U.S. The requests are sent to intercessory Covenant Prayer Groups around the world for additional prayer support. Living Prayer Center: (800) 251-2468; www.upperroom.org/prayer_center
• The Upper Room® Ministries provides books that facilitate spiritual friendship and growth; for example, Workbook of Living Prayer; Gathered in the Word: Praying the Scriptures in Small Groups, (800) 972-0433.

Fostering Spiritual Life in Families
One question facing congregations is “How do we nurture the spiritual development of our children, youth, and young adults?” We must help children identify and interpret their experience of God. We must teach them the spiritual practices and encourage them to their own practices. This teaching occurs primarily in the context of the family, yet many parents and grandparents feel ill equipped for this work. One task for the congregation is to support them in this vital role by teaching them how to teach their children and grandchildren. Additionally the church ministers with the children, youth, and young adults through the various age-level ministries.

Resources for children, youth, young adults, and parents are available from The Upper Room® Ministries.

• Pockets® devotional magazine uses stories and activities to help children, ages 6-12, grow in their relationship with God. For
  individual subscriptions, call (800) 925-6847; for other subscriptions, call (800) 972-0433; editorial office, (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7333, www.upperroom.org/pockets
• Devo’Zine® is a devotional magazine for youth 12-18. The accompanying mentor’s guide is Devo’Zine® Guide for Mentors and Small Groups. For individual subscriptions, (800) 925-6847; for other subscriptions, (800) 972-0433; editorial office, (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7247; www.upperroom.org/devozine
• Chrysalis® is the youth version of The Walk to Emmaus® designed for youth in high school (ages 15-18) and college (ages 19-24), (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7525; www.upperroom.org/chrysalis
• Upper Room® Ministries also provides books to support spiritual life in families; for example, Children and Prayer; At Home with God: Family Devotions for the School Year; Family: The Forming Center and The Godbearing Life, (800) 972-0433.

Maturing as Spiritual Leaders
Two questions facing the spiritual leaders of congregations are, “How do spiritual leaders continue to mature as faithful disciples?” and “How do spiritual leaders guide the ministry of Christian spiritual formation in their congregations?” The first question addresses one of the temptations of spiritual leaders: to become so involved in caring for the needs of parishioners and institutional concerns that the leader finds it difficult to maintain his or her own spiritual practices. Yet without maintaining the spiritual practices, spiritual leaders can become as dry as the bones witnessed by Ezekiel.

The second question addresses how spiritual leaders can foster an environment in the congregation in which the spiritual life is nurtured. To answer this question we need to have a vision of the congregation as the primary context for spiritual growth. We need leaders who are spiritually rooted, as well as professionally trained, to guide people in their formation as Christian disciples.

The Upper Room® Ministries supports spiritual leaders as they deal with both questions.

• Weavings® is a bimonthly journal that promotes informed, committed spiritual growth by exploring how God’s life and human lives are woven together in the world. For individual subscriptions, call (800) 925-6847; for other subscriptions, call (800) 972-0433; editorial office, (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7254. www.upperroom.org/weavings
• The Academy for Spiritual Formation® is a program for people who want to deepen their spiritual lives in a holistic way through courses, worship, and spiritual guidance in personal and group contexts. The program is offered in both Two-Year and Five-Day formats, (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7232. http://www.upperroom.org/academy
• The Pathways Center for Spiritual Leadership® provides formative learning opportu-nities for church leaders—lay and professional —who seek to mature in their ability to live and lead from their spiritual centers in Christ. Opportunities include joint D. Min. offerings in partnership with seminaries, Feed My Shepherds retreat, retreat leader training, and the annual Pathways Conference with themes related to the spiritual lives of leaders and the art of spiritual guidance in the church, (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7228. www.upperroom.org/pathways
• The Upper Room® Ministries also offers books for spiritual leaders; for example, The Pastor as Spiritual Guide and Feed My Shepherds. Call (800) 972-0433.

Connecting People in a Worldwide Network of Prayer and Ministry
One question facing congregations is “How do we live in communion with other Christians around the world?” How can we bridge the gap when language, race, culture, or geography separates us? Of course we experience communion with other Christians whenever we come to the Lord’s Table or participate in a missions project. Being involved with daily common prayer also enables us to experience a worldwide communion with other Christians. The Upper Room® Ministries offers resources to assist persons to realize their unity in Christ.

• The Upper Room® magazine, published in 45 languages, provides a daily means of praying with Christians around the world. Using the same scriptures, meditations, and prayers, millions of Christians around the world are united for a few moments as they ponder God’s character and work.

• El Aposento Alto® is the Spanish language edition of The Upper Room® magazine. For all subscriptions, call (800) 964-3730; editorial office, (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7253. Online: www.upperroom.org/elaposentoalto
• Church leaders in other countries have invited several programs, including The Walk to Emmaus® and Chrysalis® to come into their countries. The program materials have been translated into other languages as needed.
• The Upper Room® Ministries, P. O. Box 340004, Nashville, TN 37203-0004, offers books in several languages, including Spanish and Korean: Incrustada en la Peña; Vida Devocional en la Tradición Wesleyana; and Korean Family Devotions, (800) 972-0433.

Stephen D. Bryant (sbryant@upperroom.org) is the editor/publisher for The Upper Room, Nashville, TN.

K. Cherie Jones, a local church pastor, formerly served on the staff of The Upper Room

Updated May 2004