I’m heading up a team of people who will begin to work in the area of “Adult Spiritual Formation” at Garnett. Here are some of the questions we’ll be dealing with in our first meeting, along with some of my initial leanings.

What is Christian Spiritual formation? a proposed definition from Robert Mulholland: Christian spiritual formation is the process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others.

How does Spiritual Formation occur? What is God’s role in the process? What is our role?

How is Adult Spiritual Formation different from Adult Education?

What is the purpose of the adult spiritual formation team? My proposed/working purpose statement: To create/nurture an environment in which motivated adults can be exposed to spiritually formative experiences while being equipped with the skills, tools, and resources necessary to facilitate/encourage the spiritual formation process.

What role do Sunday AM and Wednesday PM Classes, and small groups play in the spiritual formation process?

How are Spiritual Formation and new member assimilation/new Christian discipleship/evangelism related?

Let me know if you have any insights or suggestions.

Looking for a good piece of fiction to read this summer? I recommend The Life of Pi by Yann Martel. It’s got survival, fantasy, God, and a killer ending.

Amazon.com
Yann Martel’s imaginative and unforgettable Life of Pi is a magical reading experience, an endless blue expanse of storytelling about adventure, survival, and ultimately, faith. The precocious son of a zookeeper, 16-year-old Pi Patel is raised in Pondicherry, India, where he tries on various faiths for size, attracting “religions the way a dog attracts fleas.” Planning a move to Canada, his father packs up the family and their menagerie and they hitch a ride on an enormous freighter. After a harrowing shipwreck, Pi finds himself adrift in the Pacific Ocean, trapped on a 26-foot lifeboat with a wounded zebra, a spotted hyena, a seasick orangutan, and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker (“His head was the size and color of the lifebuoy, with teeth”). It sounds like a colorful setup, but these wild beasts don’t burst into song as if co-starring in an anthropomorphized Disney feature. After much gore and infighting, Pi and Richard Parker remain the boat’s sole passengers, drifting for 227 days through shark-infested waters while fighting hunger, the elements, and an overactive imagination. In rich, hallucinatory passages, Pi recounts the harrowing journey as the days blur together, elegantly cataloging the endless passage of time and his struggles to survive: “It is pointless to say that this or that night was the worst of my life. I have so many bad nights to choose from that I’ve made none the champion.”

In answer to the comment below, here is a hint as to where the story of Cain and Able is taking me and the message I’ll preach on Sunday:

Two brothers, two sacrifices. One is looked on with favor and the other isnt. The one who isnt favored is angryangry with God, angry with his brother. Hes depressed. Hes sulking. He cant stand the thought that someone else is more favored by God than he is.

Then again, who among us can? One of the hardest things in the world is to watch someone else succeed when were struggling; to watch someone else get the limelight we crave; to watch someone else be given opportunities we think we deserve.

One of the best things about my trip home from the Northwest was having Caleb, my two-year-old, see me from a distance at the airport and start running toward me. Never mind that security nearly tackled him. I beat them to him and grabbed him myself. Last night I put him to bed, read him a story, and then prayed with him. He’s learning to say, “amen” at the end of all his prayers. Sometimes I look at him and feel so much love I think I’m going to pop.

Same goes for Elijah, my nine-month-old. The look he gives me when I walk in the room makes me feel like I can hop to the moon and back.

Last night we were all in the car and Caleb was making Elijah laugh. There was pure joy emanating from the backseat of the car and bursting from my heart.

It’s hard to believe I have a couple of future men in my home, for whom it’s my responsibility to train in the ways of manhood. It’s a daunting task, but I’m happy to have it.

Last week I made a quick trip up to Bellingham to do a memorial service for a 91 year old saint named Herb. He was one of the nicest old men I’ve ever met. It was an honor to be asked by his family to do the service. It was also good to be back in Bellingham for a day or two. I spent some time with my parents. We ate fresh salmon one night and crab and lobster the next. The local casino was featuring an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet on Friday night. We’re not much on gambling or casinos, but we do love our seafood, especially all you can eat lobster. Yes, lobster. I’ve never had my fill of lobster before. It was simply amazing. When I got tired of lobster I switched to King Crab. Not a bad way spend a Friday night with your parents, especially when they’re paying.

On the way home I was upgraded to First Class on both segments of my trip. From Seattle to Denver, we had a newer plane. First class had fully reclining seats, foot rests, and a back massager in the seat. It was the quickest 2 1/2 hour flight I’ve ever been on. I’m not sure why I was upgraded. It’s never happened before. I did buy my ticket through a travel agent and because it was a last minute purchase I paid a hefty price for it. Maybe one of those two factors brought my name up for an upgrade. Maybe God just decided to throw me a bone. All I know is that first class ain’t a bad way to travel at all.

Yesterday was great. I’m really feeling at home at Garnett. Every Sunday finds me a little more comfortable in my “space” when I’m preaching. Garnett is a fun church to preach to. They’re hungry for content, eager to laugh, and very encouraging afterwards. I know we’re still in the honeymoon stage. So far, the honeymoon has been great.

I got a blender for Father’s Day. Now I’m a smoothie making fool.