Christian Spiritual Formation is grounded in the tradition of discipleship and the commitment to become increasingly Christlike. This is accomplished by engaging in the disciplines and practices of spiritual formation, the primary means by which believers are transformed into the likeness of Christ to reflect his character. Spiritual practices are not just routine activities but the very means by which believers are transformed.
This is not just about the growth of one’s individual faith; it’s about the flourishing of the larger Christian community. When people experience deep spiritual formation, their faith is strengthened, and their ability to think more biblically also shapes those around them. Churches and faith communities are healthier when their members are regularly engaged in the process of spiritual formation. Worship becomes more vibrant and meaningful, fellowship with other believers becomes deeper, and the witness to the world becomes more impactful.
Christian Spiritual Formation, specifically, as it relates to the formation of those pursuing Christian ministry, stands at the center of United’s commitment to education through its various programs for theological students, church leaders, and post-graduate candidates who are preparing to serve the church. As a seminary, United has been formed by the particular commitments of the church and its partners to enable and equip men and women to engage in Christian ministry as disciples of Jesus Christ in the world today.
Christian Spiritual Formation Defined
Christian Spiritual Formation is the process of being formed into the likeness of Christ. It has a long history in the Christian tradition, and it is a communal, not just a personal process. It is initiated and supported in the context of the entire body of Christ.
Spiritual formation is good for the church because it strengthens the individual Christian life and leads to vibrant, spiritually mature Christian communities.
Spiritual formation is fostered in the lives of God’s people through spiritual disciplines and practices that can be incorporated into their lives as everyday habits, or patterns of living.
Prayer, meditation, study, fasting, worship, and community are some of the key disciplines in this regard. They are the means and instruments that God uses to bring about spiritual growth and maturity in our lives, to shape our hearts and minds more along the lines of His own. For example, regular prayer and meditation can help us grow in our relationship with God; study and fasting can help us better understand and live out God’s word in our lives and communities; worship and community engagement can encourage us to live more faithfully before God and others.
Exemplary practices of spiritual formation in action might be a church leader who organizes a prayer retreat for their congregation or a theology student seeking to commit to a daily practice of reading the scriptures and praying through them. When these disciplines are practiced consistently over time, we can expect to see a deepening of spiritual maturity in the lives of God’s people.
The Role of Theological Education in Spiritual Formation
Theological education sustains the practice of spiritual formation and bridges the gap between academics and ministry. At United Theological Seminary, for example, theological education occurs in an environment that is both structured and unstructured, classroom-based and sacramental, formed and socialized, occupational and vocational, and semiotic and spiritual. It assumes, moreover, that theological education occurs at a time in the life of students when spiritual formation has taken firm root. Theological education provides the church with pastors who are able to sustain, shepherd, and form others in spiritual practices that shape theological discourse and enact the gospel.
Blending Theory and Practice
A vital component of seminary education is balancing theory and practice – students are exposed to rich theological content that gives them a firm grounding in the spiritual disciplines of prayer, meditation, and scripture study. Such disciplines are taught not only as concepts, but also as a means of investigation to see their value and how to apply them into everyday life and ministry. Courses might explore the history of prayer and how it is shaped by the Bible, while students are also able to experiment with their own prayer life within the seminary context. The combination of these two approaches ensures that students not only know about the spiritual disciplines, but also how to implement them into their own spiritual life and their leadership of others.
Mentorship
Another important aspect of theological education at United Theological Seminary involves mentorship – students receive one-on-one spiritual mentoring, as well as advice from our faculty, who have experience in ministerial formation. Spiritual mentors can help students navigate the often confusing challenges and roadblocks that many experience in the formative years of their ministry.
Lasting Mentoring and Experiential Learning
Mentoring relationships often continue after graduation and sometimes last a lifetime. They can help students explore their spiritual gifts, hear how others perceive their spiritual formation journey, and receive practical advice on how to continue spiritual formation into their student ministry. In addition, experiential learning opportunities at United Theological Seminary, like internships, field education, and service-learning projects, bring students out of the seminary classroom and into churches, nonprofit organizations, and community centers where they can practice and hone their spiritual disciplines in the context of real ministry.
Benefits of Pursuing Spiritual Formation at a Theological Seminary
Spiritual formation in the context of a theological seminary is a place where professional and personal development can flourish. Students at United Theological Seminary are not only grounded in their knowledge of the Bible but also their spiritual capacity to minister to people. United Theological Seminary provides an environment where students can be built up spiritually among like-minded people of faith, and further resources that aid in the formation process. Extensive and abundant libraries, spiritual direction, and an online seminary community are just a few of the many resources that students can access at United Theological Seminary.
Integrating Spiritual Formation into Ministry
Spiritual formation must be practical and applied to all areas of ministry rather than studied as an abstract. Pastors and leaders have a crucial role in encouraging spiritual formation within their congregations. They can do this by incorporating spiritual disciplines into church life, for example, setting up prayer groups, Bible studies, or encouraging fasting during certain times of the year, and they can also model these practices for the life of the community. By integrating spiritual formation into the life of the church, leaders can cultivate a community that is vibrant and mature in their spiritual lives.
United Theological Seminary’s Approach to Spiritual Formation
United is very much invested in tending the spiritual garden of its students in every aspect of its life and work. The seminary provides a dedicated program of spiritual formation, in addition to courses that directly address spiritual formation, in order to cultivate spiritual growth. In particular, United’s Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center provides resources and training to congregations seeking to strengthen the practices of prayer. The center has equipped students and church communities to strengthen their prayer-practice, including cultivating habits of prayer and intercession.
A powerful factor in United’s success in spiritual formation is student testimonies of their profound spiritual growth during their time at the seminary. Sarah Johnson, a recent graduate, talked about how the seminary’s emphasis on spiritual practices transformed her ministry. “I was somewhat sporadic about my spiritual practices, and rather thin in them before I came to United,” she says. “The courses and the mentored reflection that I received here showed me how to live fully into the spiritual disciplines in a way that has enriched both my life and my relationship with God and woven them into my ministry in ways that have enhanced both the life of the church and the spiritual life of those whom I serve.”
Another has to do with leadership. As John Miller (MDiv ’09) sums it up, “The emphasis on spiritual formation at United Theological Seminary helped me understand that leadership in the Church – unlike the definition I learned in the business school – isn’t about managing people and programs but is about leading from a deep place of spiritual formation. The mentors I had here helped me name and shape my spiritual gifts. As a pastor now, I can see how this formation has equipped me to lead my congregation into their formation, as well.”
The stories of success from United’s graduates highlight the seminary’s emphasis on spiritual formation. The stories are a testament to how the seminary is providing the spiritual and practical tools for students to be successful ministers — whether through structured courses or hands-on learning experiences or the sage mentoring of seasoned faculty, the seminary provides the environment for students to grow spiritually and academically.
At United Theological Seminary, you can explore spiritual formation as a way of deepening your ministry, and also as a way of grounding yourself for the long haul of leadership. Whether you’re a student who is just learning about your vocation and calling, or a minister who has been in the game for some time, if you want an education that will prepare you for the challenges of ministry and help you to grow in your spiritual disciplines, United Theological Seminary is the place to be. If you’re ready to start preparing for a postgraduate degree at seminary, come explore what United Theological Seminary has to offer.
Embarking on a Lifelong Journey
How do we continue to form our faith throughout our lives, shaping our character and coaxing us into deeper, more sanctioned knowledge and intimacy with God? And what does this have to do with ministry? Christian Spiritual Formation is a lifelong process of growth and refinement that matures the heart and mind of the Christian follower, forming us as disciples, grounding us in a faith that is robust and compassionate, and preparing us for ministry in the world.
If you’re just beginning to hear about this, or if you want to learn more about how to deepen and sustain your spiritual life, the resources and education you seek are at hand. God is calling you to ministry – that much is clear. At United Theological Seminary, God is calling you to take the next step in that ministry, and following out your call involves learning, listening, and discerning God’s voice for you. You’re in the right place. You’re created for this ministry. If the Divine One has called you further into ministry or if you’re just taking your first steps in a post-graduate seminary degree program, check out United Theological Seminary to see how the programs there can help you grow in faith and leadership.