Where Do You Abide?
We have described spiritual formation as apprenticing under Jesus. We are his apprentices, or disciples, when we practice living the way he lived. The Holy Spirit forms us by his grace in the ways of Jesus as we are open to his counter-formative work of renewing our hearts and minds.
Spiritual practices are the ways we make ourselves available to God for spiritual formation. The habits of faithful followers of Jesus throughout the history of the church bear witness to the formative power of the spiritual practices. Historically, the practices have included worship, prayer, confession, scripture study and meditation, fasting, and acts of service, among others.
Through a process of study and prayer, we have selected several spiritual practices to form the core emphases for spiritual formation at Trinity. We have organized these core practices around the theme of abiding in Jesus, found in John chapter 15.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches.”
In the fall sermon series, Jonathan will go deep into what it means to abide in Jesus and how the spiritual practices help us do that. The following descriptions serve as a brief introduction.
We have made each letter of the ABIDE acronym into an active word about being formed in Jesus and connected core practices to each formation word:
Adore. Bless. Invite. Devote. Examine.
Please note that no one will be doing all these practices at once! Through the spiritual formation ministry, we will provide direction, support, and resources to help you discern which practice(s) God wants to form in you more deeply in this season of your life.
ADORE
Worship – Focus on God’s character and attributes, his names, and his presence. Acknowledge that he alone is worthy of all our worship. Praise God as the creator and sustainer of life and giver of every good gift.
Sabbath – Receive God’s provision of a day set aside for rest. In practicing Sabbath, we honor God by acknowledging our human limits and establishing healthy rhythms of work and rest.
Prayer (praise) – Communicate regularly with God throughout the week with prayers of praise, worship, thanksgiving, adoration.
BLESS
Acts of Kindness – Commit to actions that serve others with generosity of spirit and resources. Seek increased awareness of the physical and spiritual needs of people around you and put the good of others ahead of your own.
Simplicity – Structure your life in ways that make it more freeing. Turning from the demands of consumerism, reorient your desires around gratitude and trust in God. Provide more generously for others through thoughtful stewardship of your resources.
INVITE
Living in Community – Participate in the communal life of the church by giving and receiving friendship, accountability, and gospel partnership in the body of Christ. Share the joys and struggles of others journeying through the world as apprentices of Jesus.
Hospitality – Make room for friends and neighbors. Invite the uninvited and re-humanize those whose humanity has been abused and degraded. Nurture dignity and respect for others by honoring the image of God in every person.
DEVOTE
Scripture (study) – Commit to regularly study and grow in your knowledge of God’s word. Use resources that help you understand how to read the bible as a comprehensive, connected book. With respect for when and why it was written, learn to articulate its truth and application for today.
Prayer (intercession) – Set aside times throughout the week for prayers of intercession for yourself, others, and the world.
Fasting – Commit to abstain from food for a brief time and use the period of abstinence to pursue spiritual nourishment in spending that time with God. Let go of a regular routine to become more aware of your complete dependence on God and his sufficiency for you.
EXAMINE
Scripture (meditation) – Commit to prayerfully meditate on scripture, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to you through God’s word. Reflect on the truths and promises of scripture and be open to how the Spirit is applying them to the formation of your heart and mind.
Confession – Be honest with yourself and God about attitudes and actions that are not honoring him. Seek God in prayer to confess your intentional and unintentional sins, repent, and receive his boundless grace and forgiveness.
Silence & Solitude – Commit to intentional times to be alone in a quiet place with God. Receive from God what he wants to give and what only he can give you. Acknowledge your deep dependence on him and increase your awareness of his presence and guidance.
