Kingdom Life

A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation
Beginning to read The Kingdom Life: A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation. Here are some guiding principles gleaned from the book that show the centrality of the body of Christ in the process of kingdom growth and advancement, what I refer to as gospel transformation, community formation, missional reformation:
Guiding Principle 1:
Spiritual formation occurs in believers as they engage in intentional personal formation, community formation and missional formation. These three dimensions of spiritual development must not be compartmentalized or separated but organically connected.
Guiding Principle 2:
The center of the spiritual-formation church is Jesus and His kingdom. The Bible is a Christocentric book. Jesus’ primary message was about the immediate nearness and availability of His kingdom to us.
Guiding Principle 3:
Every spiritual-formation church must be rooted in the soil of the lost, the vulnerable, and the least.
Guiding Principle 4:
The spiritual-formation church should seek to create an environment of grace that welcomes everyone who will come to the “rivers of living water” (John 7:38, NASB) that resides in the culture of God’s kingdom.
Guiding Principle 5:
The spiritual-formation church must seek to reach, teach, and practically engage the people in spiritual formation. This means intentional spiritual formation must be the central passion of the church.
Guiding Principle 6:
Equipping people for ministry is critical to the health of the spiritual-formation church.
Guiding Principle 7:
The spiritual-formation church develops new leaders for the advancement of the gospel and the spiritual formation of the people of God.
Guiding Principle 8:
The Bible uses multiple metaphors to describe the people of God, but the primary descriptors are organic – for example, body and family (p. 301-312).

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