SPIRITUAL AND MINISTRY FORMATION main page
The Spiritual and Ministry Formation Ministry (SMF) was established for the purpose of responding to God's calling to cultivate a deep spirituality in the lives of FECA members and to mentor them as they walk in greater obedience to the Lord's calling on their lives. The spirituality we hope to cultivate is defined as the response of the Kingdom community to the Father's initiative, to imitate of Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in a historical and cultural context.
The first thing about such a spirituality is that it is Trinitarian. We acknowledge the triune nature and role of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Second, this spirituality is communal in the sense that God's calling is not only to an individual but also to his/her community formed by the presence of the Kingdom, that is, the establishment of God's rule on earth. As a Kingdom community, we "are the people of God's rule who enter into it, live under it, and are governed by it." Personal spirituality, in reflecting the Trinitarian relationship, defines itself by the collective community it forms. This is not a private spirituality but one that acknowledges that we are together the body of Christ, and as such participate in the sanctification process together.
Third, this spirituality is a spirituality of grace. Grace means that whatever benefits we receive, we receive as a gift initiated and given by the Father. The Father is the initiator; we are the responders. This is not something that can be earned, nor is there a formula whereby we can invoke to command it. It is a gift of the Father; we must extend our hands to receive it and incline our ear to the Father. This spirituality is one that forms a listening posture within us.
Fourth, this spirituality is a spirituality of discipleship. We are disciples of Christ, and our sanctification process is characterized by our desire to imitate Christ, both in an inward sense and an outward sense. Following Jesus means that our inner character is transformed daily to that of Christ's. This flows into who we are as outward beings, God's prophet, priest and servant. As prophets we are God's mouthpiece in a world that is sorely lacking God's voice; as priests we are God's mediators bridging people to Him; and as servants we are God's hands and feet, tenderly loving each other and the lost by serving them as Jesus did. This discipleship compels and empowers us to live out our spirituality in missions and social concern.
Fifth, this spirituality is charismatic spirituality in the biblical sense; that is, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit so that we may understand our true identity as children of God, strengthened in our innermost beings to lead holy lives.
Finally, this spirituality is an incarnational spirituality. We are not spiritual creatures in a vacuum, detached from the world we live in. We believe that our Kingdom role is to address the issues of our times with a Kingdom presence. We stand in continuity with the historical and cultural community of God, but seek to articulate our own spirituality that is unique to the culture and time we are in, thus presenting a relevant and practical gospel.
Governed by this understanding, we endeavor to participate with God in the spiritual formation of our people so that they may be empowered to lead lives in the manner in which they have been called to live.
