THE INTENTIONAL PROCESS OF WHO YOU ARE BECOMING.
What is Spiritual Formation?
Formation asks one of the most important questions we can face: Who am I becoming?
Formation is always happening. We never move through life as neutral observers. Every relationship, habit, environment, and influence is shaping us—whether we are aware of it or not.
Because formation is deeply relational, the people and communities around us matter. The family you grew up in formed your instincts and assumptions. Culture trains your desires and behaviors. Communities shape identity. And what forms us is often passed on to others—not primarily through instruction, but through example. Our values are more caught than taught.
Spiritual formation is the intentional shaping of our inner life so that our outer life reflects love, purpose, and goodness for the sake of others. It is about becoming the kind of person whose life bears healthy fruit—personally, relationally, and communally.
For those who follow Jesus, spiritual formation means apprenticing to His way of life—learning to be with Him, become like Him, and live as He lived.
For those who are still exploring faith, the life and teachings of Jesus offer a time-tested vision for human flourishing—an invitation into a more whole, grounded, and meaningful way of being in the world.
A Place to Begin
At Formation Church, we believe transformation begins with belonging. Long before people believed everything Jesus said, they were welcomed to walk with Him. Apprenticeship grows out of relationship—through shared life, honest questions, and a desire to become more like Jesus.
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship to Jesus isn’t about religion for its own sake. It’s about becoming the kind of person whose character reflects the way of Jesus in real, everyday life.
To apprentice to Jesus means being with Him, becoming like Him, and doing what He did.
We understand spiritual formation as a lived, relational process—learning the way of Jesus by taking seriously everything He said and everything He did, and then practicing those ways in the ordinary rhythms of our lives. Over time, this apprenticeship shapes not only what we believe, but who we are becoming.
WHAT JESUS SAID:
Jesus said many timeless things, but two rise above the rest when it comes to spiritual formation.
1. Love God. Love others.
Jesus taught that the most important thing is to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength—and to love our neighbor as ourselves
(Matthew 22:36–40; Mark 12:28–31; Luke 10:25–28)
Learning to love God fully is a lifelong journey. As that love deepens, it reshapes how we see and treat others. Love for God naturally overflows into patience, compassion, and kindness in everyday life.
2. Make disciples (apprentices).
Jesus also called His followers to help others walk this same path—guiding, supporting, and encouraging one another to live out what He taught
(Matthew 28:18–20)
An apprentice of Jesus is someone who chooses daily to follow His way of life.
(Matthew 16:24):
Denying self — placing God and others above self-interest
Surrendering fully — trusting God with every part of our lives, even when it’s costly
Following daily — living with consistency and integrity in all we do
At Formation Church, we describe this journey through two inseparable movements:
• The Fruit of Formation — our posture
• The Way of the Apprentice — our process
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Matthew 16:24, NIV
Denying Self
Life is no longer centered on self, but on Christ. This begins the journey of humility—laying down ego, self-importance, and false attachments that hinder transformation.
Surrendering Fully
We release control and entrust outcomes to God. This is the heart of taking up our cross—counting the cost of following Jesus and learning to live open-handed before Him.
Following Daily
We walk with Jesus in rhythm and relationship—not perfectly, but persistently. Each day becomes an opportunity to practice presence, compassion, and faithful obedience.
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13, NLT
Every ministry and gathering at Formation Church reflects this rhythm:
Growing in Faith
We express love as we follow Jesus daily and serve others. Love is faith and hope lived out in action—seeking the good of others in the Spirit of Christ. Love becomes both the expression and the evidence of formation.
The triad of Faith, Hope, and Love (1 Corinthians 13:13) is the outward expression of the inner transformation that flows from Jesus’ call in Matthew 16:24:
• To Deny Self is to grow in Faith
• To Surrender Fully is to live with Hope
• To Follow Daily is to express Love
We grow in this way through spiritual practices—prayer, solitude, service, community, and more—which create space for the Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out. Jesus modeled these practices and lived them in rhythm with real life.
Jesus healed, restored, taught, and served. He brought hope where there was pain and light where there was darkness. Through His actions, He showed us what love looks like in motion—and invited us to live the same way.
This is why we look to the voices of the Church across history and the ancient practices of Jesus and—to learn how to apprentice to Him faithfully in our time.
Formation Voices
Here, we highlight some of these thought leaders as companions for your own journey of discovery—voices that invite reflection, learning, and deeper connection to the way of Jesus and the life He modeled.
Formation Practices
We’ve adopted the Nine Practices of Jesus from Practicing the Way, a modern framework rooted in these ancient patterns of life. Each year, we explore one Practice at a time in five-week cycles:
• For the first four weeks, we focus on learning and living out different aspects of the Practice.
• On the fifth week, we pause as a community—to reflect, share, and support one another in how it’s taking shape in our lives.
No one ever “masters” these Practices. They’re lifelong pursuits—steady rhythms that form us over time and help us live in step with the life God designed for us.