Introduction
Man is created to love God, and have an intimate relationship with Him. Anything short of this would leave a vacuum in the life and spirit of man. Even when man engaged himself in sacred work, God still demands that the real issue is love. This is exemplified in the letter to the church in Ephesus. Jesus wrote:

This passage along with many others reveal that God is on the look out for what is going on in the inside and not necessarily the actions on the outside. Look at these verses as well:
… This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.     (Matthew 15:8)

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outside, but inside they are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also appear righteous to men outwardly, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.(Matthew 23:27-28)

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a spirit and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24)

Every church leader and pastor have a task of constantly reassessing the spiritual quotient(level) of the members with a view to ensuring that they are in the loving state of relationship with God. The story of Mary and Martha makes God's priority known. Martha like many believers today kept working and doing something for God while Mary sat with the Lord. And the verdict was, And Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:41-42)

God is looking for men and women within the congregation who would choose to become close to their Lord over and above mere working for the Lord. This does not mean believers would not work but the main emphasis must be first and foremost on the inner man rather than the external activities: But Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his face, nor on his height, because I have refused him. For He does not see as man sees. For man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart. (1 Samuel 16: 7)

We are not considering the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are not lasting, but the things which are not seen are everlasting. (2Corinthians 4:18) This emphasis on the inner man, the spirit of man and the heart is what spiritual formation is all about.

What is Spiritual Formation?

Spiritual formation is not a blink-of-an-eye transformation; rather, it is an ongoing process which will continue until Christ is fully formed within and through every believer. In other words, it is a process that will take the rest of our earthly lives. This means every step of the Christian journey to eternity must have at its instance more of the call for a heart and spirit transformation than the physical, material or body edification. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 )

Spiritual Formation is designed to inspire believers toward Christlikeness. It is centred on Christ. It communicates that Christ is at the centre of who we are and all that we are about. We are born in Christ, are meant to grow through Christ, and develop around Christ. Spiritual formation is the growth and develop-ment of the whole person by an intentional focus on one's (1) spiritual and interior life,
(2) interactions with others in ordinary life, and
(3) the practices of spiritual disciplines like prayer, the study of scripture, fasting, simplicity, discernment, solitude, confession, worship, etc.

A believer in Jesus Christ may at the surface examination question the relevance of this new emphasis as most practices are already entailed in other programmes and activities of the church such as: discipleship, Sunday school and Bible Study. Yet, a critical examination of the disciplines of Spiritual Formation would reveal that walking with the Lord, entering into God's presence, and receiving directly from God involves more than mere praying, singing and fellowshipping as we have in most churches today. Christian spirituality involves conscious awareness of, and assent to, the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Spirituality points to a path - to choices of belief, value commitments, patterns of life, and practices of faith that allow Christ to be formed in us. It invites a process of transformation in the life of a believer. It is a process of growing in gratitude, trust, obedience, humility, compassion, service, and joy. In short it is that process when all the works and fruits of the Holy Spirit is manifest in the lives of a believer. Paul wrote that he would continue to travail for the Galatians until Christ is formed in them (Galatians 4: 19). A worldwide phenomenon in this postmodern era is the quest for spirituality. People are seeking what the church purports to offer-a way to God. "When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, 'What are you looking for?" (John 1:38 NRSV) Increasing numbers of people openly express their need for meaning, their longing for "something more," their desire to be connected with others, and their need to transcend the material world. Beneath this spiritual restlessness, God is actively seeking each one. And God is unwilling to let us be satisfied with less than the true life for which we were made. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Spiritual Formation Disciplines

The following are some of the disciplines the Spiritual Formation Office would concentrate and emphasize to help believers demonstrate their love for the Lord.

1. A New Focus on Prayer:

Prayer must move from mere asking for what we need to a means of fostering relationship with God. If you ask most people what prayer means to them, their answer would reflect asking. However, when we consider the life of Jesus we see prayer as a means to draw near to God. Also from the church's practice in history, prayer is that discipline that drew people closer to God. A Spiritual Formation programme of prayer teaches the importance and power of prayer in ensuring fellowship with God contrary to the asking, begging-for-bread and prosperity nature that has permeated today's prayer services.

2. Discernment

Jesus said, "And this is life eternal, that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:3) Eternal life means knowing God. Therefore everyone who claims to know God or to have eternal life be involved in practices that will cause an increase in the knowledge of God over and above any other thing or entity. Paul said to the Ephesians, Therefore., hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the saints, I do not cease giving thanks., making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:15-18) Unfortunately, in prayer, testimonies and conversations of many Christians, it is obvious that more energy is spent against the activities of the devil and demons than in acknowledging the presence and power of God's Holy Spirit in the world. Spiritual Formation practice is focused on ensuring that believers know more of God and therefore spend less time with the activities of the devil. One of such practices in doing this is practicing time to be with the Lord in Quiet places.

3. A Loving Use of the Scripture

Jesus once asked a man, "What is in the Law (Scripture), how do you read it?" (Luke 10: 26) This is a question every Believer must answer. How do you read what is in the Scripture? Do you read in order to have head knowledge of the letters or do you read that a difference might be made in your life? David declared that the word of God is what helps him to steer away from sin. John the Beloved says that the word is active and shaper than any two-edged sword and it can divide the heart and soul. What has the word of God achieved in your life? Spiritual Formation helps to focus believers on the discipline and power of the word of God both individually and as a congregation.

4. Solitude as a Means to Personal Attentiveness to God.

Most individuals who impacted God's kingdom had moments of being separated from the crowd. From the records of the Bible, it seems it is required that everyone must seek solitude to become empowered by God and inspired by His Holy Spirit. Joseph, Elijah, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, Paul and many others had moments they spent alone with God on a constant routine before they became pillars of Faith. Solitude is that moment away from crowd or noise and a time dedicated to relating with God to become strengthened for good works. Jesus said, But you, when you pray, enter into your room. And shutting your door, pray to your Father in secret; and your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly. (Matthew 6:6) Spiritual Formation encourages every believer to practice solitude in order to hear directly what God's will for their life is (Romans 12: 2).

5. Rest

The world we live in is increasingly becoming chaotic. Unfortunately, the surge of hyper activities is not only within the society. The church is also fast becoming a web of programmes and activities. Rest is therefore a necessary discipline counterculture with the rush age of this dispensation. The Bible declares that even God rested on the seventh day after He had created the heavens and the earth for six days. He then made a Sabbath rest a must for mankind. God took the issue of rest so serious that He even made a part of the Ten Commandments and as a part of the Laws for the Israelites. In the Law, anyone who is caught working on the Sabbath day must be put to death (references: Genesis 2: 1-3; Exodus 20: 10; 31: 12-17). Jesus even declared that the Sabbath is made for the benefit of man (Mark 2 : 27). Although today, there is no one who would carry out God's judgment on those who failed to observe the Sabbath rest, it is obvious that many of the ailments and sicknesses that lead to untimely death are as a result of restlessness. Spiritual Formation therefore encourages the discipline of rest so that everyone may live longer and a more fulfilled life.

6. Fasting

Why do most people fast? Could it be sometimes we attempt to use fasting as a means of controlling God into doing what we want and desire rather than as a means of knowing what He wants for us? God saw the fasting of some Israelites and He was disgusted by their fasting. He retorted saying: (They say, Why have we fasted, and You do not see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and You take no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and crush all your laborers. Behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness; . Is it such a fast that I have chosen? .Will you call this a fast and a day pleasing to Jehovah? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed ones go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to break your bread to the hungry, and that you should bring home the wandering poor? When will you see the naked and cover him; and you will not hide yourself from your own flesh? (Isaiah 58:3-7)

Spiritual Formation encourages the practice of fasting as means to a closer relationship with God on a continual basis rather than a bribe to force God into action.

7. Simplicity

Christian Simplicity is a holistic way of life. It is an all-encompassing way of living that frees us from the domination of a secular, ego-driven, profit-obsessed world. It gives us a joyful clarity of being and purpose based on the knowledge of a mindfully loving and caring God. It is a Christ-driven, compassionate, and responsible way of living which encompasses and empowers our day-to-day lives as we determine more to impact others with God's resources at our disposal rather than filling ourselves with all that we possess. More specifically, Christian simplicity is to use "things" so that, first, they do not interfere with one's absolute joy in God, and, second, they actually point toward and contribute to that joy. When "things" are given their proper evaluation as being creations of and gifts from the God who loves us and supplies us with every good, then they can operate as integral contributions of our joy. Our task is to receive God's gifts in such a way that, as with the reception of any gift, our appreciation focuses on the giver rather than on our possession of the gift itself. Christian Simplicity looks at contentment and simple living from the perspective of the abundant life offered in Jesus Christ. Christian simplicity is not an anxious scrupulosity about possessions (either anxiety about getting and holding them or about keeping them below a certain "Christian" level). Rather, it is a joyous freedom regarding them. When life becomes focused upon God instead of "things," one not only is freed from all the anxieties that attend possession, but he also is made free to use "things" with all the blessing and joy for which they were created and given to us in the first place. Spiritual Formation offers resources to people who want to learn contentment in a world that fosters discontent.

Would you want your church, association or conference to benefit from a series of teachings, seminars and workshops on the aforementioned disciplines of Spiritual Formation?

CONTACT
Rev. Tunde Taiwo
Coordinator, Spiritual Formation Division
Christian Education Department
Nigerian Baptist Convention
Baptist Building, Oke Bola
Ibadan, Oyo State.
GSM: 0803-207-1214, 0703-837-0066, 02-241-2308
e-mail: spiritualformation@nigerianbaptist.org
tunde_taiwo@yahoo.com
website: www.nigerianbaptist.org/ced/spiritualformation

INTRODUCING
SPIRITUAL
FORMATION
DISCIPLINES
IN
CHURCHES
OF
THE NIGERIAN BAPTIST CONVENTION