The Invitation

Spiritual Transformation is what we call the process that disciples/apprentices of Jesus enter into when they partner with Christ. God, in Jesus Christ has invited us into abundant life and right relationship. This invitation is given in the life, death, resurrection and indwelling presence of Jesus. Jesus invites us to follow Him (John 1), and promises to give us the power to do all that we’ve seen Him do (John 14). Our response to this loving invitation is in our choosing to follow Jesus and growing in the likeness of God’s character. The goal is that as our heart begins to change (Matthew 23:25), that our outward attitude, actions, and responses begin to more naturally, supernaturally, and transparently begin to reveal God. This is an active, ongoing choice of a person that we call an apprentice of Jesus. An apprentice has a vision of what it means to be a follower that is learning to live and love like Jesus by putting off the “old” self and putting on a “new” one (Philippians 4; Colossians 3). None of us have fully attained this life, but it is our promised reality toward which we live. It is possible because of God’s grace and His indwelling presence in our life (The Holy Spirit). Without a destination, how will we know where to go?

Now the whole offer, which Christianity makes, is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the life of Christ. If we do, we shall then be sharing a life, which has always existed and always will exist…if we share in this kind of life we also shall be sons of God. We shall love the father as He does and the Holy Ghost will arise in us. He (Jesus) came to this world and became a man in order to spread to other men the kind of life He has. Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.

- C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity p. 153)

We are invited to make a pilgrimage—into the heart of God. Dallas Willard (The Divine Conspiracy p. 11)

The Reflection of a Transforming Life

Apprentices (followers of Christ) reflect a certain image a peculiar life as they are being formed into the image of Christ. The following are reflections of people who are in the process of transformation.

Identity

We are God’s beloveds, His children (Deuteronomy 33:12; 1 John 3:1). The truth of God’s love for us is our center. Outside influences of culture and the need for approval no longer control us. Our Identity is firmly grounded not in our own efforts but God’s love (John 17:20-26). You are created by God and you are called good. We are made in the likeness of God and we reflect God’s image. Although this image has been distorted through sin done by us and to us, God has not forgotten who we are and whom God made us to be. God knew us before we were born, named us before we were even formed in our mother’s womb. In love, God has chosen us, and the Holy Spirit works ceaselessly to restore the unique God-image we alone can reflect. We see not only this unique belovedness in ourselves but also recognize it in others. (Colossians 2:6-12)

Fruit of Spirit

We become more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled (Galatians 5:22-26). Slowly, how we live and respond to others in our lives begins to change. This outward manifestation is a result of the indwelling presence of God as the Holy Spirit.

Purpose/Mission Participation in the Kingdom of God

God’s Kingdom, His rule, reign, and effective will, is advancing into the lives of people on earth. We, as citizens and co-heirs in the Kingdom, join with God as co-laborers in His redemptive process in the world (1 Peter 2:9-10; Galatians 4:4-7). We are actively pursuing his will and participating in His work by stewarding our finances, spiritual gifts, natural talents, and acquired skills He has given to us. Our whole life participates in this mission of redemption (Romans 12). We proclaim the Good News of the availability of God’s Reign and we help others to be followers/disciples (Matthew 28:16-20; Matthew 11:11-15).

Cares for the “Least of These”

We start to see others as dearly loved children of God. We see others who are neglected and marginalized by the world. We understand that true religion is worship revealed in action and we bring voice to the voiceless (Isaiah 1:11-31; Matthew 25:34-40).

Compassion

We are no longer numb to the needs of those around us (Luke 19:19-31). We feel compassion (Our inside embrace the feelings and situation of another) and we are moved to act on that compassion. Just as Jesus is aware and embodies the hurt of others we too feel and act in compassion. (Mark 6:34, 8:2; Luke 7:12-13; Matthew 9:35-36)

Hospitality

We are growing in hospitality, inviting others to be at home in our presence, because God invites us into His presence. The gift of hospitality is an expression of how we are to love our neighbors (Luke 10:30-37). We extend this free space and a listening ear with no expectation on the guest; therefore, the unwelcomed become the welcomed just at they are in the Kingdom of God (Luke 14:12-14). We share not only with the stranger but also with our fellow citizens living in God’s Kingdom, that no one would be in need (Acts 2:44-47).

Trust

We are learning to trust Christ. We are beginning to have confidence in Him in every aspect of our lives. We not only trust Him for our eternal destination but we trust Him for the things that relate to us being continually transformed into the likeness of Christ. In fact, Christ is always with us (Matthew 28:20; Isaiah 41:10) we are not overcome by the daily trials of life because we trust that our suffering is an opportunity for God’s transformative work (Romans 8:28-29). These trials and suffering are also opportunities to experience the tenderness and comfort of God that we could not otherwise experience. We trust that God is actively pursuing us in a relationship and that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:35-39)

Obedience

Obedience to Christ is not burdensome but rather freeing (John 5:3-5; Deuteronomy 6:1-3). Obedience is a by-product of our growing knowledge of God’s love for us (1 John 4:19). As we abide in God and His love and He abides in us, we begin to experience the ‘abundant life” Jesus came to give us. We are less attracted to sin and obedience becomes our preferred way to live. Our obedience manifests itself in love for others, forgiveness, and humility.

Practical Tips and Opportunities for the Journey in Christlikeness

Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

We (Sojourners Church) realize that being an apprentice of Christ and growing into Christlikeness does not occur overnight but is a process and a journey. Sometimes we equate this spiritual growth with growing in knowledge or information about God. Knowing about God is good but it is not the same as knowing God. In fact, the Biblical definition for “knowledge” is almost always “interactive relationship.” Authentic spiritual formation/transformation is a process, in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, where we are conformed into the image of Christ.

We at Sojourners believe God longs for a healthy balance and rhythm in our transformational process. The three areas we focus on in this transformational process are Restore, Love, and Serve. This rhythm is described in John 15:1-8 and we have a daily devotional you can journey through to experience and practice this rhythm: Life on the Vine. Before we can even begin to reveal God’s love, we need to spend time being Restored by God as we abide in Him. As we are filled and nourished for growth and transformation, we begin to reveal and practice God’s love in the midst of our church community by Loving others. Through loving others we begin to practice the Kingdom life Jesus describes. We also become a foretaste for those in and outside of the community of what it means to live in the midst of God’s kingdom. However, God’s plan never ends with His church, His people, He has sent us into the world to be an instrument for His in-breaking kingdom and we do this by Serving the mission of God. We Serve God and His mission with our character and actions by revealing His kingdom and participating in the ministry of reconciliation.

As we begin to talk about the curriculum and practices for Spiritual Transformation, it is very easy to settle into a sort of “legalism”. We need to realize that as Dallas Willard says, “Grace is not opposed to effort.” One needs to make an intentional decision to obey and trust that a new abundant life is possible. In combination with the Holy Spirit (John 3:5; Romans 8:10-13; Galatians 5:22-26); Ordinary events of Life (James 1:23-4; Romans 5:1-5) and Personal effort or Discipline (Colossians 3:12-17; 2 Peter 1:5-10) our lives can begin to be transformed. It’s not out of legalism that we need to put forth effort but out of a desire to know Christ more and Knowing in a biblical sense always means obedience and knowledge through experience (Philippians 2:12-13; 3:10-14). Spiritual disciplines and practices are not a prescription but they allow us to be available for more of God’s grace in our lives. God is always present we just are not always available.

We have some suggestions and opportunities for practical ways in which we at Sojourner’s Church can journey together, so that we can cultivate intimacy with God and live in a healthy rhythm of Restore, Love, Serve. These are not steps or answers, but opportunities for transformation to take place. These opportunities will constantly be added to and updated since the list of practical ways for formation to take place is inexhaustible.

Thanks

When:  Saturday, January 28 @ 1 p.m.

Where: Wilshire Avenue Community Church
212 E Wilshire Avenue  Fullerton, CA 92832

In lieu of flowers, please  donate to City of Hope Research

The City of Fullerton’s Task Force on Homelessness and Mental Illness wants to hear your ideas on what can be done to better serve our mentally ill homeless community in the future.  We have a unique opportunity as a faith community to listen to what God is doing and then speak into our community.  We want to be good stewards of this opportunity.

Join us for a ‘listening conference’:
A time to reflect, share and craft a new vision for our city and community.  Choose the one that best works for you!

We are also hoping to have a time to actually sit with some of the people that this directly effects.  There will be some training times available for those who would like to sit, eat, and have conversations with the homeless in Fullerton.  There will be some more info to follow.

When:  Thursday, October 27, 7pm
First Christian Church, 109 E. Wilshire Ave., Fullerton
OR
Sunday, November 13, 2pm
Temple Beth Tikvah, 1600 N Acacia, Fullerton

• Vision:  We want to paint a clear picture of what it would look like if we actually lived the life we are created to live in Christ.  The vision of a faithful apprentice of Jesus.

• Intention: After casting VISION of the life God intended for us, there must be a cultivation of passion, desire, and pursuit toward that VISION.  This is the INTENTION.  During this time we develop an truer realization that God really does have our best interest at heart.

• Means:  Once we know the direction we are going (VISION) and found a desire to pursuit that direction (INTENTION), we want to leave everyone with a way to do that (The MEANS).  The MEANS can be prayers, spiritual disciplines, tools, or practices that help us move closer to our vision and eventually draw us to our eventual goal of depth with Jesus.

When: Wed. February 1, 2012
Time: 6:30p-8:00p
Where: Phil and Sarah Towne’s
Address: 1415 N. Concord Ave. Fullerton, CA
Who: Everyone can come.  There will be formation for the family as a whole and then also for the children of any age.

Contact me if you are planning on coming email

There are a lot of great reasons to have a party.  One great reason is to mark a milestone or achievement like a wedding, graduation, or promotion. Celebration in God’s church helps us recollect God’s goodness to us.  It allows us to make a big deal out of what God has given our church family.  Every two months we have a  “Celebration Sunday” to celebrate the transformation we have experienced as a result of putting into practice what we hear on Sunday mornings.  We stop and recognize God’s present kingdom that’s active in our community.  We don’t do this alone but with each other as well as the Solidarity Community.  Since we serve together throughout the week, we want to celebrate and encourage each other with our stories of transformation.  Specifically; overcoming hardships; achieving a goal; realizing we are valued and called to work with God even though we are flawed; and stories of God’s active and incoming Kingdom.  We do not want to become a people who forget God’s work in our lives.  So we want to create a place where we can reflect, remember, and celebrate the presence of God in our midst.

This is from Dr. John H. Coe Director of The Institute for Spiritual Formation, Talbot School of Theology

© Copyright 2010 John H. Coe. All rights reserved.

Take some time to walk with Jesus through these prayers.  Take as long as you want and need.  Don’t try to get through all of them at once.  There may be some place the Spirit wants you to take more time journeying through.

1. Prayer of Presenting Oneself as a Sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2): the spiritual discipline of presenting oneself to God as a living sacrifice, open to Him and His will in all things.

Prayer of Intention: “Lord, I am here, I present myself to you. Here I am.”

This protects the will from becoming asleep to the will and Person of God.

2. Prayer of Recollection (Phil. 3:7-9): the spiritual discipline of reminding the self of its true identity in Christ (full pardon, full acceptance) and “Christ in me” (that I am not alone).

Prayer of Intention: “God, whatever I do today, I want to do this in you. I don’t want to do this alone, in my own power or as a way to hide and cover. I don’t want to find my identity in anything but Christ. I am in Christ and that is my true identity.” (Confess any idolatry)

This protects the life from idolatry, false identities and moralism or making decisions from false guilt, shame in life in the power of the self.

3. Prayer of Honesty (Ps. 15:1-2, Ps. 139:23-24): the spiritual discipline whereby we open to God and ourselves in what is truly going on in our heart in order for truth-telling to take place in our relationships and life in general.

Prayer of Intention: “Lord, what is going on in my heart right now with You, with others, with my life, my situations? Search me, O God, and know my heart. Open my heart to you today in truth, lest I deceive myself.” (Confess any idolatry)

This protects us from superficial obedience, from presenting ourselves in arrogance, closed heartedness, dullness of heart, etc. Let the heart be a mirror to the truth and open to God.

4. Prayer of Discernment (Eccles. 7:13-14): the spiritual discipline whereby we learn to watch what the Spirit is doing in us and not merely our work, to “consider the work of God,” what His will is in all things versus ours or the devil’s so that we can better cooperate with the Spirit. Here we seek wisdom on how to respond to His work that is ongoing within us.

Prayer of Intention: “Lord, what are you doing and what is it that you want me to become and do if I am to do your will?”

This protects us from responding to false calls of guilt of what to do in our life, to fantasy, to the demonic, to our grandiosity, to working alone. Here we learn to wait on God and watch His work more than our own.

5. In receptivity to the Spirit, hear the Word of God (Lectio Divina [Heb. 4:12])

(Jn. 15:5) “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

© Copyright 2010 John H. Coe. All rights reserved.

Can’t make it to the meetings?  Let Mary Bogan know and she will add you to the Facebook group for the study. We’ll be sharing summaries of our discussion and continuing the conversation there.  The group is closed, so you’ll have to be invited.

Where:  Mary Bogan’s house, 1112 Sheppard Dr., Fullerton College

When: May 25, June 8, June 22,  July 13, July 27, Aug 10, Aug 24

What time? 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

What do I need to bring?
·      Evolving in Monkey Town
·      Notebook & Pen
·      Bible
·      Your own dinner
·      YOU!

Questions? Call or email Mary Bogan | 714-313-1127  Email: contact

Solitude is the practice of being alone. Dallas Willard says, “Of all the disciplines of abstinence, solitude is generally the most fundamental in the beginning of the spiritual life, and it must be returned to again and again as that life develops.”[i]

Silence is the practice of being in a quiet place and/or not speaking. Solitude and silence together provide a foundation for prayer that will radically transform your communication with God.

Many people in the Bible made solitude a part of their lives. Jesus practiced solitude throughout his life and ministry. At the beginning of his ministry he went to the wilderness for an extended period of fasting and prayer (Matthew 4:1-2). He sought solitude prior to preaching (Mark 1:35-39), after he had healed a leper (Mark 1:45), after hearing about the death of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:13), after his followers had been involved in ministry (Matthew 14:23), and before he chose the disciples (Luke 6:12-16). At the end of his life he sought solitude in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36ff).

What makes solitude so important? John Ortberg says, “Solitude is the one place where we can gain freedom from the forces of society that will otherwise relentlessly mold us.”[ii] Henri Nouwen describes solitude as “the furnace of transformation.”[iii] If Jesus needed time to be with the Father, how much more do we need this time? The reason Christians are to seek solitude and silence is the same reason Jesus did – to be able to hear from God.

What do you do during time in solitude? The best answer to this question is:  “Nothing.” While at first you might feel like this is a waste of time, allow these feelings to cause you to consider that your worth is not determined by you always needing to keep busy or be “doing” something. For many it is a temptation to take things with them such as books, worship music, a “to-do” list, your calendar, or even that project you’ve been meaning to get done. One of the most important principles to grasp is that solitude is not about doing something . . . it is about not doing something. Richard Foster says:  “What we must clearly understand and underscore is that our real task [in solitude] is to create a space in our lives where God can reach us. Once that space has been created we wait quietly, expectantly. From this point on, the work belongs to God.”[iv]

In solitude & silence, it is important to listen . . . to pay attention to what comes to you. It’s like being on the phone with a friend who has something important to tell me. I will move out of a noisy room so that I can hear what my friend is saying. When our desire is to hear Jesus, there will be many competing “voices.” One of the greatest challenges is to sort through these “voices” and learn to put them aside so that we can hear Jesus. A first step here might be to identify these other voices and what it is they are saying. You might even take time to write these down. If you can identify the influence these voices are having on your life, you will have a much easier time moving beyond these influences to the voice of God.

There are many ways to build the practice of solitude into your life. These include regular alone times with God, preferably on a daily basis. It is good to plan special times maybe weekly or monthly where we can spend a few hours to a day in solitude. We also need periodic extended times, once or twice a year, where we can have several days.

• Solitude rarely happens unless we schedule it. Therefore, the first step is to get out your calendar and schedule the time in. Determine where you might be able to spend some daily time in solitude. Schedule it just as you would an appointment. Then schedule a time where you can spend 4-6 hours alone. If possible, schedule several days where you can get away for an extended time sometime in the next 6 months.

• Think about where you feel most at peace. Some people like the beach, some like the mountains, some might be able to find it in their own back yard. It is important to note that it is usually very helpful to be out in nature. Write out several places where you might be able to spend some solitude time:

• Find a place this week where you can practice solitude in the midst of your work day. It might be finding a quiet, peaceful spot during the lunch hour. Experiment with this to see how God uses it in your life

Download PDF HERE

You might also want to go through the TransForm notes on Silence and Solitude.  Download PDF HERE