Some Quotes/Thoughts from Doug Pagitt...

The other day I was listening to a conversation led by Doug Pagitt that was done at the National Pastors and Emergent Convention. It was called Spiritual Formation Beyond The Educational Model. It was full of great thought provoking statememts. Here is one that stood out to me...

"Information needs a belief partner - hopes, desires, aspirations, experiences - in order for it to be driven into out hearts, lives and belief system. We aren't people who primarily believe. We're people who primarily hope, dream, desire, and imagine. Most people believe what we believe because we want it to be true not because we have proof that it is true."

Is the education model the best way of teaching/learning spiritual formation? Is providing the best information to people in ways that they can understand the best way of teaching spiritual formation? Is there more ways to be formed other than simply hearing someone tell/teach me?

For example...what if service was something you did before you were "spiritually formed" because it was the actual act that spiritually formed you? What about confession? What if before you becaume a Christian you experienced confession. Not because it is something you do after you become a Christian - but it is one of those acts you do that makes (distinguishes) you a Christian? What is Hospitality is not a nice garnish on our maturity in Christ, but it is one of the very acts we do that leads us to maturity? What if dialog is not something we do simply when we are totally confused, but it is the essential act we do in forming out understandings and theological foundations in the fellowship of other believers?

If we are to become people who live like Christ lived in the world we are to live in the "rhythm of faith" not belief. He says that spiritual formation is not some separate area we must form in life, but that it is actually human formation and what we do to become more like we were designed to be (that is to be like Christ). That being spiritual is not a subset of being human, but that the very act of being human is spiritual.

Chew on that!