Dallas Willard’s Intentional Spiritual Formation Practices

Discipleship is fundamentally a deliberate, ongoing process of becoming like Jesus through intentional practice. It is not merely about believing in Christ or attending church but involves a continuous journey of spiritual formation—actively learning from Jesus how to live the life of the Kingdom of Heaven in every aspect of human existence. This process requires believers to become students, apprentices, and practitioners of Jesus Christ, steadily growing in character and conduct.

True spiritual formation is characterized by increasingly being possessed and permeated by the character traits of Jesus. This transformation is gradual and demands intentionality, as spiritual growth is cultivated through habits and practices that shape one’s character over time. It is a lifelong journey of inward transformation, where the believer is progressively conformed to the image of Christ.

Central to this process is the practice of keeping God continually before the mind. Caring for the soul involves redirecting one’s thoughts constantly toward God, maintaining a constant state of awareness and connection to the Holy Spirit. Spiritual growth depends on cultivating habits of presence and abiding in Christ, which means living in ongoing communion with the Spirit.

Habits play a crucial role in spiritual formation, yet they are not immutable laws like gravity. Through grace-filled effort, destructive or unhelpful habits can be broken, and new, life-giving habits can be developed. These new habits help keep God before the believer’s mind and heart, reinforcing the active nature of spiritual growth.

Becoming like Jesus involves intentional steps such as abiding in the vine, maintaining awareness of God’s presence, and embodying Christ’s character in everyday life. This inward transformation is essential for living out the Kingdom of God in all areas of life, requiring disciplined, purposeful practice empowered by grace.

The journey of discipleship and spiritual formation is thus an active, grace-enabled effort to embody the life and character of Jesus, making His Kingdom visible through transformed lives. [02:42] [11:29] [13:42]

This article was written by an AI tool for churches.