Apprenticed to Jesus: Part II
Posted by Isaac Butterworth | Filed under Community, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation
How might spiritual formation happen in the life of the church? How might the church contribute to life change? I raised this question in Part I of this series, which I am calling Apprenticed to Jesus.
I read Scot McKnight’s blog regularly, and one day recently he introduced a conversation about James Bryan Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Life. It is a part of the Apprentice Series, published jointly by InterVarsity Press and Renovaré. In addition to The Good and Beautiful Life, an earlier volume, The Good and Beautiful God, is also available. A third book in the series, The Good and Beautiful Community, is due for publication in September, 2010.
Artisans and those skilled in various crafts have used the method of apprenticeship for centuries to train each new generation of practitioners. It is not difficult to see the practice of discipleship as one in which we are apprenticed to Jesus, the Master artisan, as we seek to grow and develop in the life of faith. James Bryan Smith’s Apprentice Series has helped me to see spiritual formation in a fresh way; hence, the title of this series of posts, Apprenticed to Jesus.
In the first volume of the series, The Good and Beautiful God, Smith begins by acknowledging the yearning that many of us feel for spiritual transformation. He also attests to the fact that we often experience frustration because the desired change is not forthcoming.
It is not a matter of willpower, he asserts. The will, in fact, is influenced by other, stronger forces. “We cannot change simply by saying, ‘I want to change,'” Smith contends. He cites three influences from which the will takes its cues:
- the mind (the way we think, the narratives by which we live)
- our habits (how we go about things, the practices in which we engage on a regular basis)
- our social context (the people with whom we interact).
If we are to grow in the likeness of Christ, these three areas need to be the focus of our attention. Smith outlines a process which he calls “soul training,” or what others might call spiritual formation. In this process, the Holy Spirit works in us to produce authentic transformation. It does not necessarily (or likely) happen quickly; it is an apprenticeship, in which we learn from the Master himself.
STEP ONE: CHANGING OUR NARRATIVES
The first step has to do with our minds, that is, with the way we think, the narratives we tell ourselves that inform our choices, our attitudes, and our behavior. As we learn from the Master, we exchange the “false narratives” by which we live for Jesus’ “narrative.” We train our minds; we learn new patterns of thinking.
Our family, cultural and even religious narratives might have their roots in the kingdom of this world. As Christ-followers we are called to ‘set [our] minds on things that are above’ (Colossians 3:2). Most of all, we are called to have the very mind of Jesus: ‘Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 2:5). Adopting Jesus’ narratives is a way we come to have the mind of Christ. Once we get the narratives in place, change will begin” (James Bryan Smith, The Good and Beautiful God, p. 26).
STEP TWO: PRACTICING SOUL-TRAINING EXERCISES
The second step in the process of soul training has to do with the “activities that are aimed at making the narratives real” (p. 26). These activities are often referred to as spiritual disciplines, and they form the practice of the apprentice disciple. We engage in solitude, prayer, the reading of Scripture, fasting, hospitality, and other disciplines. Without such practices, what Smith calls “soul-training exercises” — there is little likelihood of transformation.
STEP THREE: PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY
The third step is intentional participation in community. Smith writes, “Spiritual formation happens most profoundly in the context of a group. Participating in a group allows the influence of others to spur us on and encourage us…” (pp. 27f.).
STEP FOUR: THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The fourth step is not technically a “step,” but it would be a mistake to think it is not essential. Only the Holy Spirit can transform us into the people God has called us to be. We rely on the Spirit’s work to produce within and among us a “harvest” of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (See Galatians 5:22f., where Paul describes “the fruit of the Spirit.”)
Spiritual transformation takes place when we revise our patterns of thinking (our narratives), when we practice meaningful spiritual disciplines, and when we share our joys and struggles with an intimate group of fellow apprentices who are committed to encouraging one another. I find value in James Bryan Smith’s approach. I would be interested in reading your comments. What do you think? Are there clues here as to how spiritual formation might take place in the church?
Photo credit: Master Woodcarver and Apprentices (Junjungan, Bali) by Mio Cade
December 23, 2010 at 11:23 am
[…] through this matter. I am calling this brief series Apprenticed to Jesus, and I will explain in a future post why I have chosen this title. For now, let me offer an initial reply to my own question: How might […]