In Part 1 of “Christian Spiritual Formation in the Local Church,” we reflected on some of Dallas’s final words about spiritual formation in the local congregation. Dallas believed that we were coming into a time “when many churches and Christians who are in leadership positions will be able to say it’s all about discipleship and transformation into Christlikeness.”
In Part 2 of this series, we gathered reflections from five Christian leaders who have thought deeply about formation in the local congregation. We will hear from Ruth Haley Barton (The Transforming Center), Diane J. Chandler (Regent Divinity School), Siang Yang Tan (Fuller Theological Seminary), Judy Ten Elshof (Talbot School of Theology), and James C. Wilhoit (Wheaton College). This week, they are addressing two questions: (1) What is the role of the church when it comes to spiritual formation in Christ? And (2) To what degree should the local church be focused on the spiritual formation of its members and why should it be so focused?