Occasionally, we announce upcoming events, opportunities, or resources that are sponsored by an outside organization that we believe may be of interest to the Conversatio Divina community.
This week, we want to draw your attention to John Ortberg’s recent interview with Gary Haugen, CEO and founder of the International Justice Mission (IJM). IJM partners with local justice systems around the world to bring human traffickers to justice, rescue and restore victims, and build safe communities until all are free from violence and slavery. Gary and IJM are deeply committed to practicing formation in Christ as the sustainable source of their mission for Christ. This connection between the contemplative and the active life, nowadays often thought of as the relationship between formation and mission, is one of the most important issues to understand about life in the kingdom of God. The idea that a focus on spirituality is somehow navel-gazing or self-centered couldn’t be further from the truth. If we are conducting ourselves in the spirituality of Jesus, self-sacrifice is inevitable. Yet, time and time again, the outreach-oriented folks seem to de-emphasize the inner life, and the inner-life folks can be out of touch with mission. This is why it is important to see formation and mission integrated in persons like Gary and within the organizational ethos of IJM. Consider taking a moment to listen in on Gary and John’s conversation.
This interview is part of an ongoing podcast series called Formation. Formation is a podcast that explores the science and soul of spiritual formation. Each episode brings together the ancient wisdom of the contemplative tradition and the best of modern research. John Ortberg sits down with some of the most rigorous and honest thinkers working at the intersection of faith and human flourishing for extended, unhurried conversations about how we are being shaped. Formation also offers a Newsletter for people interested in spiritual formation-related research and practice.
Another ministry of Formation is Become New. Become New is for those who hunger to connect in a daily, deeper, more meaningful way with Jesus through a 10-12 minute daily teaching on spiritual formation developed by John.
Steve Porter, on behalf of the Editorial Team