{"id":57,"date":"2025-03-01T04:55:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T04:55:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cssigniter.com\/demos\/eclecticon\/?p=57"},"modified":"2025-04-24T21:31:33","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T01:31:33","slug":"cristoforma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/cristoforma\/","title":{"rendered":"VIII. Cristoforma"},"content":{"rendered":"

#Values<\/a>: Values are definitions of what we hope will identify us. These articles are mainly intended for those who wish to join us in this project\u2014whether through prayer, donation, or collaboration.<\/p>\n

We focus on Christ being formed in us through individual and communal practices that transform our lives in all areas: family, education, work, business, civic participation, social outreach, and service in the local and global church.<\/p>\n

Beta Values #5: Holistic Spiritual Formation<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Spiritual growth is the result of God\u2019s grace working in our hearts and transforming our actions. We respond to that grace for our formation, which takes place through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

This transformation process is cultivated day by day as we respond to God\u2019s love and commit to abiding in Christ. In the Spirit\u2019s power, we are conformed to His image and learn to love as He loves (Romans 8:28\u201330; 1 Corinthians 15:49; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Holiness\u2014living in the fullness of Christ by walking in His light\u2014is the pursuit of disciples who participate in the life of Christ and seek to become like Him. This begins in the heart, for without a transformed heart, it is impossible to reflect God\u2019s image in our actions.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not about fleeting emotions or meaningless mysticism, but about what Paul calls \u201cthe fruit of the Spirit,\u201d which must govern our intentions and desires. Faith, hope, and love for God and neighbor are the motivations that shape our lives and actions (along with growth in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control; see 1 Corinthians 13, Galatians 5:22\u201323).<\/p>\n

As Max Lucado puts it: \u201cGod loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way.\u201d<\/i> His purpose is for us to receive His love in such a way that we reflect Him and share Him with others.<\/p>\n

Finally, we must remember that this journey works within a paradox. We must long for Christ to be formed in us, knowing that we will likely fail along the way. The issue is not pretending to be perfect, but rather, acknowledging our mistakes and weaknesses as we sincerely desire to reflect Christ\u2019s character with our lives (1 John 1:5\u20132:11). Seeking holiness means doing so with the honesty and humility Christ Himself modeled. Otherwise, we fall into self-righteousness\u2014pretending to have a moral superiority that Scripture only attributes to Christ. As Paul says, \u201cHis power is made perfect in our weakness\u201d<\/i> (2 Corinthians 12:9\u201310).<\/p>\n

All of this must be taken step by step, with patience, grace toward oneself, and spiritual disciplines. Depending on the Holy Spirit, grounded in God\u2019s grace, and following Christ\u2019s example, the Christian life shouldn\u2019t be a burden\u2014as Jesus reminds us: \u201cMy yoke is easy, and My burden is light\u201d<\/i> (Matthew 11:28\u201330; 1 John 5:3).<\/p>\n

Spiritual disciplines are practices we engage in with the aim that Christ be formed in us in every aspect of our lives. These practices can be personal or communal, experienced in solitude or with others. The most well-known are prayer and Bible reading, but we can include other Christ-shaped practices that help us follow in His footsteps.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s about following and imitating Jesus\u2014and helping others follow and imitate Him. It\u2019s for everyone, not just a select few.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Eun Strawser, Centering Discipleship
\n\"\"
\n<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n

In the same way that we engage in regular spiritual practices, our lives are gradually conformed and transformed into the image and likeness of Christ.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 Mark Maddix, in<\/i> Essential Beliefs<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Disciplines themselves are not transformative, but they place the soul in a position to be transformed by God.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 Dallas Willard, quoted by James Wilder in<\/i> Renovated<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Our rich Wesleyan heritage provides a theological framework for understanding how people have grown spiritually in the past, and how participation in the means of grace can help present and future generations experience God\u2019s transforming grace. As Christians participate in the means of grace, both individually and corporately, they open themselves up to receive grace and become more like Christ.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 Mark Maddix, in<\/i> Essential Beliefs<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The church is the organic and corporate instrument God has chosen to remake both individuals and society. It has a mission of holy love. The church exists to produce Christlikeness in persons and institutions. Thus, our mission can be described as participation with God in bringing holiness and love to bear on people\u2019s sins, sufferings, and needs. This description of our mission is both individual and social. It points toward a social relationship of persons toward God and one another.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 Book of Discipline, Free Methodist Church, 2023<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We focus on Christ being formed in us through individual and communal practices that transform our lives in every area: family, education, work, business, civic engagement, social outreach, and service in the local and global church.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":566,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-values"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1151,"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57\/revisions\/1151"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.church\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}