Spiritual Formation
Spiritual Formation (or Spiritual Direction) is claimed by its advocates to be an ancient methodology designed to ‘form’ or ‘shape’ a believer’s character and actions into the likeness of Christ. It is a great deception leading unwary persons away from Biblical truth and the true Christ, into occult practices and engagement with the demonic realm. The spiritual formation movement is based upon experiences promoted by the the Roman Catholic mystics who engaged in certain rituals and practices, i.e. disciplines, that they claimed brought them closer to God or into God’s presence, and made them grow in Christlikeness.
Its principal elements are (1) a Spiritual Director who guides a believer in (2) the Spiritual Disciplines. Those disciplines typically include contemplative prayer, fasting, study, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. The key and most important element of Spiritual Formation is the first discipline listed i.e. contemplative prayer, by which the practitioner of the disciplines experiences ‘god’. (See Contemplative Prayer Spiritual Disciplines )
The extent of the infiltration of Spiritual Formation into main-stream churches in recent years is breath-taking. Many influential church leaders, and the vast majority of Bible colleges/seminaries teach it as a core subject. Christian bookstores carry many books that actively promote or endorse these ancient practices as a rediscovered means of spiritual experience and growth.