GROWING DEEPER

Spiritual Formation Training Groups. In his classic book, The Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan wrote an allegory of the Christian life. In it, the main character (named Christian) journeys from the City of Destruction toward the Celestial City. Along the way he faces obstacles--the Hill of Difficulty, the Slough of Despond, the Town of Vanity Fair--and is helped by occasional guides who offer him help and advice.

Most notable are his companions. Bunyan rightly understood the importance of having fellow Christians who journey with us--without which we will fail. Several times in the story Christian begins to lose heart, or is misled, only to have one of his companions offer encouragement and good counsel. For example, in the Enchanted Ground, a place where pilgrims tend to fall asleep, Christian and Hopeful work to keep each other awake. Hopeful concludes, "I see it is true what the wise man says: `Two are better than one'" (Eccles. 4:9).

I have found this to be true in my own experience. I need the help of other Christians--not to be a "super disciple"--but just to make it! Spiritual Formation Training Groups have provided this for me. Each week I gather with four other Christians who, like me, have made a covenant to live the Christian life.

We are not trying to be pious, and we are not trying to earn our way to heaven by religious works. Rather, our aim is to encourage each other through the grace of mutual accountability and to give guidance to one another when it is needed.

Each week we gather to do three things: 1) to look back over the past week, sharing our joys and our struggles; 2) to look to the week ahead, planning and committing ourselves to specific disciplines that will strengthen us and those around us; and 3) to share our needs and concerns so that we can pray for each other.

This accomplishes our ultimate goal: encouragement. I always feel refreshed and inspired after our

meetings. I am excited to go about the next week. The group offers me a kind of strength I cannot do without. What's more, they offer me guidance, having the courage to tell me when I have undertaken too much, the wisdom to help me see what obstacles I might face, and the words of peace and forgiveness when I have fallen.

I would like nothing more than to shout from the mountaintops, "No more `Lone Ranger' Christianity! Don't try to make it alone!" After reading the Gospels I notice that Jesus never sent a disciple out alone. I now see his wisdom. -- Jim Smith

Conducting a Spiritual Formation Group Meeting. Many of us are beginning to experience the nurture and support that comes with a weekly gathering of a Renovaré Spiritual Formation Group. The meetings go through seven basic steps --with generous allowance for serendipitous experiences of the Holy Spirit. I have listed those steps below in the hopes that they will be useful to you as you consider starting such a group. (The text of the Covenant, Common Disciplines, and Self-examination Questions is in the Renovaré booklet.)

ONE: THE OPENING WORDS--to be read by the leader. Welcome to the Renovaré (or other chosen name of the group) Spiritual Formation Group. May God's Holy Spirit bless you, and may you find fellowship and encouragement during this time together. Remember, we gather together with one purpose in mind--to become better disciples of Jesus Christ. We do this by encouraging one another to keep his commands, which, as he said, is how we love him (John 14:23-4). Through the grace of mutual accountability, our aim is to inspire one another to love and good works.

Please keep in mind that everything that is said here is to be held in confidence. Only then can we feel free enough to share openly and honestly. All hopes and dreams, all fears and failures, all joys and successes, all sins and sufferings, are to be kept within these walls. This is how we help each other.