LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through Community
Book Critique
Submitted to Dr. Gregory Faulls,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
EVAN 500-D01
Spiritual Factors of Growing Churches
by
Anita L. Chisolm
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Summary of Book..........................................................................................................................1
Critique of Book ............................................................................................................................4
Application .....................................................................................................................................5
Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................6
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Wilhoit, James, C. Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through
Community. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008. 233pp.
Introduction
James Wihoit wrote an interesting book concerning the key roles that the church and
community play in spiritual formation. He starts by stating that spiritual formation is the task of
the church and that it is the whole purpose of the church existence. Wilhoit believes that spiritual
formation in Christ is an orderly process that can be in either a positive or negative direction. The
formation may involve the cultivation of virtues that promote trust in God and foster social
compassion or may leave a person’s way.1
He places emphasis on how a Christian’s spiritual formation refers to the spiritual
formation refers to the intentional communal process of growing in our relationship with God
and becoming conformed to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.2 Wilhoit, explored the
intentional and deliberate side of spiritual formation. He proceeds to give a curriculum on how
to be more like Christians and the four dimensions of receiving, remembering, responding, and
relating that give detailed information on the subject. Spiritual formation is a journey and the
information in this book can be used as a guidebook on the journey.
Summary of Book
Spiritual Formation as the Church Mattered places starts by placing the responsibility of
one’s spiritual formation being placed on the church. Wilhoit states that, spiritual formation is
1 James C, Wilhoit, Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through
Community (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008),17.
2 Ibid, 23.
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certainly a multifactorial process that requires us to constantly ask God what we should be doing,
rather than relying on our power and skill. 3 One can’t rely on the power and strength within
themselves to preserver through life’s trials and tribulations. Spiritual formation is an intentional
process because of the cultural forces, activities that shape our spiritual lives. It is communal
because the Christian life is best lived in the community through worship, fellowship and
service.
Wilhoit provides a description of how the gospel relates to spiritual formation, by saying
that it will always carry out a twofold task, of preaching and teaching. He proceeds to describe
the curriculum of Christlikeness, where we set out to imitate Jesus. We may find it a difficult
task to undertake because we may fail to see the privilege means of grace and may reduce
imitation to a limited set of actions. He also provides the two great invitations of Jesus, where he
invites us to love and obey, as well as love one another.
The author concludes this chapter by providing the six models of spiritual formation 1)
quick fix-God’s primary way and desired way of working in our lives is through a quick spiritual
fix; 2) facts only model- people believe that the most significant variable in determining whether
a person grows or not is their intake of spiritual truth; 3) emotional model-we are changes most
profoundly when we have deep emotional or spiritual experiences; 4) conference model-and
special assemblies can have a powerful effect on spiritual life; 5) insight model-coming to see
our patterns of sin and patterns of self-protection is so important in the spiritual life; 6) faith
model- all spiritual growth stems from surrender to God.
3 James C, Wilhoit, Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through
Community (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008),17.
2
The deep longing for Christlikeness is a longing for God himself and the primary
motivator for deep spiritual transformation.4 Striving to be like Christ is a lifelong endeavor, that
requires a great deal of personal and corporate commitment. The remainder of the book goes into
detail on the four pillars of formation concerning the curriculum of Christlikeness; receiving,
remembering, responding and relating.
Receiving dimension highlights our need to focus on Jesus and to be open to his grace for
spiritual formation. In Christian spirituality we learn from Christ and received God’s enabling
grace, separate from the cultural assumptions that spirituality will do if we follow sincerely. In
the chapter on Foster Receiving in Community, Wilhot with helps us deal with the creation of a
culture of spiritual openness and humility, the role of worship and confession, and the practice of
spiritual disciplines.
Remembering is the process of learning to remember deep in our heart, who we are and
whose we are. He compels us to seek wisdom, develop our community disciplines, and increase
our spiritual connection with the Holy Spirit. Responding where the enterprise of formational
changes of character and action doesn’t exist for our own private ends to enable us to serve
others and the world through love. Part of the foundation for cultivating a tendency to respond
can be seen in communities that provide Christians with a deep sense that they are equipped to
respond and serve God a this very moment.5
4 James C, Wilhoit, Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through Community
(Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008),55.
5 Ibid, 150.
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Then there is relating that affirms spiritual formation takes place best in and through
community. The deep longing for Christlikeness is longing for God himself and the primary
motivator for deep spiritual transformation. 6 Wilhoit explores these ideas in great depth
displaying the importance of managing our sin, brokenness and grace.
Critique of Book
This book provided a diverse view of how we can be transformed spiritually through
utilizing the church and our community. I agree that the church plays a very important part in
our spiritual transformation, because it is where we gain much of our knowledge about God.
Being brought up in the church set me on the spiritual journey that I am pursuing today. It was
the community of believers that kept me on the right path and insured that I didn’t stray.
We also must develop a curriculum of Christlikeness, that will not be to difficult to
follow. No one can do all the things that Jesus did, but we must develop our own schedule of
spiritual disciplines that will assist us on our journey. These disciplines will need to be pattern
after his, however they more than likely be an exact imitation of them. I enjoyed reading about
the invitations of Jesus and how to acclimate them to my life.
As for the four pillars of formation, receiving, remembering, responding and relating, I
think that we can all we all can benefit from accommodating them into our lives. The individual
stories that Wilhoit told in the section on “Letting the Cross Grow”, were vivid illustrations of
how the community can assist in developing our spiritual growth. We must all letting the cross
grow to fill in that gap between us and God; and not fill that we can only rely on our own power
and resolve to make it through life’s trials.
6 Ibid, 51.
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We must remember the great invitations of Jesus, to love and obey God as well as, love
one another. Then we should respond to God’s gospel of love and forgiveness, along the gospel
to change us into having an overflowing heart. This was an inspiring book that can help
individuals learn more about how to develop their spiritual disciplines and further transform their
lives.
Application
My pastor has asked me to assist him in developing a plan to help our church grow, after
reading this book, this book can assist us in creating this plan. There are some interesting
elements we can use like incorporating the community into helping transform the people. I
believe that he can benefit from seeing how we can better assist people in closing that gap
between God and man. Not just focus on having members in the church but bring them in,
assisting them in their spiritual transformation and aiding them in doing them same. Fulfilling
the Great Commission of making disciples for Christ, who in turn can make more disciples. The
church is notorious for bring people in but not assisting them on their spiritual journeys and then
wondering why they don’t stay.
The information that I obtained will also help me to develop a more committed form of
practicing spiritual disciplines. Each day I try to make time to pray, read my Bible and fast,
some days it is easy and some days it is difficult. But non-the less it must be accomplished. It
also reminded me of the importance of depending on the grace of God and not on my own
strength to make it through the trials I will face. This past year was particularly difficult for me
because by father passed away from cancer, I was struggling with my classes and work. But
God’s grace helps me to make it through, and this book reminded me that it will continue to see
me through.
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Conclusion
Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered is a great choice for any reader interested
in learning how to marry the church and community in helping people to grow spiritually. This
book can assist both pastor’s and laity in utilizing their community to help the members to grow
spiritually. Spiritual formation is truly the mission of the church and is necessary to ensure that
we carry out the mission of making more disciples for Christ. At the same time, we must be
open to the work of the Holy Spirit in guiding us in the process of spiritual formation. We must
not rush the process but pray and plead for grace and humility to see things the way God intends
for them to happen.
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