Rhythms of the Way

Some time ago, I changed my title at my church where I work.  Not my job, just my title.  I went from Associate Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Congregational Care to Associate Pastor of Formational Discipleship.  When I made this change, I shared the following with my congregation, and I believe this explanation is relevant to my work here on my website.  So why the change?

While I believe that the process of spiritual formation is incredibly important and is in fact the engine of discipleship – as the Holy Spirit forms us and empowers us to be Jesus’ disciples, I have come to see over the years that the phrase “spiritual formation” often suffers from a number of misunderstandings.  

For some, the phrase is linked with non-Christian spiritualities.  For others, it is associated only with a small subset of people who really like to do contemplative practices together.  And still for others, its definition is truncated so that it is only about doing spiritual disciplines; it is a privatized endeavor that has nothing to do with mission, justice, peace-making, reconciliation, creation-care, vocation, and loving service.

And yet, the reality of spiritual formation is much greater.  Christian spiritual formation is about the Holy Spirit-empowered process of maturing in Christ - growing in intimacy with the Lord and growing in the Fruit of the Spirit so that we can become more and more like Jesus and become Kingdom people.  It is a life-long process for all Christians that sustains and empowers our discipleship journeys as we increasingly follow and obey the Lord, as we learn to love God and neighbor with our whole hearts.  

For sure, Christian spiritual formation does include the cultivation of spiritual practices and disciplines, but it also includes all of life, including our relationships, our habits, our work, our rest, and our care for others.  All aspects of our life are going to either help form us to be more and more like Jesus or they are going to form us to be less like Him.   And thus, we can either learn to be intentional with all of our lives, opening ourselves up to the Holy Spirit and moving forward as disciples of Christ or we can let the myriad aspects of our lives shape us so that we remain as believers in Jesus alone, a state of being that Jesus never intended.  For Jesus did not tell the apostles, “Go and make believers.”  He said, “Go and make disciples.”

And so, I think it is really important that we see spiritual formation in a more holistic manner, and we see how it is linked to and is in fact inseparable from discipleship.  It is also important to see discipleship in a more holistic manner – as something that involves more than just learning about God and serving Him (generally through our strength), but involves a way of life that is empowered by the Holy Spirit who forms us.  Thankfully, the phrase “Formational Discipleship”, which was coined by my professor Dr. Dave Currie, helps us to lean into both this linkage and this holistic understanding.

All of this is why I changed my title at my church, and this is how I think about all that I write on this Website. Throughout this Website, I will likely use the terms spiritual formation and discipleship on their own, but you can know that I have this more holistic understanding in mind. After all, it bests reflects my heart as I seek to companion people and help them grow into loving, self-giving, creative, non-anxious disciples of Jesus over the course of their lifetimes.

If you have ever planted a garden, you know it involves intentional, nurturing rhythms of preparing the ground, planting seeds, watering, fertilizing, weeding, controlling pests, pruning, and much more. One must work to do their part to nurture an environment that fosters health and growth and then must watch and wait. The reality is that there are no instant gardens. Gardens require continual care and patience.

Moreover, as much as we can plan for the kind of garden we want, the ultimate results and fine details are ultimately out of our control. We can’t dictate the exact branch on which a rose will grow or the exact number of roses that will bloom. We can’t prevent an unexpected windstorm from knocking over flowers we have lovingly planted. And we can’t totally prevent weeds from sneaking into our garden, although we can be ready to weed them when they show up. Thus, there is always an element of surprise when gardening, and we have to learn to approach the process with attentiveness and a degree of open-handedness.

Ultimately, gardening is a beautiful and rewarding endeavor, and I love thinking about all that goes into the gardening process. I also believe it is a great metaphor for discipleship. For following Jesus and the process of growing and maturing as His disciples is much like tending a garden. Just as we must work, watch, and wait for a garden to grow, we must work, watch, and wait for the the Fruit of the Spirit to grow within us and to help us gradually look and act more like Jesus. Discipleship requires intentional rhythms of nurture and care, attentiveness, patience, and openhandedness. There is no instant experience of being a fully mature disciple of Christ. Nor, is it something we can do on our own. Spiritual maturity is a work of the Holy Spirit that comes as we notice God’s work in our lives, cooperate with God’s work within us and in the world, and rest in God’s great love for us as His beloved children.

The reality, however, is that many of us who believe in Jesus have not been taught how to be His disciples. We have not been shown a roadmap of where the life of discipleship is taking us. Nor have we been given guidance on how we can work with God to mature in faith, becoming all he has created each one of us to be.

Thus, with this in mind, I have created this Website to fill in this gap, using gardening and plant growth as a way to give us a new imagination for what discipleship is all about. I pray that it may serve as a guide for disciples to follow in the Way of Jesus and grow “healthy spiritual roots, branches, leaves, and fruit”, who are rooted in God’s Story, connected to God’s life-sustaining presence, guided by the Holy Spirit throughout our spiritual journey, and then sent out into the world to bear good fruit and be Jesus’ light & life.

Throughout these pages, you will find thoughts and resources on four key “nutrients” or rhythms that all disciples of Jesus need to grow and be resilient. You will also find four key nurturing environments for spiritual growth that you can cultivate in your homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, and churches.

Hi, my name is Kristen Yates.  Welcome to my Website.  If this were my home, I would welcome you into my living room and offer you some tea.  I unfortunately cannot do that here, but you are still most welcome here!  Thanks for stopping by!

In case you are wondering who I am,  I am a pastor who has spent the past 20 years working as a youth and young adult pastor, Christian mediator, church planter, spiritual director, and Anglican deacon and presbyter.  Over the years, my one friend has teasingly and lovingly called me a “mystic activist” since I am a person who equally loves engaging with contemplative practices that bring us into Jesus’ presence as well as thinking about issues of mission and Biblical justice.  While I love working with all people, I have a particular love for young adults, internationals, pastors and pastors-in-training, and those seeking a place of deeper intimacy with the Lord.

For more about me, my interests, and my ministry, click here.