Editorial: Spiritual formation for Christians

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

      Taiwan Church News

      3055 Edition

      September 13~19, 2010

       

       

      Editorial: Spiritual formation for Christians

       

      Translated by Lydia Ma

       

       



      The first clause in PCT Church Law states that PCT regulations 
are inspired by the Bible, the 

      Nicene Creed, the Westminster Confession, and the PCT statement 
of faith.

       



      It would be an understatement to say that spending time reading 
the Bible every day is vital for 

      all Christians. In fact, helping Christians stay rooted in 
Scripture and teaching them how to be 

      in tune with God is the responsibility of every pastor and 
elder. Jesus modeled for us a life 

      filled with intimate times spent with God and learning and 
doing God’s will.

       



      The PCT has provided many resources to help its members in 
their spiritual formation, 

      including building various retreat centers that welcome 
Christians to come and recharge. We 

      urge churches to encourage their members to use these resources 
to help them connect with 

      God and experience God’s wonder, reality, and promises in their 
lives.

       



      All confessions of faith adhered by PCT are not meant to be 
merely recited, but also believed 

      and lived out. We urge pastors to help their flock live out 
their faith and prioritize the “quality” of 

      their flock over the “quantity” of their flock, because genuine 
life transformation is infectious 

      and it’ll draw the nations to come to Jesus.

       



      Jesus is calling for a people’s movement that’s spiritual, 
transformational, and led by the Holy 

      Spirit. Just as the shepherd leads the flock beside still 
waters and speaks to comfort them, 

      let’s be still and wait for the Holy Spirit’s anointing and 
joy. 

       



      So, faith is constantly renewed and made alive through action, 
spiritual formation, and stories 

      of lives changed. Our seminaries are somewhat weak when it 
comes to teaching seminarians 

      how to experience these aspects of their faith. We have much to 
learn from Calvin, Knox, 

      Andrew Murray, Mackay, and Barclay.

       



      Let’s learn and reflect on how Jesus set the stage before his 
miracle with 5 loaves of bread 

      and 2 pieces of fish. He instructed his disciples to have the 
crowd sit down and prepare 

      themselves to see, listen, and be filled. This kind of 
purposeful spiritual formation is echoed by 

      Calvin in his Institutes. We pray that PCT churches will follow 
their example in training the laity.

       



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