In recent months I’ve found myself at a crossroads. To say it’s unexpected and uncomfortable is an understatement. The temptation, if I’m honest, is to rush through the intersection. To make a quick decision. To pick a path, hit the gas, don’t look back.
But I’m trying my darndest to resist that urge. Instead of rushing through the intersection, I’m slowing down. Idling, even. As I do, I’m taking note of the street signs. The two roads coming together. In all the questions that I find myself facing, and the insights that surprise me with hope and joy, here are the two street signs I find myself sitting under:
Organizational Health Ave
Spiritual Formation St
In saying “spiritual formation,” I’m thinking of the wonderful definition from Robert Mulholland: A process of being formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others. A kindred phrase might be “Christian discipleship“. Whatever you call it, our role in the process is to practice the practices that keep us close to Jesus, and thus help us to be come more like him in character and cause. As many have said, the first law of spiritual formation is that we are all already being formed by someone or something. Or malformed, perhaps. The question is not “Should I get into spiritual formation?” but rather, “By what or by whom do I want to be formed?”
In saying “organizational health” I mean the vitality and quality of the context in which we are being formed. If the first law of spiritual formation is that we are all being formed by someone or something, the second law it like it: We are all being formed somewhere. With someone. Among some group. In some context. And our context is not incidental to our formation. Rather, it gives shape and flavor to who we are becoming. If the context is toxic, ego-driven, manipulative, mean, or otherwise unhealthy, our formation will suffer.
I’ve been well-formed, and I’ve been malformed. Thankfully, much more of the former I think—by the grace of God.
I’ve been in relatively healthy organizations, and I’ve been in at least one that was rather unhealthy—despite all the managing of appearances and spinning of stories.
Nevertheless, here we are. There are some great conversations to be had at the intersection of organizational health and spiritual formation. I’m having them with myself. I’m having them with people in my new church. I’m having them with people in the broader Body of Christ.
Feel free to jump in on the conversation.