Spiritual Formation should always lead to mission. Growing in our relationship with God should always lead to a renewed passion for serving Him.
Some individual examples:
- In 1738 John Wesley felt his heart “strangely warmed”. This experience of meeting with God led to a renewed passion for preaching the Good News, and sustained him through 53 years of perseverance.
- In 1918 Duncan Campbell experienced the presence of God when he thought he was dying on a WW1 battlefield. He went home to Scotland with a burning passion to lead men and women to Christ, and he saw revival as a result.
Some corporate examples:
- Soul Survivor began as a festival helping young people to meet with God through worship and prayer ministry. But as they worshipped and grew closer to God, they found He gave them a passion for evangelism and justice, worked out through initiatives like Festival Manchester, SOULINTHECITY and Soul Action.
- 24-7 Prayer began as a method of encouraging people to pray. But as people prayed, they found God gave them a heart for mission, and it became a movement dedicated not only to prayer, but also to mission and justice.
Whatever you’re doing in your rhythm of spiritual formation, is it leading you to mission? If it’s not, there’s something missing.
Mark Williamson is a founding director of One Rock International. He’s a lay preacher and leader within the Methodist Church, author of a biography on John Wesley, and is currently researching for a biography on William Wilberforce. He enjoys good films, good food, praying for London, and going for long walks with his wife Joanna.