Common wisdom is that we change our beliefs, then our actions follow. Reality is often different. Most of us act our way into a new way of thinking and believing. If we push hard on this distinction, the truth emerges that it is a both/and not an either/or. Do you recall the old question, “Which came first the chicken or the egg?” Or the more modern version, “Is it nurture or nature, environment or genes?” Both are important. Neither can be separated.
So it is with intentional faith development. What we believe is crucial and critical; yet, belief alone is not the whole story to faith development. The key adjective “intentional” involves critical behavioral change. As important as belief is, as critical as truly orthodox theology is, we learn by acting ourselves into a new way of living out our faith.
I invite the reader to look with me at three critical behavior changes that are central to intentional faith development: Devotional and quiet time with an emphasis on scripture reading; Hands-on missional engagement especially with the poor; and Faith sharing with those who are non- or nominal Christians. (I readily admit this list is not exhaustive but let’s start here.)
Devotional and Quiet time with the Word of God: I have written on other occasions about my conviction that we live life at an unsustainable (and unhealthy!) pace. Quiet time with the Lord and with Holy Scripture in silence, prayer, reading and reflection is essential! It is non-negotiable if we wish to grow in intentional faith development.
Perceptively Leonard Sweet writes, “One of my heroes is E. Stanley Jones. He is widely read and celebrated for being a Methodist missionary theologian. But I admire him for another reason: he was a great artist of stillness. Every day, seven days a week, Jones devoted the first hour to leaning on his ‘listening post.’ He stood, sat, or walked in silence and listened to the voice of God: ‘The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him!’ E. Stanley Jones mastered the art of stillness, and inspired me to sign-off letters and sign books with this triple wordplay: ‘Still in One Peace’” (Leonard Sweet, The Greatest Story Never Told, pg. 42).
A few years ago the Willow Creek Association participated in an in-depth study of spiritual formation, growth and maturity. It involved over 80,000 people and some 200 churches (including a few from the Central Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church) all across the denominational and theological spectrum. There was a deep correlation with devotional practice and regular scripture reading/study.
Hands-on Missional Engagement, especially with the Poor: Intentional faith development fails when it is only a couple of content-based classes on prayer and bible study. Yoked with quiet time is the crucial need to be personally engaged in hands on ministry. Missional engagement with the poor by itself is not enough, but when linked with devotional quiet time and biblical reflection, walking with Christ takes on a whole new (greater!) dimension.
Just before she graduated from college, our daughter took a one night course her college offered on professional deportment. The class was designed around teaching skills of public etiquette for a business lunch or dinner, proper professional dress, etc. I remember she came home and instructed us that you are never to pass the salt and pepper shakers separately. The instructor coached the students “the salt and pepper are married. They go together!” So it is with intentional faith development. Devotion, prayer, quiet time and scripture are married to hands on missional engagement especially with the poor!
The third critical behavioral change is perhaps the most neglected and forgotten part of intentional faith development.
Faith sharing with those who are non- or nominal Christians: There is something amazing that happens in the interchange between faith sharing (including witnessing) with others, especially those who are non- or nominal Christians. The sharers own faith is strengthened and grows in grace-filled maturity. Many who participate on a mission trip report that they got much more out of the mission work than did those they were helping. So it is with witnessing and faith sharing. In the amazing spiritual economy of God, faith sharing (witnessing) becomes a critical behavioral change whereby the sharer grows in the love of Christ and the love of others.
I cannot help but recall D.T. Niles famous definition of evangelism. “EVANGELISM is witness. It is one beggar telling another beggar where to get food. The Christian does not offer out of his bounty. He has no bounty. He is simply a guest at his Master’s table and, as evangelist, he calls others too. The evangelistic relation is to be “alongside of” not “over-against.” The Christian stands alongside the non-Christian and points to the Gospel, the holy action of God. It is not his knowledge of God that he shares, it is to God Himself that he points” (Daniel T. Niles, That They May Have Life, p. 96).