Spiritual Formation
Everything Is Formation
Spiritual formation isn’t limited to quiet time, Bible study, or church gatherings—though those moments matter deeply.
The reality is that everything is formation.
God is at work in every part of our lives. He forms us in worship as we lift our hands and lift our voices. He forms us as we navigate challenges at work, respond to conflict, and learn to love people who are difficult to love. Every experience becomes an invitation to transformation.
The question is not whether we are being formed, but how.
With every moment, we are invited to ask: How is the Lord seeking to shape me through this experience?
Our Formation Pathways
At Forest City Church, spiritual formation is about learning to recognize and respond to God’s transforming work in all of life. Through shared practices, intentional rhythms, and life together in community, we create space for the Holy Spirit to shape us into the likeness of Christ—both in our gathered moments and our everyday lives.
Explore the pathways below to discover how formation takes shape in our church.
Formation Through Sermons
Our sermons are more than messages to consume—they are invitations to formation.
Each week, we gather to hear God’s Word with the expectation that the Lord is shaping not only individuals, but our entire church community. As we listen together, God forms us through His truth and calls us to respond in obedience.
Formation happens not just by hearing God’s Word, but by responding to it. When we listen attentively, discern the Spirit’s leading, and take faithful steps of obedience, we are shaped into the likeness of Christ—together.
Our weekly sermon reflection guide is designed to help move us from passive listening to intentional engagement, creating space to listen for God’s voice and respond faithfully. Follow to link below to view sermons from our current sermon series and access corresponding sermon reflection guides.
Formation Through Core Values
At Forest City Church, our values are more than statements we affirm—they are pathways of spiritual formation.
We believe God forms us through the rhythms and practices of everyday life. Our values give us a shared framework for recognizing where and how the Lord is shaping us. They help us move from simply knowing about Jesus to actually experiencing Jesus and becoming more like Him.
Our values are not expectations to live up to or standards to measure yourself against. They are not a checklist for spiritual success. They are an invitation.
These values form a framework for depth in our relationship with Jesus. They name the kinds of practices God has used throughout history to shape His people into the likeness of Christ. Rather than adding pressure, they create pathways of grace—ways we learn to notice where God is already at work and respond with trust and obedience.
Formation is not about trying harder; it is about paying attention. It is not about becoming someone else; it is about becoming who God is shaping you to be. As we journey through these values, our love for Jesus deepens—not through performance, but through presence, practice, and trust.Take your time. Start small. Walk together. Trust that the Spirit is at work. Follow the link below to explore this pathway.
Formation Through Loving Others
When we think of ”working on our relationship with God,” we tend to think about spiritual things that take place between God and ourselves: prayer, Bible study, regular church attendance, fasting, silence, Sabbath. God and me alone together, working our relationship...We don't need another practice that gets us off alone with God so that God and I can ”working on our relationship.” We need a spiritual discipline that moves us toward each other in love.
--Richard Beck, Stranger God
We love God only as much as the person we love the least.
-Dorothy Day
Spiritual formation is not limited to what happens between God and ourselves in private moments of devotion. While prayer, Scripture, and gathered worship are essential, Scripture reminds us that love for God is always revealed and refined through love for others.
As Richard Beck reminds us, we do not need another practice that draws us away to work on our relationship with God alone—we need practices that move us toward one another in love.
At Forest City Church, we believe God forms us powerfully through everyday, relational faithfulness. Formation happens as we choose patience instead of frustration, forgiveness instead of resentment, curiosity instead of judgment, and generosity instead of self-protection. In these moments, love becomes a spiritual discipline.
This pathway of formation is not confined to a program, a class, or a location. It can be practiced anywhere and at any time—at home, at work, in conversations, in conflict, and in ordinary interactions. Every relational moment becomes an opportunity to reflect the love of Christ and to be shaped by it.
As we practice moving toward others in love, we discover that God is already present in those spaces, forming us into the likeness of Jesus—the One who loved us first and calls us to love in the same way. Follow the link below to explore this pathway.