Corporate Spirituality

• Looking after your Soul and Receiving Counselling

• Practicing Servant Leadership

• Being Accountable

• Experiencing Renewal

• The Future of Community

• Personal Questions to Consider Corporate Spirituality Corporate spirituality is essential for spiritual growth. Many Christians try to avoid growing corporately. However, the scriptures admonished us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves. One comes to faith individually but grows spiritually corporately. In essence, it is the dynamic life that one experiences spiritual as an essential source of spiritual health and maturation. However, the process can be very fragile, especially in the Western world. In the Western world, the culture is very independent and deals with self-preservation, control, superficial relationships, privatization, and avoidance of accountability. Technology and mobility have only made it worst with distraction, travel, media, entertainment, and social instability.[1]
  

I. Soul Care and Counselling There is an increasing need for new communities within churches. There are four components that many churches use such as celebration, congregation, cells, and cores. The celebration church will invest in worship, preaching, and prayer. The congregation would gather around groups that are small for fellowship and learning. The cells are small groups that focus on support, prayer, accountability, and instruction. II. Servant Leadership All believers are called to share in the holy and royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:5,9). Every Christian has the same access before the throne room of God (Hebrews 10:19-22) to offer sacrifices of praise, thanksgiving, and service to God (Hebrews 13:15-16; Romans 12: 1; 1 Peter 4:10-11). The Bible tells us that everyone is called to full-time ministry. At the same time, however, God has ordained people to shepherd his flock in ministries and churches. These people demonstrate a certain gifting and maturity in character for others to follow (1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5; Hebrews 13:17). These leaders have training and experience. The leader then trains, equips, and develops others to become more like Christ.[2] III. Accountability Many people like to say that they are accountable only to God. The other extreme is to oppress others to obey their ideology in the name of God. A balanced approach should allow people to approach us with honesty and candor. Biblical accountability is voluntary submission: "Obey your leaders and submit to them because they keep watching over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do it with joy and not with grief as this would be unprofitable for you" (Hebrews 13:17). accountability should be viewed as being necessary. "I am also a man under authority" (Matthew 8:9). Nathan rebukes David for adultery and murder. Therefore, we should find a Nathan with whom we can share our struggles.[3] IV. The Future of Community There has been a fall in creation where in which the order of the cosmos has been distorted. God has a redemptive program where he will bring together a perfect order in the world and in the universe through the work of his son and the kingdom of God. There will be joy in creation once more and peace in the new community of God that is to come The intention of God is to: (1) Make this community known by reconciling people once more to Himself from every nation and tongue. (2) Establish a community of righteousness with no more sin. (3) Bring forth justice in the world (4) Implement worldwide peace (5) Establish wholeness for mankind with no more sicknesses and diseases (6) To host a festival of celebration from every tribe and tongue. (7) To usher in a new kingdom and reconcile man to God, to each other, and to the world.[4] v Questions for Personal Application Ø What experience do you have with spiritual leadership? Ø What spiritual mentoring do you have? Ø What spiritual direction do you have? Ø Which of these would be more beneficial to you? Ø Do you have experience with inner healing? Ø Do you have genuine accountability in your life? Ø Is there a lack of servant leadership in your church? Ø Have you encountered corporate renewal? Bibliography Boa, Kenneth. Conformed to His Image: Biblical, Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation, Revised Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020. [1] Boa, Conformed to His Image, 416. [2] Boa, Conformed to His Image, 443. [3] Ibid., 444. [4] Boa, Conformed to His Image, 443.