Spiritual Formation is a term that is interpreted in various ways. The believing Christian knows that his walk with God depends on a personal connection with God which requires a spiritual practice - prayer and Bible-centered meditation. Satan also knows this and has a clever counterfeit set up. He's enamored Christians with the idea that prayer is a mystical, spiritualistic experience. He confuses truth and the seeker believes their experience is simply a journey which connects them to Christ when, through a spiritual director, they learn they are seeking the God within themselves. Christ, to them, is really a non-entity! This false teaching is subtle in the beginning but ends in mind control by the being that was supposed to be Christ but who turns out to be Satan himself. This is being taught by men who hold positions of leadership among God's people and it has become divisive.

"We are now to be on guard, and not drawn away from the all-important message given of God for this time. Satan is not ignorant of the result of trying to define God and Jesus Christ in a spiritualistic (USED HERE IN REFERENCE TO A SYSTEM OF INTERPRETATION, NOT SPIRITISM POPULARLY CALLED SPIRITUALISM.) way that sets God and Christ as a nonentity. The moments occupied in this kind of science are, in the place of preparing the way of the Lord, making a way for Satan to come in and confuse the minds with mysticisms of his own devising. Although they are dressed up in angel robes they have made our God and our Christ a nonentity. Why?--because Satan sees the minds are all fitted for his working. Men have lost track of Christ and the Lord God, and have been obtaining an experience that is Omega to one of the most subtle delusions that will ever captivate the minds of men. We are forbidden to . . . set the imagination in a train of conjecture." Diary, #48, pp. 153, 163, Aug. 25 & 28, 1904.
Ellen White, Manuscript Releases Volume Eleven, No. 891 - Alpha and Omega

Ellen White told how the Omega of apostasy would come into the SDA Church. Like the Alpha of apostasy, it would come in through a back door, so to speak, through the leadership, church administrators, conference officials, professors in educational institutions of higher learning, pastors, etc. I believe we, the common church member, must be awake! And knowledgeable!

We must be concerned and in the spirit of Christ, resist this apostasy. Those who are upholding the Spiritual Formation / Emergent Church view are difficult to dialogue with. It is important not to argue or debate with them. It is best to follow the example of Jesus, as the power of a "thus saith the Lord" is something that cannot be argued with.

Keys to Christian Discipline

Focus.
The devil has so much that is designed to divert our attention. He takes control of our lives by default unless we intentionally yoke up with Christ daily, surrendering our lives and plans to Him, seeking His will. Christ's presence and power working in and through us is key in the Christian's experience. With His protection we may prove faithful under every onslaught of the enemy.

Attitude.
A Christian attitude is required when dealing with such things. To have success in any area requires admitting weakness and making Jesus our strength. It is only by a daily surrender (a giving up) that God works into us His character. Jesus told Paul, "my strength is made perfect in [your] weakness. 2 Cor. 12:9

As we consider ourselves weak, it allows Christ to triumph. Daily, our flesh must die so Christ can control us inside (right thoughts and feelings) and deliver us outwardly (actions). "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.

Every morning, I give God permission to work into my life His character. I acknowledge that I am powerless without Him, an easy target for the enemy. I pray out loud for a few reasons. My words leave a trail, so to speak, and should the enemy want to accuse God of favoring me, God can point back to my petitions. Another reason I voice my morning prayer to God is that it makes a deeper impression on me when I do, compared to a prayer that is just thought. It reminds me that He is listening!

Response.
Are we to fear the outcome? In the past, God's truth was maligned, His commands ignored. Faithfully, men responded and by earnest prayer and faithful witness, truth prevailed. Some lost their lives in the process. Is there a way to respond today to the same type of situation?

I believe for most believers and concerned church members, the short answer is passive resistance, non-cooperation. We may choose to send our young people to institutions which we believe are free of this Spiritual Formation ideology. By the way, it is being given other names to disguise its true identity. We must be informed and ask questions. Paul prayed that the church would "be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Eph. 3:18, 19

Amen! I hope this has encouraged you to surrender your life to God more fully and follow His lead while helping others who are seeking to find the Way.