Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard
Week 2: Chapter 1 — What Is Spiritual Formation?
Read Chapter 1 of Renovation of the Heart.
Previewing Week 2 of Renovation of the Heart
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 15-week guide when you’re ready.
Willard lays the theological foundation for everything that follows — if we get this chapter right, the rest of the book makes sense; if we skip it, we will misread everything else.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Willard argues that spiritual formation is not a specialty topic for advanced or mystically inclined Christians — it is the normal calling of every believer. Does the way your church or community talk about discipleship reflect this? What does it emphasize instead?
2.He draws on Romans 12:2 — 'Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind' — as a foundational text. What does 'conformed' look like in practice? What does 'transformed' look like?
3.Willard insists that the goal of spiritual formation is nothing less than Christlikeness in every area of life — not just moral behavior, but the deep structures of desire, thought, and habit. Why is it important to aim that high? What goes wrong when we aim lower?