Start Well to Finish Well: A Holistic Formation Model for Emerging Christian Leaders
Abstract
The ISSUE: How do we model, and help students to "start welf' in life, and ministry, such that they can form healthy patterns and habits that will promote growth and fruit throughout their lives, as well as ''finish welf' without having to deal with issues of burn-out or moral failure? In order to strategically equip our leaders of tomorrow I will create a holistic formation model for the emerging Christian leaders. In section two of this project, I will make the claim that there are significant elements of a holistic spiritual formation model that can be found lives of Joseph and David in the Old Testament and Jesus and the disciples in the New Testament. In section three, I will make the claim that the spiritual formation process of John Wesley, as well as his contributions of the "Wesleyan Quadrilateral," Christian Perfection, and accountable discipleship should play a significant influence in this holistic formation model. In section four, I will make the claim that post-modernism should inform our approach to today's student and a holistic formation model. In section five, I will make the claim that the Greatest Commandment - to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength-presents the avenues of heart, mind, soul and body as essential elements of a holistic formation model. In section six I will make the claim that the Second Greatest Commandment - to love neighbor as self - presents the avenues of community and service as essential elements of a holistic formation model. In the final section I will present my conclusion: a three year holistic formation model that will "begin the process" of spiritual formation for the leader and equip them with "tools" and "practices" that will enable them to continue in their holistic formation throughout their lives.