S11:E15 Kingdom Apprenticeship: Dallas Willard's Formational Theology and Missional Vision with Keas Keasler

What if spiritual formation was never meant to be private self-improvement, but training for life in the Kingdom of God?David Fitch and Mike Moore welcome Keas Keasler to discuss his new book, Kingdom Apprenticeship, an exploration of Dallas Willard’s theology of spiritual formation and its implications for mission, discipleship, and the church.Together, they revisit Willard’s enduring influence on evangelical spirituality while wrestling honestly with some of the tensions surrounding the modern spiritual formation movement. Is Willard too individualistic? Does spiritual formation risk becoming a luxury for affluent Christians detached from the local church? Or does Willard actually offer a deeper ecclesiology and missional vision than many critics assume?The conversation ranges from Bonhoeffer and Hauerwas to megachurches, silence and solitude, ecclesiology, virtue, and the dangers of “churchmanship.” Along the way, Fitch shares deeply personal stories about Dallas Willard’s influence on his life and ministry, including a moving final message delivered from Willard’s last ambulance ride to the hospital.🎙️ In This Episode:Why Dallas Willard should be understood as a theologian of the Christian lifeThe relationship between spiritual formation and missional theologyWhether Willard’s theology is too individualistic or surprisingly ecclesialBonhoeffer’s influence on Willard’s understanding of the churchWhy spiritual practices can become detached from community and missionThe meaning of “training for reigning” in Kingdom discipleshipHow character formation relates to power, vocation, and participation in God’s Kingdom📌 Key Moments:[00:09:00] Common misconceptions about Dallas Willard’s theology[00:13:00] Willard’s journey from pastor to philosopher and spiritual writer[00:17:00] Spiritual formation and mission: bridging two worlds[00:21:00] Fitch challenges Willard’s ecclesiology—and Kees pushes back[00:27:00] Bonhoeffer, Hauerwas, and the church as a “divine sociality”[00:36:00] The dangers of affluent, individualized spirituality[00:43:00] “Training for reigning”: Willard’s vision of Kingdom apprenticeshipSpiritual formation is not self-help for religious people. It is training for participation in the reign of God. The goal is not escape from the world, but transformation into people capable of wielding power, vocation, and influence in the way of Jesus.