The Formation Space

After years of ministry, study, and serving in the church, we all arrived at a similar realization: information alone wasn't producing transformation.In this episode, we pull back the curtain and share our stories. From pastoral burnout and church hurt to addiction, disappointment, and the search for a deeper life with God, we talk about the experiences that led us to a deeper vision of discipleship, apprenticeship to Jesus, and life in God's Kingdom, here and now.We also share how we met through the Dallas Willard School of Kingdom Living, the conversations that sparked this podcast, and our hope for creating a space where people can explore spiritual formation, practical discipleship, and the with-God life together.If you're new to The Formation Space, this is a great place to start.

What if peace isn’t something we find when life finally calms down, but a way of living we’re invited into right now?In this episode, we explore shalom—the biblical vision of wholeness, harmony, and the full life God intended from the very beginning. Drawing from Dallas Willard’s profound definition of peace, we look at why peace is not the absence of conflict, but a resting of the will rooted in divine assurance.If you’re longing for a deeper, steadier, more grounded way of living with God, this episode offers a gentle but transformative invitation into the peace you were created for.

What are the spiritual disciplines really for?In this episode, we explore practices like prayer, fasting, silence, solitude, Sabbath, and simplicity and how they shape us over time into people marked by love, joy, peace, and Christlikeness.Rather than treating the disciplines like religious obligations, we discuss them as ways of opening ourselves to the grace and presence of God in everyday life.We also reflect on why silence feels so difficult, how habits form our character, and why the question “What’s bothering you?” may reveal more about our spiritual formation than we realize.Featuring reflections inspired by Dallas Willard and Richard Foster.

What if Sabbath isn’t about slowing down for a day, but about remembering what it means to be human?In this episode, we explore Shabbat—the ancient invitation to cease, stop, and rest in the rhythm God built into creation. A simple, honest look at why rest is essential and how Sabbath reorients our lives back to God.🕊May this invite you to breathe, stop, and rest today.

If the church is meant to form people into the likeness of Jesus, why does it feel like we have to bring formation back?In this conversation with Dr. Steve Porter, we explore what the church is actually meant to do and how that vision has become obscured over time. We talk about the purpose of the church, the subtle ways formation gets replaced by activity, and how our understanding of salvation shapes the life of transformation.We also discuss the role of community and how formation unfolds in everyday life beyond Sunday gatherings.This conversation looks at how we got here, makes sense of where we are now, and invites us to rediscover what the church is meant to be.

What if repentance isn’t about guilt at all, but about coming home?In this episode, we explore teshuvah—the ancient invitation to turn, return, and live on God’s terms instead of our own. A simple, honest look at the lies we’ve believed and the truth Jesus reveals.🕊 May this shape the way you turn toward God today.

What if God feeling distant isn’t a problem to solve, but part of how He forms us?In this episode, we sit down with Kyle Strobel to explore what is actually happening in seasons where God feels far away. Drawing from his new book, "When God Seems Distant," Kyle helps reframe the desert not as failure, but as formation.We talk about why early spiritual passion fades, the difference between passion and affection, and how God uses dryness to expose what is in our hearts and deepen our love for Him.In this episode:• Why God often feels close early in faith and distant later• Passion vs. affection• How the desert exposes what is in us• Why formation is about love• Praying honestly in seasons of drynessAlso: a drive by jelly bean incident, an unexpected run in with law enforcement, and at least one moment of fighting for the right to party 🎉

What if one sentence could quietly reshape how you see yourself and your life?Dallas Willard once wrote, “You are an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God’s great universe.” In this episode, we slow down and reflect on that vision of the human person and why it matters far more than we often realize.We explore what it means to live as an unceasing spiritual being, why formation is happening in every moment of our lives, and how the person we are becoming now carries into eternity.And somewhere along the way we also discuss zebra cakes, sardines, seaweed snacks, and the questionable logistics of putting poutine in a vending machine.🕊️ May this vision shape the way you live today.

What if prayer isn’t about getting answers, but about becoming trustworthy with power?Building on our conversation about ruling and reigning with Christ, we unpack what Dallas Willard meant when he described prayer as a power sharing arrangement. If God intends to partner with us in His kingdom work, then character is not optional. It matters. A lot.We explore why character is what you do automatically, how formation is happening every day whether you notice it or not, and why spiritual power looks very different from control. Along the way, we banter about ice baths in freezing weather 🧊, revisit Elijah’s seven year drought, and wrestle with what it means to become the kind of person God can actually trust with influence.Because the point is not having power. It is becoming the kind of person who can be trusted with it.

What happens when discipleship drifts to the margins of church life?In this episode, we’re joined by Cliff Young Jr., lead pastor of New Hope Christian Center in Lomita, CA, who also serves on the Board of Directors for Dallas Willard Ministries, for an honest conversation about spiritual formation in the local church. Together, we explore how consumer instincts shape church culture, why life with God can become sidelined, and what it looks like to recover apprenticeship to Jesus through presence, practice, and shared life.Also: Cliff mixes it up with his DJ skills, the realities of a pastor’s Monday inbox, and a closing song to steady the soul.Learn more:Christian Soul by Cliff Young Jr. – https://www.cliffordyoungjr.com/book

The Endgame of the Christian life isn’t just “going to heaven.” It’s being formed to rule and reign with God.We’re joined by Dr. Keith Matthews to explore the telos of the Christian life and what it means to live from the kingdom here and now.Together, we unpack discipleship as training for joyful partnership with God, from Genesis to Revelation, and why character formation matters for both everyday life and eternity.

In this first episode of The Formation Space, we explore a foundational question: What’s the difference between the gospel of the kingdom and the “gospel of sin management,” and why does it matter?We talk about how a reduced version of the gospel leaves people unchanged, why Jesus’ message centers on life with God here and now, and how discipleship is really apprenticeship to Jesus in everyday life. Along the way, we share practices that are shaping us and set the vision for the conversations to come.Also: mythical creature hugs, Skunk Ape lore, and a brief detour into swamp Bigfoot theology.