Spiritual Practices for Flourishing Congregations

As we approach Lent, I have been thinking about our Cultivating Flourishing Churches framework. Hopefully you are now familiar with this tool and approach through our webinars, articles, presbytery conversations, and breakout sessions at our National Gathering. This framework has been shaped by over a decade of learning from both the successes and challenges of church transformation.

At its core, the framework compares a congregation to a tree, with various parts working together to produce fruit. Every aspect: roots, soil, trunk, branches, and leaves—needs to be healthy for the tree to thrive. You can explore the framework in detail here.

One critical element of this framework, often overlooked in earlier conversations about transformation, is the importance of spiritual practices. These individual and corporate spiritual practices are represented by the leaves of a tree in our model. Leaves are the mechanism by which a tree engages in photosynthesis. This is the way the tree “breathes” to expel toxins and have what is needed to create energy. Without functioning leaves, the tree cannot thrive.

In the same way, spiritual practices are essential for our churches and individual lives. They are how we “breathe” spiritually, expelling what hinders us and taking in what sustains us.

This brings us to Lent, which begins on March 5th with Ash Wednesday. Lent is traditionally a season for intentional spiritual practices. Many of us take this time to give something up and replace it with practices that bring us closer to the Lord. It is a season of spiritual respiration: releasing the old and making space for the new.

Engaging in these practices is vital for our growth as individual disciples. But just as a single leaf cannot sustain an entire tree, our flourishing is magnified when we collectively engage in spiritual disciplines as the body of Christ. This corporate engagement allows the “tree” of our church to flourish in even greater ways.

So, how might you—individually or collectively—use this Lenten season to embrace these practices? Perhaps you already have a plan for Lent, either as an individual disciple or as a church. If not, this is an excellent time to consider what distractions might be worth setting aside. Common examples include social media, television, or certain foods or drinks.

But Lent is not just about giving something up. It’s also about replacing those distractions with practices that deepen our connection with God. These might include:

• Reflection: Setting aside intentional time to listen to the Lord.
• Engagement with Scripture: Reading and meditating on God’s Word with renewed focus.
• Confession and Repentance: Clearing out what hinders our growth.
• Other Disciplines: Incorporating fasting, prayer, or acts of service into your daily rhythm.

As we enter this season, I am reminded of our shared desire to see another great awakening in our country. But revival begins with the Church. It begins when we, as God’s people, are intentional about these foundational practices. Just as a tree thrives when all its parts are healthy, the Church flourishes when we lean into the disciplines that allow the Spirit to work in and through us.

May this Lenten season be a time of spiritual respiration for you and your congregation, expelling the old and taking in the life-giving breath of God.

In Christ,
Dana

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