Dr. Steve L. Porter: Cultivating Formation-Minded Christians, Pastors and Churches

Mar 14, 2025

Dr. Steve L. Porter, a Senior Research Fellow at Westmont College, shares profound insights on spiritual formation and transformation. He discusses the conflict between the desire for personal growth and resistance to change, emphasizing that embracing God's transformative love is crucial. Steve highlights the importance of integrating spirituality into community practices, nurturing relationships through prayer, and understanding God's love as foundational for healing. Listeners are encouraged to internalize divine love and support each other in making that love tangible.

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INSIGHT

What is Spiritual Formation?

Spiritual formation is about being conformed to Christ's image, including inner life, moral life, and relationship with God.
It involves taking on Christ's way of being, not just imitating his actions.

INSIGHT

Church Resistance to Formation

Church structures may resist spiritual formation due to historical theology, cultural influences, ecclesiology, and psychology.
One barrier is a narrow view of the gospel as primarily about forgiveness of sins.

INSIGHT

Secure and Insecure Future

The future of Christian formation is secure because God will complete the good work he started, but insecure because he allows resistance.
God's patience allows for resistance, hindering transformation.

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In today’s conversation, we received wisdom and insight from Dr. Steve Porter about all things spiritual formation and transformation – in personal, pastoral and church contexts. Steve’s work at the intersection of philosophy, theology and psychology means that he brings multilayered insight into the conversation around growth and transformation. Shaped and informed by the spirituality of Paul and the insight of folks like Dallas Willard and Eugene Peterson, Steve reminds us of the spiritual realities available to us as persons in Christ. He encourages us to be aware of God’s presence, engaging in spiritual practices as windows that open ourselves to God. He also shares how we can internalize the love of God and how we as the church can support one another in making the invisible love of God visible and tangible, especially if we have struggled to experience that love in human relationships. We’re excited that Steve will be joining us at Regent in the summer to teach a class on Cultivating Formation-Minded Pastors and Churches (July 21-25). We'd love for you to join us!

Bio

Dr. Steven L. Porter is the Senior Research Fellow and Executive Director of the Martin Institute for Christianity and Culture at Westmont College. He is also an affiliate professor of theology and spiritual formation at Biola University's Institute for Spiritual Formation and Rosemead School of Psychology. Dr. Porter earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Southern California under the mentorship of Dallas Willard and holds an M.Phil. in philosophical theology from the University of Oxford. His academic work focuses on Christian spiritual formation, the doctrine of sanctification, and the integration of psychology and theology. Additionally, he serves as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care.

Publications Referenced

Steven L. Porter. “Internalizing the Love of God: A Theological Psychology of Receiving and Resisting Love.” Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care 17, no. 1 (2024): 25-35.

Steven L. Porter. "The Future of Spiritual Formation." Journal for Spiritual Formation and Soul Care 16, no. 1 (2023): 3-13.

Steven L. Porter. "Biblical Spirituality and Contemplative Spirituality." In Embracing Contemplation: Reclaiming a Christian Spiritual Practice, edited by John H. Coe and Kyle Strobel, 139-165. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2019.

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