⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 3 min read
The Spiritual Formation Movement and the Sufficiency of Scripture
In this episode of Contending for the Word, host Dave Jenkins sits down with Dr. Gary Gilley, pastor of Southern View Chapel and author of Out of Formation: The Infiltration of the Spiritual Formation Movement and Its Impact on Evangelicalism. Together, they uncover the history, growth, and theological dangers of the Spiritual Formation Movement in Evangelical churches, offering a clear biblical critique.
Dr. Gilley examines the influence of figures like Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and John Mark Comer, while addressing popular practices such as contemplative prayer and Lectio Divina. This conversation helps believers understand how these trends deviate from Scripture-centered spirituality and offers practical guidance for guarding against unbiblical mysticism.
If you want to grow in biblical discernment and remain anchored in the sufficiency of Scripture, this episode is essential listening.
📝 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- The Origins of the Spiritual Formation Movement: How it developed and took root in modern Evangelicalism.
- Influence of Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and John Mark Comer: Examining their teachings and their impact on Christian spiritual disciplines.
- Contemplative Prayer and Lectio Divina Evaluated: Why these practices conflict with biblical spirituality.
- Theological Concerns with Subjective Spirituality: How experience-driven approaches undermine the authority of God’s Word.
- Practical Discernment Tips: How to protect your church and personal walk from mystical influences.
- How to Discern Biblical Practices: Tools to evaluate spiritual practices through the lens of Scripture.
In this episode of Contending for the Word, host Dave Jenkins sits down with Dr. Gary Gilley, pastor of Southern View Chapel and author of Out of Formation: The Infiltration of the Spiritual Formation Movement and Its Impact on Evangelicalism. Together, they uncover the history, growth, and theological dangers of the Spiritual Formation Movement in Evangelical churches, offering a clear biblical critique.
Dr. Gilley examines the influence of figures like Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and John Mark Comer, while addressing popular practices such as contemplative prayer and Lectio Divina. This conversation helps believers understand how these trends deviate from Scripture-centered spirituality and offers practical guidance for guarding against unbiblical mysticism.
If you want to grow in biblical discernment and remain anchored in the sufficiency of Scripture, this episode is essential listening.
📝 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- The Origins of the Spiritual Formation Movement: How it developed and took root in modern Evangelicalism.
- Influence of Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and John Mark Comer: Examining their teachings and their impact on Christian spiritual disciplines.
- Contemplative Prayer and Lectio Divina Evaluated: Why these practices conflict with biblical spirituality.
- Theological Concerns with Subjective Spirituality: How experience-driven approaches undermine the authority of God’s Word.
- Practical Discernment Tips: How to protect your church and personal walk from mystical influences.
- How to Discern Biblical Practices: Tools to evaluate spiritual practices through the lens of Scripture.
📚 Resources and Links
- Book: Out of Formation by Gary Gilley
👉 Purchase here - Gary Gilley’s Website: Think on These Things Ministries
- Related Episodes:
🔹 Exposing the Theology of Dallas Willard
🔹 Exposing the Dangerous Contemplative Teachings of Richard Foster
🔹 Why Christians Should Avoid John Mark Comer
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Thank you for listening or watching this episode of Contending for the Word.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
