| Set in the context of the evangelical campus ministry, Inter-Varsity, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, this qualitative research study explores the spiritual formation experience of ten of its Canadian leaders against the backdrop of the fellowship's eighty years of history. The purpose statement of Inter-Varsity guided the exploration as these men and women expressed their experiences of "being shaped by God's Word" and "being led by the Holy Spirit" leading to "the transformation into fully committed followers of Jesus.";The literature review, interviews, and focus group revealed some shifts in the experience of Inter-Varsity leaders: in understanding God the Trinity more relationally than judicially; in choosing to follow Jesus because of the vision of the community more than the individual awareness of need; in being shaped more through regular community manuscript Bible study than through a Daily Quiet Time alone with God; and in becoming more active in sharing experiences of Jesus in the context of social concern. Spiritual formation resources available are varied and creative. Time pressures, a generally fragile relationship with the church and hunger for more experience of God's love were some of the concerns this study raised. |
