Spiritual Formation: An Invitation to Drawing Near Kyle Strobel

Kyle reflects on a special episode featuring Dallas Willard's lecture on spiritual formation and the VIM formula. He compares his approach to Willard's and discusses the dangers of self-help and Pelagianism. Kyle emphasizes the need for a theological grounding in Christ and the Spirit's work in transformation.
In this episode, Kyle mentioned a book by Michael Stewart Robb called The Kingdom Among Us: The Gospel According to Dallas Willard.


Get full access to Kyle’s Formation Substack at kylestrobel.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Kyle discusses the pressing issue of spiritual formation and pornography, expanding the discussion from our first “From the Vault” episode, which was a lecture by Dallas Willard. He explores the role of desire, rationality, and the impact of pornography on the human person. Kyle delves into the theological psychology of desire, the nature of sin, and the renewal of the mind in the context of spiritual formation.
The article that Kyle mentioned on Jonathan Edwards’s theological psychology can be found here.

Chapters
00:00 Exploring Spiritual Formation and Pornography
05:17 The Role of Desire in Theological Psychology
29:00 The Renewal of the Mind


Get full access to Kyle’s Formation Substack at kylestrobel.substack.com/subscribe

This episode is part of a special series featuring talks on spiritual formation from the Institute for Spiritual Formation at Talbot School of Theology. The specific lecture is titled “Beyond Pornography” by Dallas Willard. Willard uses pornography as a test case to explore the nature of spiritual formation and being formed into the likeness of Jesus. Willard also considers the role of desire and how it can bind the will and obsess the mind. He then goes on to emphasize the importance of having the right vision, intention, and means to bring about personal change and transformation (Willard’s VIM paradigm).
In this talk, Willard discusses the vision and intention behind pornographic use and how it can be transformed. Willard also explores the role of desire and willpower in overcoming addiction, highlighting the need for a right view of God and His world. He suggests practical means to break free from pornography, such as openness to others, resolute avoidance of tempting situations, and engaging in spiritual disciplines. Willard concludes by emphasizing the process of spiritual transformation and the role of grace and effort in the journey.
There was a handout that went along with this talk that I have reproduced here:
Beyond Pornography:
Spiritual Formation Studied in a Particular Case
I decided to discuss the use of pornography [(porne = prostitute) + graphy = drawing)] because (1) it presents us with a peculiarly vivid case of spiritual formation and possible spiritual transformation, and (2) it is such a widespread problem for people today, and also among Christians and those in ministry – and a problem which generates a lot of hopelessness in those involved.
What is pornography? It consists of writings, drawings, images and pictures for use in arousing sexual desire, and frequently in stimulating the body to achieve sexual discharge or release. It is on a continuum with viewing actual people around you in order to stimulate, foster and cultivate lust, which Jesus warned against in Matt. 5:28. The production of pornography and its use involves the degradation of human beings and cannot be an act of love, which wills the good of all involved.
The use of pornography is rooted in the fundamental role of desire in human life. Desire, on the biblical understanding, is not in itself bad, but it is dangerous because it has the tendency to take over one’s life. Desire must be subordinated to what is good, and it is the role of the will to see to it that it is subordinated to what is good. But the will can do this only if it understands what is good and is strongly oriented toward it. This is definitely not the case with those unaligned with God. In them the will falls captive to desire: they live to do what they want. Their condition is repeatedly addressed in the scriptures.
The general condition of fallen humanity is carefully laid out by Paul in Ephesians 4:17-19 and Romans 7:15-23. The will is, in the fallen personality, enslaved by desire, and so “I am doing the very thing I hate” (vs. 15). This is the precise picture of the person in some degree of bondage to pornography.
We really must pay attention to desire (“lust,” “longing,” epithumia) if we are to understand spiritual formation. The primary role of desire in human life is to impel us to action. If action were solely under the direction of thought, we would never survive infancy, and life would be an intolerable burden in which much that is good would not be realized. Lusting itself gives pleasure, because it thrusts us in a direction and makes us feel alive. We are “moved,” hence we speak of “passion.” Thus we get pleasure from desiring itself, and desire to desire. The gratification of desire gives us a sense of completeness and power – for a moment or so. A depressed person is typically one who has little or no desire and “doesn’t want any thing.”
Thus we do many things just to excite desire. Flirting (of various kinds) and

In this conversation, Kyle discusses the concept of the sanctification gap and its implications for the Christian life. Looking at Richard Lovelace’s account and well as John Coe’s development, Kyle attends to how we can utilize this category fruitfully in our own formation. Kyle emphasizes the importance of drawing near to God in the reality of who we are, rather than turning to oneself as a way to generate or mimic an ideal. He encourages a holistic approach to spiritual theology that incorporates insights from the broader Christian tradition.
00:00 Introduction and Background
05:21 The Rich Tradition of Spiritual Theology
07:20 The Experiential Gap and the Importance of Drawing Near
09:45 The Role of Spiritual Theology in the Christian Life
14:01 Embracing the Wisdom of the Christian Tradition
16:34 Moving from an Idealistic to an Evangelical Approach
21:48 Recognizing Our Need for Forgiveness
24:22 Navigating the Sanctification Gap in Prayer
Resources mentioned:
Richard Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal.
John Coe, “Spiritual Theology: A Theological-Experiential Methodology for Bridging the Sanctification Gap” in The Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care 2:1 (2009).
Kyle Strobel, Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards.
Kyle Strobel and John Coe, Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty with God Transforms Your Soul.


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In this conversation, Kyle focuses on Colossians 2 and 3, where Paul addresses false spirituality and calls believers to set their minds on Christ. Key here is understanding what Paul is warning us against in Colossians 2 when he is narrating the ground and goal of false spirituality. One of the reasons this matters so much today is when Paul claims that this false spirituality “has an appearance of wisdom.” It is this false spirituality that captivates so many today. In response to this false spirituality focused on contemplation and rigorous asceticism, Paul interesting emphasizes true contemplation and drawing near to God in Christ.
00:00 Understanding the Difference: Spiritual Formation vs. Spiritual Theology
03:45 Addressing False Spirituality: Insights from Colossians 2
25:57 Drawing Near to God: A Key Element in Spiritual Formation


Get full access to Kyle’s Formation Substack at kylestrobel.substack.com/subscribe

In this conversation, Kyle explores the concept of spiritual theology and its importance for guiding our understanding of spiritual formation. He emphasizes that we must be careful not to allow our spiritual formation to be replaced with secular accounts of formation, but we also have to recognize how often that happens. Kyle discusses the Protestant understanding of the gospel, which centers on Jesus as the truth of salvation. He highlights the significance of both justification and sanctification in the Christian life. Kyle then delves into the role of prayer in spiritual formation, emphasizing that prayer is a gift from God and should be shaped by the gospel. He explores the idea that prayer is not a place to be good, but a place to be honest, as God already knows our weaknesses and struggles. Kyle concludes by emphasizing the need to focus on Jesus and draw near to Him in all aspects of spiritual formation.
00:00 Introduction and the Need for Spiritual Theology
03:12 The Gospel-Centered Vision of Spiritual Formation
12:13 Test case: Gospel-Shaped Prayer
31:14 Focusing on Jesus in Spiritual Formation


Get full access to Kyle’s Formation Substack at kylestrobel.substack.com/subscribe