Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 4
The speaker claims, “Time and slowing down is essential to spiritual formation…Taking the time to pray…read the Word and fast…is how Christians have always grown”; what early-Christian practices or assumptions does he seem to be appealing to, and how does that critique the way many modern believers pursue growth?
Another way to ask: He says slowing down to pray, read the Bible, and fast is how Christians have always grown. What early church habits is he pointing to, and how does that challenge how many believers try to grow today?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
He appeals to historic Christian growth through slow, embodied practices—prayer, Scripture, and fasting—that require time and attention, not constant acceleration. His critique of modern growth is that we often pursue maturity through busyness, efficiency, and distraction rather than deep, unhurried habits.
- He states directly: “Time and slowing down is essential to spiritual formation. Busyness is our enemy.”
- He lists practices: “Taking the time to pray…read the Word and fast…is how Christians have always grown,” clarifying fasting as “not eating.”
- He ties his own formation to reduced technology and noise: no smartphone for half the term, “restricted internet,” few books, and “I read the Bible a lot.”
- He contrasts productivity with avoidance: the hard inner work is skipped because we “stay busy and distracted.”
- He later echoes this with “hurry” being a major enemy of formation (ideas he says he borrowed from John Mark Comer).