SPIRITUAL FORMATION
God's Mission for the Church
The Church exists to glorify Christ, make Him known, and extend His kingdom. Simply put, the Church’s purpose is achieved through discipleship. Because of this, discipleship is the primary focus of everything we do at Nu Church. It is not just one program among many; it is the measure of success for all that we do.
Formation at
Nu Church
Spiritual formation at Nu Church is the ongoing process of being shaped into the image of Christ for the sake of others. It is not a straight line, a set of classes, or a checklist. It is a living, cyclical joureny that moves through three interconnected movements that continually feed one another as the Spirit shapes us together into the likeness of Jesus.
GATHERINGS
Know Christ
To Know Christ, we grow in the core beliefs that form our understanding of God and His story — the Good News, the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and the Church. These are not abstract doctrines we simply agree with. They are the true story of who God is, what He has done in Jesus, and how He is still at work in the world. As we learn this story, we begin to experience the truth of who Christ is and the kind of life He offers.
We hold to the truth that Christlikeness is the end goal of the Christian life. Happiness, success, doctrinal correctness, or even “going to heaven” are not ends in themselves. The real measure of maturity is whether we are being transformed into the character of Jesus, living with His love, humility, obedience, compassion, holiness, and wisdom.
(What we believe)
Experience Christ
(How we are formed)
As we grow in the knowledge of Christ, we are invited to experience Him more deeply. This happens through a personal progression of curiosity, imagination, informed belief, and transformation in community — a cycle that continually reshapes us into His image over time.
It begins when something about Jesus or His story catches our attention and makes us curious. From there we are invited to imagine what it would mean if that story were actually true and how it might change the way we live. As we grow in understanding, the truth moves from something we merely agree with to something that begins to form our thoughts, desires, and actions. Over time, this process is worked out with other people, because we are not meant to become like Jesus in isolation.
The goal is not spiritual self-improvement. The goal is that we would look more like Christ so His life can be reflected through us for the sake of others.
When evaluating your own formation or helping someone else, you can ask:
CURIOSITY
What am I curious about?
IMAGINATION
Can I imagine it being true and how it might change my life?
INFORMED
Do I need more information or understanding?
COMMUNITY
Is this something I need to live out in community?
We are shaped into Christ’s image together, for the sake of others, as a multi-ethnic, multi-generational family.
Real transformation happens in relationship. It is in community that we learn to love, forgive, confess, encourage, and spur one another on. This is where truth moves from our heads to our hearts and hands.
Formation question:
“Am I needing to activate what I’ve learned?” → Am I in a Nu Community and a Nu Circle?"
Loving God with our mind as well as our heart.
Imagination doesn’t replace truth — it helps us fall in love with it. It moves us from “What if?” to “This could be true… and I want it to be.”
Once you reach this point, lean in. Search for truth with confidence, believing God will help you grow “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
Formation question:
“Am I lacking information?” → Am I in a Course?"
Believe God does new things in old and ordinary places.
You’ve been curiously pursuing an idea in community. Now the question becomes: What if that were true? What if this truth you’re encountering actually changes everything? Can you imagine what your life — and the world around you — would look like if it were real?
Formation question:
"I'm starting to imagine life differently. → Am I participating in Gatherings and Community?
Ask honest questions. Welcome doubt. Pursue truth.
We believe God is a deeply personal God who meets us right where we are. Curiosity is not a problem to solve — it is often the very place where God wants to meet us.
Formation question:
"I’m really curious about this idea. → Am I participating in Gatherings?"
COURSES
COMMUNITIES
CIRCLES
Encounter Christ
(Where formation happens)
Discipleship is the intentional, communal process of cooperating with the Holy Spirit to put on the character of Christ (Colossians 3:12–17) so that we can better embody His love, truth, and healing presence to a broken world.
We cannot become like Jesus by ourselves. Encounter Christ is the movement where formation leaves the realm of ideas and becomes a lived reality with other people. The communal spaces we create together — Sunday Gatherings, Courses, Communities, and Circles — are the intentional environments designed for this purpose. In these spaces we worship, learn, share life, practice vulnerability, and step into mission side by side.
Because transformation happens in community, the question we continually return to is:
“Am I engaged in the communal life of the church in a way that helps me move forward from where I am right now?”
GATHERINGS
COURSES
COMMUNITIES
CIRCLES
ENCOUNTER CHRIST
Circles are groups of 3-5 that commit to living out a life of accountablity and mission together. Practicing confession, serving the least, and self-sacrifice for the good of others.
This is a paragraph where you can include any information you’d like. It’s an opportunity to tell a story about the company.
This will be a Christian Basics Course. Coming Soon.
This will be Courses about Spiritual Disciplines and Practices. Coming Soon.
These will be Courses on various Theological Topics. Coming Soon.
These will be Courses on various Leadership Topics. Coming Soon.
FORMATION
RESOURCES
The church is not primarily a teaching institution, social club, service provider, or event venue. It is the embodied presence of Christ in a community. It is a colony of heaven on earth.
Every spiritual discipline, every group meeting, every ministry addition, and every sermon should be evaluated by this standard: Does this help people become more like Jesus for the sake of others?