Last week I shared with you the mission and vision of the Prairie Star District's Lifespan Faith Development Council. This week I'd like to build a case for prioritizing the "spiritual growth" strand of faith development in our congregations. Here's why.

Much of what I've read lately about the reasons why people need religious community (progressive, conservative, or otherwise) has listed spiritual growth near the top. For example, Robert Wuthnow in his book After Heaven: Spirituality in America Since the 1950s suggests that congregations should define their primary mission as strengthening the spiritual discipline of their members. And the UUA's Commission on Appraisal's recent report "Engaging Our Theological Diversity" ending with these provocative words:

What would our UU faith be like if our congregations truly became the safe and welcoming place we aspire to create? If we truly did honor and celebrate both our theological diversity and our sources of unity? If we were willing to commit to spiritual discipline as deeply as to spiritual freedom? "Whether we now have the seeds of a liberating faith is not really the question. Deluding ourselves into thinking that admiring the seeds will make them grow is the issue at hand," writes a contemporary UU prophet (Gordon McKeeman). What marvels might be possible if we took these seeds and planted and tended them? What wondrous blossoms might arise?

I think we need to start asking ourselves the following questions as we assess the lifespan faith development programs in our congregations: Are we safe and welcoming? Do we honor and celebrate the sources of our unity? And most importantly, are we committed to strengthening the spiritual discipline of our members and friends?