“If spiritual formation was going to be established as the driving force at Oak Hills, it had to first take root in our own hearts (40).”

“The outward success of our church came with a steep price tag.  We had grown the church, but we were not more like Jesus.  Growing the church did not require that we be like Jesus.  It wasn’t as though we were blatantly sinning and trying to hide it.  But the leadership energy required in a larger church and the adrenaline rush of outward success gradually substituted for authentic experiences with God.  The enthusiastic buzz in the church validated what we were doing.  The hard work of preparing insightful sermons replaced hearing God’s voice in his Word.  We had built a thriving church, but we were not becoming better people in whom Christ was being formed (40-41).”