Author: Canon Dr. Josh R. Ritter
In November 2024, I wrote a post called What is a Micro-Formation? In that piece, I defined micro-formation as, “Any small reflective observation or intentional teaching on an aspect of Christian formation that connects directly to someone’s daily life and Christian practice.” I then suggested:
More powerful than programs, retreats, or events, we significantly undervalue the simple, intentional gestures of communication we offer to ourselves and to others. In fact, we often fail to realize that the small micro-formations we sow can have some of the biggest impacts in people’s lives.
In sum, micro-formations are the seeds Jesus told us about, and we might here recall his teachings on the powerful practice of seed casting to plant for future harvests. So, Jesus used micro-formations, and he practiced the art of seed casting. Why don’t we?
Perhaps we don’t think we have the time for all this planting of seeds. I mean, it is really time-consuming to build relationships and also pay attention enough to someone else’s life that we can communicate a meaningful, non-judgmental, encouraging/challenging observation into their life.
We, of course, all feel like time (kronos: linear time) is one of our biggest issues today. We feel that time is slipping away from us, that we don’t have enough time, that we need to manage our time better, that we wish others would give us more of their time. We are dominated by time, the cult of busy-ness, and the tyranny of the urgent.
The nice thing about micro-formations is that they can happen at any time because every moment is a formation moment (kairos: the opportune moment, the time of God). All moments are saturated with the presence of God and the movement of God’s Spirit (Mk 1:15). So, we can be creative and use our spiritual imaginations to think of new ways to bring micro-formations into our ministries and congregational life.
Remember, micro-formations are not programs. There is not some new curriculum to follow. There is no training you must do. There is no retreat you must attend. Micro-formations are the intentional ways we come to participate with God in the ordinary moments of our community’s lives.
You don’t need to try and find extra times to set up spaces for micro-formations. These are not intended to be extra work for you. Micro-formations are small, intentional gestures of speaking meaning into people’s lives through words of affirmation, appreciation, and discernment or through invitations into (small) shared practices of spiritual growth. They are integrated into what you are already doing. They foster growth and resilience because they are focused on relational engagement instead of transactional information exchange.
Along these lines, I want to offer an idea for a micro-formation during Lent, and it is focused on the sacred practice of listening.
For years, communication scholars have told us that 85-95% of communication is listening. And still we just keep talking at each other. Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 13 that listening and infusing our words with compassion and love is true communication. And still we just keep talking at each other, like a banging gong, bringing more noise into the world.
When we, as formation leaders, listen…we give voice to those around us. When we listen with wonder, appreciation, and curiosity, our people develop and clarify their faith and discipleship is deepened. Listening empowers the one we are listening to, and it transforms the listener.
God is the ultimate listener who models meaningful listening for and with us, and as we listen, we move into the heartbeat of God. When we truly listen to others, it is Christ who listens through us and transforms the encounter through the work of God’s Spirit.
Listening is how our congregations come to participate with us in the co-creation of our communities. Listening is how we learn, grow, and question together.
So, what can we do to listen more deeply by integrating micro-formations into the practices and ministries we are already doing?
Creating micro-formations through technology and digital space
Now, to be clear, I am NOT suggesting using social media. Please do not use social media as a micro-formation.
What I am suggesting is using apps that focus on meditation, prayer, gratitude, daily devotions, etc. There are many apps like this available.
To begin, I would recommend Venite (offered by Forward Movement) for adults and d365 (created by the Youth Ministries Office of the Episcopal Church) for youth.
Here is where this gets exciting. Normally, our folks are consuming a lot of digital garbage, and they are practicing mindless consumerism while they doom scroll. What you are doing by using technology intentionally with your communities is a form of anti-consumerist mindfulness practice that is also an empowering way to create micro-rituals of meaning for their lives.
You are doing this by engaging in a communal ritual (a communal practice), which means that you are practicing shared responsibility and accountability together. You are also doing this by practicing empowering forms of healthy technology use together and setting up intentional digital spaces of engagement for and with your community.
Don’t underestimate the power of shared rituals of meaning-making, especially digital ones!
Rituals guide our actions and form our habits, and everyone’s daily ritual right now includes some form of digital space and use of technology to access that space. So, let’s create some digital rituals with care with the purpose of some high quality spiritual formation.
So, what’s so great about micro-rituals?
Well, the interesting thing is that rituals are a form of technology. They are tools of formation.
Consistency, routine, and reward reinforces our behavior into a habit. Activating and sustaining these patterns allows the “wiring in” of a habit into our lives, and these (re)shape our behaviors, practices, and attitudes (Duhigg, The Power of Habit). That means that our formation, including our spiritual formation, happens through rituals and habits, and this is why Paul asks us not to be conformed to the rituals and habits of culture but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and hearts in Christ (Rom 12:2).
It is also why the church has developed some of the most powerful ritual technology on planet earth through spiritual disciplines and liturgies, and we can integrate those rituals into our lives more thoroughly when we practice micro-formations. Digital micro-rituals are a great way to do this.
And the follow up is simple. LISTEN. Once your community has practiced using these apps together for a while (for example, during Lent), begin your listening micro-formations:
- ASK people how their ritual is going
- LISTEN carefully to their response
- REFLECT back to them what you hear and give voice to their reply without giving advice or your “take” on what they share
- ACKNOWLEDGE your appreciation for sharing their story with you
Maybe you gather together to do this listening or maybe you don’t. Maybe you just ask folks when you see them and have a brief conversation in the hall. Maybe you take someone out to coffee for a chat, building your relational value and points of contact to create meaningful connections.
You will be amazed how this simple micro-formation will foster connections and will nurture relationships within your communities.
In these ways, you are co-creating narratives of meaning, narratives of purpose, rhythms of life, communal identities, social cohesion, and…perhaps most importantly…trust…in each other and in God.
Never underestimate the power of the micro-formation!
Formation 