Spiritual Formation

What Is Spiritual Formation? 

Paul writes to the Galatians, “My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you” (Gal. 4:19 NRSV, emphasis added). Spiritual formation is the process by which we partner with God’s grace to bring about Christlike virtue and character within us. It is simply Christ being formed in you and me. This process doesn’t just happen in one aspect of who we are. Christlike transformation happens in our heads, our hearts, and our hands—lived out in our actions.

As one of our 4 Pillars at Cascade Christian Schools, Spiritual Formation is a foundational element that plays a role in developing discerning leaders.

The director of spiritual life carries out a vision for what a student’s spiritual formation process will look like throughout the early learning to grade 12 experience. This leader plays a role in providing oversight, support, and coordination in areas related to spiritual formation at Cascade Christian.

In addition to the director of spiritual life, the Cascade Christian Leaders Team is committed to working together to strive toward a consistent, mission-focused culture across every campus, ensuring Spiritual Formation is a priority in who we are as a school district.

All Cascade Christian teachers, specialists, and coaches facilitate opportunities for spiritual growth in students during their student experience, making Spiritual Formation a focal point in all areas of our schools. Biblical Worldview Immersion (BWI) is an integral part of everything we do at Cascade Christian, as we aim to equip our students with the resources they need to view the world through a biblical lens. All of our programs are immersed in a biblical worldview. From performing arts, to athletics, to every subject in our curriculum, we spend time connecting what we do to biblical truth. This helps our students think, love, and act like Jesus, as told in the Bible.

Each school year, we prayerfully seek a passage in Scripture that we feel God is calling us to. With that passage, we develop a theme that guides our community throughout the school year. Our chapels, devotions, and student retreats are planned thoughtfully and intentionally so that they build on one another and consistently point to Christ through the lens of our spiritual theme.

Check out this school year’s theme below!

2026–2027: Made New

This year’s spiritual theme comes from 2 Corinthians 5:17, in which Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

In a world where it can be easy to define ourselves by past mistakes, accomplishments, or circumstances, this verse reminds us that, in Christ, our identities are transformed as we are made into a new creation. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God transforms sinners into saints, gives hope to the broken, and begins the work of making all things new.

What does this mean for us? While being made new begins when a person places their faith in Christ, God’s renewing work does not stop there. He continues to shape and transform His people throughout their lives. He changes hearts and minds, forms Christlike character, sends His people into the world as ambassadors of His kingdom, and restores what has been broken by sin.

This school year, our time in Scripture will focus on key aspects of God’s renewing work, such as transformation, formation, mission, and restoration. Together, we will explore how God changes us from the inside out, shapes us into the image of Christ, sends us to participate in His work in the world, and restores people, relationships, and creation according to His good purposes.

We look forward to engaging with this theme together throughout the 2026–2027 school year. Please join us this year in praying that our community will grow together in faith and experience the ongoing work of the God who makes all things new.