Heutagogy and Christian discipleship: An empirical study of spiritual growth

Heutagogy – commonly understood as self-determined learning – emphasises the learner’s agency in shaping their developmental journey through proactive, self-determined engagement. In the context of Christian discipleship, self-determined learning can foster spiritual growth across a range of personal convictions, denominational traditions, and theological frameworks. Although increasingly discussed in educational literature, heutagogy has not yet been empirically investigated in relation to spiritual formation. Addressing this gap, this qualitative study employed a nine-month action research design to explore how heutagogy, augmented by non-directive mentoring, facilitated spiritual growth in the lived experiences of nine participants. The study employed a multi-method approach – combining cyclical interviews, participant journals, mentor reflections, professional supervision, and photovoice – to synthesise the complexity of spiritual growth over time. All participants reported significant spiritual transformation, marked by heightened God-awareness, intentional decision-making, and deeper ownership of their faith. The findings highlight the under-recognised potential of heutagogy to inform and invigorate Christian formation. By foregrounding a learner-centred approach to discipleship, this article contributes to the body of theological and educational literature on how diverse individuals can grow in ways that are authentic, personally meaningful, and spiritually (re)generative.