The "WE" of spiritual formation

In a recent article for Christianity Today John Ortberg writes about "The "WE" we want to Be". This blog is a review of that article.
Here John once again hits on a very important aspect of the Christian life.  He says "the most important growth is not a "me" thing but a "we" thing. Even though it is good to discuss individual formation (knowing that we are each responsible to the Lord individually) we will not have a right relationship to Christ outside his Body the Church. John is pastor and speaks to the needs of a church body but I find this very appropriate for us as a ministry team.  We are called into community. Individual communion is deepened through our spiritual community and right relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and the benefits flow the other way as well; communion leads to better community.
He points out that when the apostle Paul writes his letters he is addressing congregations. The church is the body of Christ and all the individual members form something much bigger and greater than each individual.
( John uses the body as a metaphor of what spiritual formation looks like in the church. I have adapted it to our community in LT)
Breathing - It is a sign of life and associated with Spirit. It is easy to forget how important breathing is to life. It is just as easy to forget how important the spirit is to the life of the church. The presence of the Spirit is best detected by the fruit of the Spirit. How is the vitality of the spiritual life demonstrated in our ministry?
Vision - "It is not vision of human activity but vision of who God is and how good he is, and wonderful it is to be alive and a friend of such a Being." When our focus shifts from who God is to what we are doing we lose the greatest comfort God offers, "the peace of Christ reigning in our hearts". What is our vision of God?
Blood - Here he compares sin and blood. Just as toxins can build up in the blood and make a person unhealthy, likewise sin can build up in the body of Christ and become toxic. When we practice confession we not only remove the toxin in the body of Christ but we get to know one another. "Throughout history, whenever there have been fresh outpouring of the Spirit, they are always accompanied with a renewed practice of the confession of sin." Do we practice 1 John 1:9 and confess our sins regularly keeping a short account?
 Skin - It keeps out what should not get in and keeps in what should not get out.  A healthy body knows what to keep out and what to let in. Are we keeping out the unhealthy influences of money, power, fame and are we inviting in those who are seeking Christ even though they may not be ones we normally want to hang out with?
Nourishment - Jesus spoke of the vine and the branches, Paul talked about milk and the meat.  These versus all speak of spiritual life in nurturing terms. When we seek to be spiritually fed is it knowledge we lack or is it an experience of God we are missing?  Are we experiencing God in a way that cost us something. 
Muscles- A healthy body is one with good muscle tone. Muscles serve the other parts. A healthy Christian community is a serving community. Just like the popular song says, "if we are the Body, why aren't we ----------------- (fill in the blank with the things Christ would do).  
John Ortberg ends with, " The body doesn't so much exist for my sake as I exist for the sake of the body."
Do we follow the advice of Phil 2:3,4?
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
The full text of John Ortbergs article is at the following link:
 http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/communitylife/discipleship/wewanttobe.ht