May, 1999

Hebrews 6:1

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.

I believe there are three stages in a Christian’s walk with Christ. Obviously, many of these can overlap, and to a certain extent, we are each in all three stages at the same time. However, I think these are good guidelines as we consider how we can experience spiritual growth, and how we can help others reach their full spiritual potential in Christ.

The first stage is the learning and receiving stage. We are learning about the Bible, we are learning about God, and we are learning the main teachings of the church. We are being ministered to. We are discovering Christ’s forgiveness and love. This is a selfish stage (in the sense of a baby or toddler) in that we are mostly receiving instead of giving out. We are beginning to learn how to hear that voice of God speaking in our heart. Most of our encounters with God are in church or church activities.

The second stage is the working stage. We begin to put into practice those things that we are taught. We begin to reach out to others to help them. This working stage is also a time of learning as we are prone to making mistakes and we still need instruction, help and encouragement along the way. We will begin sharing our faith with others outside of the church. We are learning how to practice the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study, etc. Our encounters with God now happen both in the church and at home during our quiet times with Him.

The third stage is the ministering stage. Our purpose in serving God is to reach out to others to help them, uplift them, and encourage them in their faith. We also are concerned about reaching others beyond our church walls with the gospel message. In this stage we are prone to not consider our own feelings or desires, but rather to look to the needs in others. We will be willing to take a lower position to help others experience new areas of ministry. We are patient with people in their growth. Our greatest spiritual times are when we are home alone with God meditating in his presence.

Obviously, this is a simplification and much more could be added in this regard. But I think it’s good to have a feeling for each group in our church. As a church we need to be ready to minister to all three groups. The first group is asking what does this church have for me? What do we have to offer to young families or new believers? The second group is asking what area can I get involved in? What do we have to offer older Christians to help them get involved in the ministry of the church? The third group is looking for a way to help others. Are we willing to trust others in important areas of ministry and let them use their talents for God?

If we want to experience real spiritual growth in our church, we must be prepared to minister to the needs of each group. My experience is that Christians grow most by ministering to others. We must give them that opportunity. I pray that our church will offer the kind of atmosphere where we each can grow in our spiritual journey. Let us be willing to help one another, and be willing to allow God to mature us into the kind of Christian that is a blessing and encouragement to others.

Dave