Category: Key Growth Posts

stages of growth

What Spiritual Life Stage Are You In?

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In the last post we looked at the benefits of understanding stages of spiritual growth as well as two repeating patterns of growth. In this post we look at two popular models of progressive growth. The second one is an expansion of the first. These models are non-repeating models of growth. This means they cover the entire lifetime of a believer and do not repeat; they will help you identify your spiritual life stage. These models are part of spiritual theology, or the theology of maturity. They are based on what the writers saw in Scripture and in their experience so they are attempts to do biblical spiritual theology. As you read through this it will help to ask yourself how it applies to your life. What spiritual life stage do you most identify with? Do you see a flow to your spiritual growth that is reflected in one of these models? Continue Reading →

fivefold way stages of growth

What Stages Of Growth Are You Going Through?

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Many have found it very helpful to understand the different stages of growth that Christians go through. Here are some of the reasons we might find it helpful to recognize stages of growth: Stages of growth can be grouped into three categories: non-cyclical, cyclical, and felt. This post looks mostly at cyclical stages; sequences of stages that repeat during our lives. Below are two different models of cyclical stages. CROSS AND RESURRECTION This is the most basic and biblical model of stages of growth. We follow the same pattern that Jesus did in his life and in his death. This two-fold process is mentioned many times in scripture. 1.Cross. The old self is crucified. 2.Resurrection. The new self dominates more. We can see that it is biblical, for example: Cross=“putting off” (Eph 4:22), Resurrection=“putting on” (Eph 4:24). Also, in Philippians 3:10 Paul desires: … that I may know him and the power Continue Reading →

heaven

Focusing On Your Eternal Destiny

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In the book of Genesis we hear of the tragic beginning of humans. How they lost their union with their Creator and lost harmonious community with fellow humans. But in the New Testament we hear a happy ending. All our prayers, and suffering, and trusting, and sacrifice finally bring us to our eternal destiny. God wins over sin and evil. After death He will give us new bodies and new souls that can receive all He has for us. And his followers will enjoy living with Him forever. This is a key foundation of spiritual theology and spiritual formation. In Revelation we learn that God restores all that was lost in the fall. The Bible begins with a Garden of Paradise that humans must leave because of their sin. But in the end, God cleanses our sin completely and permanently, and restores us to a paradise in a Garden that Continue Reading →

mask false self

Healthy Relationships Through Letting Go Of Your False Self

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Discovering your false self is very important for spiritual growth. God wants to reveal any falseness and destroy your false or ideal self. Your false or ideal self is the “self” you created since childhood in order to avoid being rejected and be accepted by others. It includes all the inauthentic strategies you develop to cope with your world. Some people create a false self that always smiles and cooperates and agrees with everyone. Others create a false self that prefers to oppose and fight others; their false self is the “tough” self. Some create a false self that escapes rejection altogether by hiding behind hobbies or studies or career. There are endless varieties of false self and we all have our own individual version. Letting go of your false self can be a huge challenge. Of course, the result of adopting a false self is that others do not Continue Reading →

conversation missions evangelism

When Our Society Declines: Being Missionaries Everywhere

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It’s not really fair to expect unbelievers to act like believers. We are in this world as lights, not as adversaries to the world. We are to love our enemies as well those who are not our enemies (which I think covers everyone). Most people do not follow Jesus, so we are to be missionaries everywhere. If we change our mindset then we won’t be so discouraged when our culture becomes destructive. Instead of thinking we have a right to live in the kind of place we want, it might help to think of ourselves as missionaries in our community and our world. We are in the minority and we cannot quickly change our culture. As missionaries we need to understand the culture around us. Since there is such a diversity of views wherever we go, our lives are a constant cross-cultural experience. Even talking to our neighbor is sometimes Continue Reading →