Category: Key Growth Posts

heart love

An Exercise For Believing God’s Love For Us

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The foundation idea of our faith is that God loves us and wants to bless us. This conviction is something that expands throughout our lifetime, but it can also fade. This exercise helps us to keep ourselves abiding in God’s love and to highlight any areas where we might doubt his love. Read through this once as a prayer by replacing references to God with “You”. Then start over and read one line at a time without replacing references to God, as a declaration and acceptance of God’s love. After each line take at least 20 seconds for agreeing with and absorbing it. Choose to believe and be guided by it. This exercise should help you determine how much your heart truly believes in God’s love for you. If you notice resistance or lack of agreement as you read through this, then take some time to reflect on why that Continue Reading →

triple power supply

Our Threefold Living Power Supply

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It is extremely helpful to get in the habit of daily checking ourselves to see if we are living from the new self, walking in the Spirit and focusing on Christ. I think this is one of the fundamental practices of a believer and if we pursue this divine threefold living power supply we will discover a transformation. We do not succeed in Christformation by focusing on our effort, but rather by focusing on our threefold power supply. We need to commit to pursuing Christformation, but we actually pursue it by abiding in our threefold power supply. We can also mention the Father’s parenting, though he appears to choose to provide his power through his Spirit and his Son. First, remember to live from your new self, which is created in the image of God. Your new self wants healthy loving relationships and especially a union of love with God. Continue Reading →

4 seasons change guide

How To Produce Change In Your Organization Or Group (Or Personal Life)

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Are you or your organization trying to making some substantial changes? Are you trying to establish new strategies or goals? Do you need to correct some problems. The following list is a collection of wisdom to help you do this. Perhaps you want to improve the ministry you are involved in. Perhaps your congregation is making some major changes to its ministry. If you follow these guidelines you will be much more likely to achieve your new goals. It is surprising how few organizations have effective guidelines for making changes and then suffer because of it. If we are not intentional about guiding change then it usually does not happen. Many congregations are weak or in decline because of this lack of wisdom. These guidelines can also apply to personal changes you want to make! Guide to Achieving New Goals in an Organization (Or Correcting Problems) Pray and choose to Continue Reading →

steps stages of growth

The Biblical Five-Level Maturity Model – Part 3

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This is the third of a series of three posts on the five levels of Christian maturity found in the books of Timothy and Titus. In the first post in this series we discussed the first two levels of novice and deacon. In the second post we looked at elder level maturity. In this post we look at the last two levels: arch-elder and architect. The fourth level of maturity is arch-elder and Paul’s apprentices Timothy and Titus are examples of this level. Paul directed Titus to “appoint elders in every town” (Titus 1:5, NIV) on the island of Crete. Thus, we can say that arch-elder maturity includes the wisdom and discernment to identify godly people to be leaders. This also suggests that they can be entrusted with top responsibilities in multiple congregations, though since we are just looking at maturity level they may not have any formal responsibilities at Continue Reading →

steps stages of growth

The Biblical Five-Level Maturity Model – Part 2

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Last week we began a series on the five levels of Christian maturity found in the books of Timothy and Titus. We discussed the first two levels of novice and deacon. The third level of maturity in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 is elder maturity. The traits of elders in 1 Timothy 3 not already mentioned for deacons are: above reproach (have blameless character), self-controlled, hospitable, able to teach, gentle, not quarrelsome, not a recent convert, and have a good reputation with outsiders. Titus 1:6-9 gives us these additional traits: not overbearing (arrogant), not quick-tempered, loves what is good, upright, holy, disciplined, and able to refute those who oppose sound doctrine. We notice that the traits for elder maturity amount to a higher standard of godliness. This maturity level requires blameless character, self-control, gentleness, love of good and holiness. One at this level may slip occasionally, but they consistently Continue Reading →