I AM A DISCIPLE OF JESUS, HOW DO I KEEP GROWING?

 

I love Jesus and genuinely want my whole life to reflect Him. I’m hungry to keep growing, to help others grow, and to use my gifts in ways that bear fruit for God’s Kingdom, but I also find myself asking: “What is God calling me to next?” “What more can I be doing?” and “How do I serve passionately without burning out?” I’m looking for deeper community, encouragement, and opportunities to live out my faith with greater intentionality.

 
 

- Possible next steps -

    • Our culture often praises the “next new thing” but sometimes consistently maintaining the spiritual practices that got you to this place of maturity in the first place is exactly what you need to be doing.  That doesn’t mean there’s not still room to explore/experiment but guarding the basics (regular time in God’s word, prayer, gathering, and service) will always be necessary for ongoing growth.

    • A ceiling for further growth in many people is they’ve never learned about how they’ve been uniquely gifted by God. A Spiritual Gifts Assessment is a great starting place to begin exploring this + prayer and discussion in community.

    • Alternatively, maybe you already know how you’re uniquely gifted but don’t know where to apply it.  Talk with a pastor/church staff to help connect your unique gifting with opportunities for serving in the church + surrounding community.

    • One of the very best opportunities for further growth in the life of a mature disciple is to begin discipling someone else.  This could look like 1x1 Mentoring of a new disciple, learning to share your faith with others, or joining our in-service prayer team.  Talk with a pastor/church staff if you need help discerning where to start or just dive in where you feel God is leading you.

    • Being a maturing disciple isn’t acquiring more and more knowledge about God and His word alone, it’s about putting that knowledge into practice/living it out in real-time. There are numerous opportunities for serving in our church and, as we engage our community more and more in acts of service, we need committed disciples willing to help make those initiatives happen. Additionally, maybe cross-cultural missions is something God is putting on your heart. Talk with a pastor/church staff/missions team if you need help exploring this calling to join God in His mission.

    • Sometimes people simply don’t know where to begin when it comes to serving, connecting gifting with opportunities, etc. Other times, in our enthusiasm to “be on mission” we can easily over extend ourselves and end up helping no one. Talk with a pastor/church staff if you need further direction in this essential element of ongoing growth.

    • The Christian life was never intended to be lived alone and an essential “tool” for ongoing growth is connecting with others and deepening in Christian community.  This could look like joining a home group, seeking out an older disciple who can help you navigate your current life stage, or even just inviting 2-3 others to meet up once a month to meet over dinner/coffee where you can talk openly/vulnerably about the struggles + wins in your faith.