The maturing Christian

I found Sunday's sermon raising many issues in my mind about the maturity of the leaders in our church, and I found myself reflecting on my own walk with Jesus over the years and how it's been a growing, stumbling, learning and developing relationship within me.

Keeping up with Sunday teaching

If you did not listen to the sermon please head to www.pvfc.co.za and download it, it should be up today or tomorrow. There is an iTunes podcast and you can add it to your download list and listen to sermons you may have missed. The sermons are available in mp3 format and will play on most mobile phones so you can listen as you travel to work or you can cut the track to CD and listen on your PC, car or home radio. If you need technical advice on how to do this please contact me and I will put you in contact with someone who will help you set it up.

As leaders of the church you need to catch up with what is being taught from up front if you were not able to be at worship for whatever reason. This is especially crucial to those who because of your involvement in KidsChurch are often not able to listen to the sermon. I really do hope that you will download and listen to the sermons for your own growth and discipleship as you follow Jesus.

The maturing Christian

Basically there are 4 kinds of people in the church and here is my appalling picture (I was not given the artistic gene) of these kinds of people.

1. Exploring Jesus people like Jesus and are exploring his claims of divinity and the ability to forgive sin. They've not yet been saved and so are not yes filled with Jesus Spirit.

2. Growing in Jesus people love Jesus and are young in the faith and are learning what it means to follow him.

3. Close to Jesus people follow Jesus closely and pray to him about decisions they make and things they do.

4. Those who are Christ centred have Jesus as the most important relationship in their lives...he is the most important person, more important than even family.

As leaders we need to ask ourselves with honesty and integrity "Where am I?" Those who are Jesus centred have lives that are marked by 5 things, things that are not only EVIDENCE of a committed life but things that PRODUCE a committed life:

1. Spending time reading the Bible

2. Good doctrinal beliefs

3. Practice spiritual disciplines (prayer, reflection, silence, solitude, giving, fasting etc)

4. Serve in the church or community

5. Fellowship and have community with other Christians

I'd expect all the leaders in the church to be 'Close to Jesus' Christians and I'd certainly expect those who are elders and ministry leaders to be Jesus centred. I believe that this is the case and that is a real encouragement to me. But if this is not true for you, please let's meet and talk this through sooner rather than later so that I can support and encourage you to grow in your faith

If you want to grow deeper with Jesus start to implement the 5 things above so that Jesus can stretch you in your faith and dependence on him! This is about Jesus getting glory through your life, witness and ministry.

Developing those under your care

There is a second and very important implication to this: your aim as a leader is to develop those under your care towards Christian maturity. I'd encourage you to push those under your care to grow towards Jesus by getting them to live out these things. Model the behaviour you desire to see in them in your own life so that they would learn from you. You together with the Holy Spirit have the awesome task of being part of God's training team as we Disciple the faithful inside the church to be and to act like Jesus.