10 Steps towards Christian Maturity
Ephesians
4:15-15: "Speaking the truth in love let us grow up into
all aspects of Christ." (Eph. 4:15)
THE PROBLEM OF BECOMING MATURE IN MANY ASPECTS
Many cultural, personal, or circumstantial obstacles are
bound to stand in the way of anyone who wants to become
mature in Christ. Yet, without maturity we cannot become all
that God wants us to be. Neither can we know all that the
Lord wants us to understand. Furthermore, we cannot do all
that our heavenly Father wants us to accomplish without
ascending the ladders of Biblical maturity. Once certain
people attain a level of proficiency in areas like teaching,
relationship building, or preaching they assume that they
qualify for being a mature Christian. However, the Bible
commands us to grow up into ALL aspects into Christ. This
holistic approach to maturity is a challenge for everyone
who is serious about realizing his or her maximum potential.
The following steps to maturity are filled with promised
blessings and power. Every person's journey will be unique,
but it will involve the following ten levels. Your
experiences may differ according to your own background or
set of assumptions. Yet, maturity in Christ is the
pre-requisite to accomplishing the whole will of God and
experiencing His maximum power!
TEN STEPS TO CHRISTIAN MATURITY
1. Exposure - When the truth of the scriptures is
revealed to people through teaching, preaching, films,
examples, good works, conversations, healing, answers to
prayers, or any means of communication, people are able to
see the benefits of a mature relationship with Christ.
Difficulties often occur when one is unable to present the
truth in a credible, relevant, or need meeting way. We need
to be open to expose ourselves to all aspects of truth
because all truth is God's truth. A closed mind impedes our
ability to see the entire will of God and the full depth,
breadth, height and length of God's love. Teach people the
advantages of exposing themselves to all facets of truth.
2. Awareness - When people gain a conscious knowledge
of the aspects involved with maturity in Christ they are
able to express it in their own words. However, it often
takes a crisis, a problem, or some kind of adversity to make
people aware of their deepest spiritual needs. Maturity is
often catalyzed when people become aware of their needs for
growth through a felt, perceived or experiential need. Teach
people the benefit of gaining a keen awareness of the many
dimensions of truth.
3. Receptivity - When someone consents to receive
something they are exhibiting an acceptance based upon its
perceived worth. Belief presupposes an appreciation for the
ideals of Jesus Christ and His word. Openness or receptivity
to change assumes a willingness to improve in one's
relationships and ministries. Give people examples of others
who benefited from change through a receptive attitude.
4. Involvement - People seek ministry involvement
when they want to experience something first hand.
Involvement implies the fact that one is willing to invest
time, talents, resources, and energies into something
outside of their own sphere of familiarity. Sharing
experiences with Godly people may be the first step to great
involvement with Christ, His body, and Christian service.
Prove to people from your own life the advantages of being
involved in the following aspects of Christian maturity.
5. Growth - People begin to mature when they want to
experience the benefits of a deeper relationship with Christ
and His will for their lives. Growth implies change that may
not always be pleasant, but is understood to be worthwhile.
A growing Christian is one who is willing to seek to produce
fruit. Give people examples of the rewards for growth in the
following twenty areas of Christian maturity.
6. Developing - Christians who are learning to
utilize their gifts and abilities can be said to have
reached this stage. Sadly, many believers are yet to
identify their gifts and talents. Failure to risk various
types of service often means that people lack discernment in
determining their strengths. Give people an opportunity to
utilize their gifts and discover and develop what unique
gifts God has given them.
7. Discipling - Maturing believers actively take
opportunities to lead, feed, and enable developers to become
disciples. Despite the hardships involved these
disciple-makers are willing to work together on ministry
projects. Through an apprenticeship program disciple-makers
nurture their disciples toward maturity. Guide people
through the processes of disciple-making in your church and
community.
8. Leading - A leader causes others to follow their
example in words, deeds, and ideals. When one helps to
organize others in Bible studies, prayer groups, and house
fellowships they are shepherding a flock toward maturity.
Give people chances to exercise their leadership skills by
supervising them in assigned group responsibilities.
9. Multiplying - It is one thing to lead, but it is
even better to produce mature believers in quantity and
quality. The Lord wants to help us multiply our converts,
disciples, and churches. God is keenly interested in
multiplying His love, righteousness, and truth throughout
all people groups of the world. Multiply your leaders by
sending them to various churches and fields where they can
start new churches, schools, or house fellowships.
10. Christlikeness - The highest level of maturity is
experienced when one becomes like Jesus in attitudes,
perspectives, and actions. Most of the problems of life
could be solved if people became more like the Master. From
Christ come all goodness, power, and truth. It is not what
is on the outside of a person that defiles one, but what
comes from within. We are able to do everything that God
asks us to do through Christ who gives us the strength and
power! Help people see how Christ is producing fruit through
your life in your teaching, preaching, and disciple-making
ministries.
Paul Fritz