Growing as a Christian

Teaching on summer Sunday mornings

A mother was making pancakes one morning for breakfast for her two young sons. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get two pancakes the same size. In a moment of inspiration she seized the opportunity to encourage spiritual growth in her sons and so she asked them, 'Boys, what would Jesus do in this situation?' The older boy turned to his younger brother and said piously, 'Today, you can be Jesus!'

When the elders and teaching team reflected on the Summer Teaching survey, it was evident that Growing as a Christian was a big topic on your hearts, and so we are looking forward to developing that theme over the summer weeks.

What is Christian growth? To grow as a Christian is vital. But how does it happen - do we stumble through it or arrive at it despite ourselves? Is it something God does for us? What is the process? What does it look like? And what (or who) might be involved?

In order to grow as Christians we do things; and God does things. It is not just about our striving (though we certainly have work to do), nor about God's moulding (though doubtless God shapes us for His purpose). The fact is for progress & spiritual maturity, growth depends neither all on us nor is it all of God. In other words, both God works & we work in developing our maturity in Christ.

So over the summer weeks, we will look at scripture passages which direct our minds, and develop our understanding of Spiritual Growth. We might even be surprised to learn how those simple everyday circumstances in life (like the size of a pancake) are every bit as useful in our becoming like Christ as are the larger crises we face.