Essential Ingredients for Spiritual Growth

The most concise definition for spiritual growth I have ever heard comes from Dr. Howard Hendricks, professor at Dallas Seminary. His definition is simple, complete, and free from any "get-spiritually-rich-quick" gimmicks that promise instant spiritual maturity but leave believers frustrated, disillusioned and derailed.

It goes like this: God’s Word + Obedience + Time = Spiritual Maturity

1.	The Word - Every believer needs the regular input from God’s Word. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Ro. 10:17).
2.	Obedience/Faith - The believer must respond in obedience (i.e., faith) to the Word of God for his faith to grow. ...the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it (Heb. 4:2). Without faith, it is impossible to please God... (Heb. 11:6).
3.	Time - God expects believers to make steady spiritual progress in their relationship with Him, leading to a time when they teach others (making disciples). For though by this time you ought to be teachers... (Heb. 5:12).

The Biblical Stages of Spiritual Development

Many Christians attend church regularly, but they never make real spiritual progress in their lives. They don’t realize God has a detailed spiritual development plan for them to follow. By lacking knowledge of God’s plan for spiritual development, they are unable to measure their spiritual progress. Conversely, knowing God’s plan to spiritual maturity will provide believers with direction, motivation, and a means of evaluating their spiritual development.

If you are a pastor or someone who is discipling another individual, it is helpful to know these three stages and communicate them to those you are discipling.

1.	The Infant or Child Stage - This is the beginning stage for all believers. In the infant stage, believers need...
	a. To be reassured of God’s forgiveness. The Holy Spirit gives them assurance (Ro. 8:16), but God’s people need to reassure new believers of God’s forgiveness. The Apostle John wrote, I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven (1 Jn. 2:12). b. To develop an appetite for God’s Word. The Apostle Peter said, As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby (1 Pet. 2:2). c. To know that God expects them to move beyond this stage of spiritual development. The Apostle Paul said, And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ (1 Cor. 3:1). (Note: This exhortation to the Corinthians, a rebuke for their continuing spiritual immaturity, indicates that their Christian lives were indistinguishable from non-believers - a discouraging situation found among many believers and churches today.)
2.	The Adolescent Stage - In the adolescent or intermediate stage of spiritual growth, the believer has matured to the point where he gains consistent victory over the sinful habits that plagued him prior to salvation and during his infant Christian life. He understands God’s promises for victory over sin, claims them as his own, and trusts God and His Word. He has learned to rely on the Holy Spirit to give him victory in the Christian life. The Apostle John wote, I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one (1 Jn. 2:14).
3.	The Father Stage - The ultimate stage or level of spiritual development is not reached by many believers. The Apostle John wrote, I write to you, fathers, because you have know Him who is from the beginning (1 Jn. 2:13). In the father stage, the believer moves from knowing about God to knowing God intimately. There is a big difference between knowing the Word of God and knowing the God of the Word. Job said, I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You (Job 42:5).

Where are you (and those you work with) in God's spiritual development plan? Is your Christian life indistinguishable from the world (i.e., infancy) or are you gaining spiritual victory through the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit? Are we striving to really know God intimately? Good questions for both disciples and disciplers.