Growing up

What causes relational conflict? Immaturity. It's easy to measure financial and evangelical growth…but how do you measure spiritual growth?

Most churches are full of people who talk and relate to others in childish ways.

Maturity is relational–not intellectual. Jesus said love God and love others are the two MOST IMPORTANT commands.

A person can attend church all of their life and never mature…they are cranky, rude, irritable…how can some people attend all of their life and not love people?

So, how did Jesus do it?

How did He move people from "come and see" to "come and die"?

We must have a strategy, framework, process to move the believer to act, to do, to be, to think, like Christ.

How do you know when a church/person is mature?  Simple–when something is mature it bears fruit!  Matthew 7:17-20!  John 15:8

Over the next few days I'll post the 8 laws of spiritual growth that Rick Warren covered last week. The first law is…

#1 - Spiritual Growth in Incarnational

Spiritual growth is Christ in you…being a Christian is not trying to be like Christ…it is Christ living through you!  (Galatians 2:20)

The Word must become flesh in you, you cannot transform yourself.

Spiritual growth is both mystical and practical.  I Corinthians 3:6…in spiritual growth we have a part and God has a part!  Philippians 2:12-13

We are to work out our salvation while God works in our salvation!

I work out to strengthen the muscles God has already given me, not to get them.

How is your work out routine going?