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MUNHOLLAND UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH
Disciplescrum:
A Plan for Making Disciples
September 2015
2
Table of Contents Executive Summary .........................................................................................................................3 The Sprints
Defining What a Disciple Is ...........................................................................................................6
The Stages of Faith..........................................................................................................................8
The Catalysts of Faith (Movement between Stages).....................................................................15 Stages of Faith: Grid .....................................................................................................................16 Concluding Thoughts ..................................................................................................................TBA Biblical References for Spiritual Growth and Maturity………………………………...………TBA Bibliography ................................................................................................................................TBA
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Executive Summary Introduction
On November 10, 2013, the Louisiana Annual Conference brought the “Discovering the
Possibilities” (DTP) consultants and process to Munholland to prepare it for the appointment of a
new senior pastor upon the retirement of Gene Finnell. The entire congregation was invited to
participate. Those who gathered examined Munholland’s history, current ministry practices,
resources and facilities. The report made recommendations in 8 areas: worship, hospitality,
discipleship, service, generosity, facilities, communications and leadership. One of the main
recommendations was to create an intentional plan for making disciples. The report read:
“It was the clear consensus of workshop participants that this congregation does not provide any
process for intentional discipleship. The best that was offered is that people are invited to Sunday
School classes. If we are going to fulfill our mission to “Make disciples of Jesus Christ for the
Transformation of the World” it will take some intentionality. This is certainly an area providing
opportunity for growth.”
The report and its recommendations were presented to the Church Council at the December
2013 meeting and then distributed to its members. At the April 2014 Church Council meeting, the
DTP report recommendations, condensed by Munholland’s staff, were presented and discussed at
length. After hearing the report, the Church Council decided “not to wait but go forward
immediately” and it was stated that “the hope was to get all categories launched by the end of the
year.” A unanimous vote was received and the minutes stated, “All in!”
As a result, in the Fall of 2014 AnnaKate Rawles-Trepanier, Janet Davis and Tim Smith
began meeting to discuss a process to create a plan for making disciples. Tim asked Janet to head
this process because of the skills she developed at East Jefferson Hospital. After reading the book,
“Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time,” Tim asked Janet to consider using
the Scrum process for our work in creating an intentional plan for making disciples. Tim,
AnnaKate and Janet mapped out the process and the various issues which would need to be
discussed in creating a comprehensive plan of making disciples from birth to death. The program
staff was gathered and trained in the Scrum process and a Lay Advisory Board was created to
present the finished work of each “Sprint” (short term work assignment addressing one issue in
creating a plan of making disciples) and their feedback and input was sought and incorporated.
Our mission statement for this process, affectionately called “Disciplescrum” is: “To create
a process to nurture spiritual growth for all people, from birth to death, to become mature disciples
of Jesus Christ.” The desire was to help people find a clear pathway to becoming fully devoted
followers of Jesus Christ. These were the Sprints we set in our Disciplescrum process:
1. Pre-Launch to team: Develop the roles of each, training plan, training resources--- time
frame for first sprint
2. Define what a disciple is
3. Define disciple growing community (critical elements we want to prioritize)
4. Define strategies/catalysts for spiritual growth
5. Define strategies to equip families, parents and others to be mentors to children and youth
6. Define metrics for measuring individual and corporate spiritual growth
7. Re-train existing adult Sunday Schools and small groups based on what makes a disciple-
training community
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8. Implementation strategy
9. Pre-Launch
10. Launch
The mission of “Making Disciples for the Transformation of the World” is on the
cover of our bulletin each week. The problem is knowing the path or next steps to becoming
a disciple of Jesus or even how to begin. We believe our mission is to make fully devoted
followers of Jesus Christ but it takes several active participants in the disciple making process:
God, the believer and the local church, Munholland. Two of our challenges were to answer
the questions: “How do people actually grow spiritually?” and “What can Munholland do to
help a person’s spiritual growth, by providing catalysts for spiritual growth and allowing the
Holy Spirit and God’s sanctifying grace to be active in their life?”
God’s grace is central to our faith journey and our spiritual growth and to being a
Methodist. Even before the journey of faith begins, there is Prevenient Grace working in us.
This is God working and moving through the Holy Spirit in a person's life before he/she
accepts Christ as their Savior or even knows there is a God or Savior. Then there is Justifying
Grace which comes upon us when we profess our faith in Jesus and we receive forgiveness
of our sins. “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses
against them”. (2 Corinthians 5:19). And in his letter to the Roman Christians, Paul wrote:
“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us”.
(Romans 5:8) As we begin the journey of faith, Sanctifying Grace enters our lives as the Holy
Spirit works in us to transform and grow us in Jesus. Sanctification is the lifelong process of
growing to be like Jesus, to live for Him and to do His will in every aspect of our life. Paul
writes in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory,
are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the
Lord, who is the Spirit.” Finally, there is Perfecting Grace, which is the goal of sanctification.
Perfection does not mean that we will not make mistakes or have weaknesses. Rather, it is
being made perfect in our love of God and each other and of removing our desire to sin.
So we believe that just as we cannot attain salvation on our own, we cannot realize
spiritual maturity on our own as well. Zechariah 4:6 states this very point: “Not by my might
nor by my power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” As stated above, there are three
parties involved in the journey to spiritual maturity and perfection: the believer, the church
and the Holy Spirit. First, the believer has a role in his or her sanctification or process of
spiritual growth and becoming more like Jesus in thought, word and deed. They must first
say “Yes!” to God and then “Yes!” to the journey of faith each and every day as God works
in them. But they cannot participate in that process if they don’t know what to do and what
the catalysts and practices to implement for the next step in their spiritual journey. And that
is where the role of the local church comes in. We grow together. As the body of Christ, we
need each other in our spiritual growth and journey to bring both encouragement and
accountability. And the church’s role is to design a Disciple making process which the Holy
Spirit will use in concert with the believer and the body of Christ. This is why the body of
Christ is at the heart of God’s plan of salvation, which begins with making disciples and
helping believers become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. The third party is the Holy
Spirit. Our goal is to work in concert with and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. All
three work in concert in the life of believers as sanctifying grace takes ahold of their lives and
they seek to live, think and act like Jesus for the salvation of the world.
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TEAM MEMBERS
Tim Smith, Janet Davis, AnnaKate Rawles-Trepanier, Morgan Clark, Jessika Horner and Jan
Schluter
Lay Advisory Team: George Duerson, Cory Sparks, Sarah Kreutziger
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THE SPRINTS
Sprint #1: Defining What a Disciple Is
More than 2000 years ago, Jesus gave us the command which is at the heart of what it
means to follow him: “Go and make disciples.” It was so foundational to the early church that it
appears in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) as well as The Book of Acts.
But that begs the question, “What is a disciple of Jesus?” If we were to paint a picture of a
disciple of Jesus Christ, what would that look like? In other words, what are the qualities,
characteristics and actions of a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ? That’s easier posed than
answered. If you Google “What is a disciple of Jesus Christ?”, there are 9,360,000 results which
appear. And even more confusing is the fact that most of them don’t agree on a list of qualities,
characteristics and actions of a disciple of Jesus! Another question we wrestled with is, “What
does it mean to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ and a Methodist”? So our goal for
this Sprint was to identify 4-6 qualities, characteristics or actions of a fully devoted follower of
Jesus Christ who is a Methodist. In other words, what is Munholland’s portrait of a disciple? We
call these the “Marks of a Disciple” and they answer the question, “When are we successful in
making disciples?” They will become the benchmark by which we evaluate whether we are
effective in our mission of making disciples.
We started this Sprint with Scripture, reading the four Gospels, the Book of Acts and Paul’s
letters to look for qualities, characteristics and actions of a disciple. We also read chapters from
three books:
“The 11 Genetic Gateways to Spiritual Awakening” by Len Sweet
“The Greatest Story Never Told; Revive Us Again” by Len Sweet
“Being United Methodist: What It Means, Why It Matters” J. Ellsworth Kalas
After reading the assigned Scriptures and the writings of these Methodist authors about
what it means to be a Methodist, we began to identify the following the qualities and
characteristics and actions of a Methodist and follower of Jesus Christ. We called these the
“Marks of a Disciple”:
A disciple:
Celebrates the love of God through regular worship.
Commits to continuous spiritual growth.
Cares passionately for creation and persistently pursues justice.
Compelled to love neighbor through service.
Connects to others through authentic relationships and small groups.
Conveys personal faith journey beyond our doors.
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Sprint #2: Defining the Stages and Catalysts of Spiritual Growth
The past four decades have seen the use of social sciences to study and define the stages
of faith. In his 1981 book, “Stages of Faith” James W. Fowler developed a theory of six stages
that people go through in their faith journey. In 1987, M. Scott Peck authored “The Different
Drum: Community Making and Peace” in which he simplified Fowler’s work and posed that
there were four stages to spiritual growth. Almost 20 years later, Janet Hagberg and Robert
Guelich wrote, “The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith” based on their in depth
research of the spiritual journey. In it, they provide a description of the spiritual journey and its
six stages—our response to our faith in God with the resulting changes that follow. In 2011,
Willow Creek Community Church, one of the largest churches in America and a Teaching
Congregation, published their landmark study, “Move: What 1000 Churches Reveal about
Spiritual Growth.” The research and conclusions were based on surveys of more than 250,000
individual participants. The catalyst which began that journey for Willow Creek was the
realization that their members were plateauing spiritually and leaving their small groups and in
some cases, the church. Their research into this problem led them not only to identify four stages
of spiritual development but also the catalysts which move people forward. In 2012, United
Methodist Pastor James Harnish published, “A Disciples Path: Deepening Your Relationship
with Christ.” In it, he describes the stages of faith from a Wesleyan perspective. In this Sprint,
we read, compared and contrasted the stages of faith as described in the books “Move: What
1000 Churches Reveal about Spiritual Growth” and “A Disciples Path” and “The Critical
Journey.” We chose the stages of faith as described in “The Critical Journey” to be our
foundational understanding of the stages of spiritual growth and to guide us in creating a plan
for making disciples.
Faith Stages: The stages of faith give language to the spiritual journey. The journey of
faith follows a continuum of faith stages, or seasons, which through research over the last four
decades have now become identifiable. It is extremely important to emphasize that God is
equally accessible in all stages of faith; no stage is “bad” or “right”, “better” or “higher.” They
just are. Movement along the continuum is a natural and healthy maturing process. This is a
linear journey from 1 through 6. A person can’t skip over a stage. There are no shortcuts or ways
around a stage. For example, a person can’t go from Stage 1 to 4 or Stage 2 to 5. Each builds on
the other and thus each stage is not only necessary but vitally important to where we are now
spiritually. But once people have gone through a stage, it is possible to go back and revisit certain
stages during different new seasons of life.
The majority of Christians live their entire faith journey in stages 1-3. These stages which
produce workers, regular attenders, tithers, and volunteers who do ministry in the church.
Perhaps one of the most enlightening aspects of the stages of faith is the experience called “The
Wall.” This can be caused by a personal crisis or a crisis of faith where the person begins to
question their faith and everything related to it. At the Wall, everything a person once knew is
somehow gone or just doesn’t bring life. The way we used to experience God just doesn’t seem
to be “working” anymore. At the wall, we have way more questions than answers. Most
everyone hits “The Wall” in their spiritual journey but most try to avert it and revert back to
stage 3 as fast as they can. Far fewer people actually do the hard, painful and courageous work
of going THROUGH The Wall. It is at The Wall when we need good guides, fellow sojourners
who will stay with us and remind us this is a critical stage in our faith journey, to remind us
to listen deeply and not lose hope when all that we once knew feels stripped away. This is where
the church can play a critical role.
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Just as the stages of faith serve as markers for normal and expected emotional, and
intellectual growth, they are helpful in identifying movement toward maturity in faith. John
Engel writes, “Churches can benefit greatly from this clear and practical description of the stages
of Christian life. They can ‘be there’ for people at each stage, and affirm individuals at each step
along the way.” Role of the Church and the Community of Faith:
The opportunity for Munholland is to create a process under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit to nurture spiritual growth for all people. We will do this by providing teaching, training
and opportunities for catalysts to be active in people’s lives to move them forward spiritually.
In looking at how the church can help people grow, the research shows that the programs
and activities most commonly offered in churches address people in stages two and three.
Worship, small groups, and service opportunities are where people come to faith and continue
to grow. Munholland is no exception – providing a strong foundation of weekly worship, small
groups and Sunday School classes, and multiple service opportunities as the primary places for
engaging God and the community. We recognize the need to continue resourcing and
energizing these areas as part of our primary strategy for spiritual growth. At the same time,
we realize the opportunity for the church to address those who are pre-Christians and just
starting the spiritual journey after a profession of faith and in the mature faith stages from the
Wall to Stages four and five. Our plan for making disciples will intentionally address all five
stages of faith as we seek to incorporate catalysts for growth that specifically target believers
along the entire spectrum of spiritual growth.
While the church certainly plays a major role in spiritual growth, we also learned that
maturity in Christ is directly related to an individual’s personal spiritual disciplines,
engagement in mentoring others, and service in meaningful ministry. To continue growing
beyond Stage 3, people need to move from dependence on the church to a growing
interdependent partnership with the church as they grow toward spiritual maturity.
CONCLUSION
Our experience has affirmed the heartfelt desire of our congregation to grow in our love and service for God as we live out Ephesians 4:12-13: “…to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Our vision is to encourage and facilitate a culture of spiritual transformation where people are
invited to journey with Jesus as they are increasingly conformed to the image of Christ for the
sake of others and to experience God’s grace and the Holy Spirit at work in their lives. We
imagine a community where, as Christ followers, we will engage the world as missional
people—loving God, serving others, and drawing attention to where God is on the move.
The Stages of Faith: a Spiritual Continuum
Five Stages of Faith
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As noted above, we are utilizing Janet Hagberg”s and Robert Guelich’s, “The Critical
Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith” as the primary source of understanding the stages of faith.
Although the journey of faith is typically divided into identifiable stages, actual spiritual
growth is a progressive and fluid continuum; it is also a dynamic, individual, and life-long
process. We all start at Stage One, but move back and forth between the stages as we progress.
We may not identify with all the characteristics attributed to a particular stage; and it’s also
possible to see ourselves in more than one stage description at any given time. However, the
Stages of Faith are cumulative and each builds on the others preceding it.
Please note: The reference to stages as “categories” that identify people along a
continuum may create resistance in some. There is no hierarchical “labeling” intended as a
prideful or judgmental critique of us or others. Paul reminds us of this in Romans 12: 3-7,
“ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than
you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has
distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members and these
members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and
each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to
each of us.” Maturity in faith is always accompanied by genuine humility, as we lay down our
lives for others becoming more and more like Christ.
In practice, an important characteristic of maturity is a growing sense of self-sacrifice and
service to others. In addition, the later faith stages are not “right, “better” or “higher.” Nor do
they imply greater value or importance. All stages are necessary and every person, no matter what
stage they are in are valuable in the eyes of God and to the Body of Christ. “Just as a body, though
one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all
baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we
were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of
many….But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that
there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 24-
27
Throughout the journey of faith and each progressive stage, God is equally accessible and
it is the work of the Holy Spirit to move a person along the continuum—though He does invite
us to partner with Him in this process.
Stage 1 – Exploring God
Stage One is a time of discovery, combining curiosity about Jesus with questions about self
and life. It is characterized by a desire to be in community and to know God—mostly by a
growing thirst for meaning and purpose. In this stage, there is a sense of innocence and an attitude
of discovery. The explorer begins to attend worship, seek guidance, pray occasionally, and search
the Bible for answers to “life questions” and begin to find them. They experience greater meaning
in life as they seek God. Engagement in small groups and spiritual conversations play important
roles at this stage. This is new territory and feelings of inadequacy or ignorance about the Bible
are to be expected. However, those same feelings can also be great motivation for continuing the
journey with an attitude of excitement and anticipation. They begin to exhibit a sense of awe that
someone bigger than us truly loves us. Our response is accepting God’s presence in our lives. It
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can begin while one is young, or it can occur later through a religious experience or conversion.
This conversion can be instantaneous or can occur over a long period of time. Regardless of our
age, however, it seems true that most begin the journey in a childlike way. We come to it with an
innocence, a freshness, that is seldom ever again as vivid or vital. Consider the way we feel during
the first stage of a romance or new friendship. Swept away by the experience of the relationship,
we do not look at any of the negative aspects but revel in the experience.
Stage 2 – Growing in Christ: Learning and Belonging
Stage Two is a "a time of learning and belonging.” It is movement toward God and the
Body of Christ. Early believers are growing in their faith through church involvement, and are
also starting to incorporate spiritual practices into their routines. Small groups give a strong sense
of belonging. The spiritual awakening experienced in Stage One develops into a real desire to
learn more about Jesus, understand biblical interpretation, and identify with a church body. It
primarily involves learning in a community setting from spiritual leaders or religious writings. "
Friendship and cg in this stage makes a big difference as you encounter like-minded people.
They are not confident in what they know about God or even how to learn so at this stage, a
guide or mentor is of great help in order to interpret scripture and teach the way of discipleship.
They feel as if they have found THE way. They have answers to turn to and people to support
them in what needs to be done. In this stage, people begin to take seriously the revelation that all
people are broken and in need of a savior. Additionally, they begin to see the connection between
faith and life. Typical behaviors include activities where community is paramount like regular
worship attendance and participation in a small group, ministry team or Sunday School class.
There is also a new willingness to share, participate, and serve. They recognize they have gifts
through their God-given SHAPE (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences),
they begin to use them in ministry and service to others. They discover security and comfort in
their faith and are confident in their faith. They are clearly on the road to deeper understanding
of God, the faith and what it means to be a follower of Jesus, leading them to greater spiritual
growth.
Stage 3 – Partnering with God: The Productive Life
Stage Three is often referred to as the productive life and is a time and involves
consciously serving God through one's spiritual gifts. The truths learned at stage 2 find an outlet
in service at stage 3. It is marked by the desire to make a meaningful contribution. The believer
participates with increasing devotion to a life of serving, intentional giving of finances and
time, sharing of faith, and investing in the lives of others. The key question at this stage is:
“How can I make a difference in the world and bear fruit through my faith and my relationship
with Jesus?” There is a desire to do something with what has been learned or attained. It is
marked by participation in Christian activities like ministries, programs and fellowship events.
This is a time to go deeper, to study and to learn as well as find our own personal ministry.
Spiritual friendships take on new meaning, and effective ministry is energetic and exciting. As
we serve, we feel fulfilled and valued. Devotion to Christ is growing, and personal spiritual
practices like Bible study and prayer begin to be woven into the fabric of the believer’s
everyday life. They are now ready to take responsibility and initiative for their own spiritual
growth. They may take on a specific leadership role or position. Their main concern is to be
faithful to our task and succeed at it by making a difference.
Stage 4 – The Journey Inward/Re-discovering God
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Most of us are so comfortable and self-sufficient in Stage Three that we have no natural
tendency to move at all. In fact, stage 4 does not even look like part of the journey for many at
home in stage 3. It does not appear to be an extension of our faith and growth. Consequently,
we are not drawn in this direction.
“The journey inward” is unique to each person, and may actually occur anywhere along
the faith continuum. It is the start of "a deep and very personal inward journey" that "almost
always comes as an unsettling experience yet results in healing for those who continue through
it.” It is usually triggered by a significant loss or change (e.g., a crisis of faith or significant
change in life circumstances through a death, a moral failure, a loss of job, etc). This is a very
personal and unsettling season and is not predictable. Unfortunately, it is often unavoidable. It
is a season of questioning, doubt, uncertainty, and introspection. For the first time, faith doesn‘t
seem to answer life’s difficult questions or give comfort in discouraging circumstance. “The
Critical Journey” describes this realization: “We feel remote, immobilized, unsuccessful, hurt,
ashamed, or reprehensible. Neither our faith nor God provides what we need to sooth us, heal
us, answer our prayers, fulfill our wishes, change our circumstances, or solve our problems. Our
formula of faith, whatever that may have been, does not work anymore, or so it appears.” (p.
94). In this stage, our former views of God are radically challenged. The disruption can be so
great that we feel like we are losing our faith or betraying loyalties. It's a mode of questioning,
exploring, falling apart, doubting, dancing around the real issues, sinking in uncertainty, and
indulging in self-centeredness. In this stage, they can often look hopeless to those around us.
The end of stage 4 involves an experience of "the Wall" - "a face-to-face experience with
God and with our own will." (93) It is impossible to go over, around, or under the Wall. They
can only go through it. "The Wall experience is the place where... psychology and spirituality
converge. Up to this point, one can be religious, spiritual, or fruitful and not be healed
psychologically, or vice versa" At the Wall, we become "aware of all the lies we have accepted
about ourselves" (121). We are forced to "face the truth" about ourselves and acknowledge our
real selves in order to move forward. "The Wall invites us to integrate our spiritual selves with
the rest of us. And that involves facing our own and others' demons. We must face that which
we fear the most, and that is why it is so distasteful, and why so many people only enter the Wall
under duress.” Only through self-acceptance and surrender to God's will and grace can one go
"through" the Wall to deeper levels of spiritual growth and relationship to Jesus Christ. "The
power behind the transformation at the Wall is this: learn to embrace your whole story with
loving, forgiving detachment." (234) We must accept ourselves with all our wounds and
imperfections. We must experience God's love and acceptance of us as we are, in all our
weakness and humanness. And then we must fully and completely surrender to God's will and
grace, even though we remain in the dark.
An inherent danger in this stage is the potential to lose direction. If wounds are too
painful and they are unable to grow through suffering and disappointment, they may revert to
a more comfortable, less threatening stage. However, God’s power and grace can redeem these
crises, and turn them into opportunities for redemption and transformation. This is the most
pivotal transition that exists on the spiritual continuum. If people can work their way through
the Wall, they will emerge from it discovering an entirely new level of intimacy with God. It
will remind them that spiritual growth and wholeness are once again possible but it will be a
different image, understanding, and experience of God than what they knew before. As a
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result, their attitudes, beliefs, and practices are internally motivated and they become more
inclusive and gracious—as opposed to critical, bitter, and judgmental of others.
Stage 5 – Surrendering to God and the Journey Outward
In Stage Five, full surrender to God is reflected in a life of devotion, obedience, and
gratitude. At this stage, "we surrender to God's will to fully direct our lives, but with our eyes
wide open, aware but unafraid of the consequences" With newfound inward resources, we
"venture outside our self-interests to others" (133) “This stage represents not our work, our
calling, our life—but the life we live in God.” (“The Critical Journey” p. 182) We are aware of
our weakness, our sins and how we have been lying to ourselves but we are also aware of God’s
love and forgiveness. Those at this stage of faith have a new and profound awareness of God’s
constant presence. They experience prayer as a continual conversation with God. As agents of
peace and justice, they exhibit a demeanor of deep calm and compassion while mentoring others,
giving generously, and serving selflessly. They have a great tolerance for people and are willing
and able to love all. Frequently, they appear to others to be impractical and out of touch with
reality. The way the world functions around us, people who are other directed, whole, selfless,
and called by God are counterculture. When they love people despite their having failed
miserably in our society for whatever reason, they are called and perceived by others to be naïve.
When they stay with the grieving, they are considered caretakers; when they give money away,
they are considered poor managers; when they yield, they are considered noncompetitive; when
they let go, they are considered weak. They just do not fit with the realistic expectations of a
world that is out to be productive and to win. They appear to be “outside even the construct and
practice of the Christian faith. Even the productive Christians at earlier stages in the journey
think those at stage 5 have lost their edge They are immersed in spiritual disciplines, willing to
sacrifice every worldly pleasure for communion with Christ and thus may not be as active in
the life of the church as they once were. Their lives are characterized by love, genuine humility,
and for them, death holds no fear.
They exhibit total obedience to God even unto death, have little ambition to be well-
known, rich, successful, noteworthy or goal-oriented. They are genuinely humble and able to
talk about their lives and purpose in simple terms. They are needless of material possessions and
people to fill their needs. They feel free from encumbrances and travel light, as Jesus encouraged
the disciples to do when he sent them out two by two. They choose to do anything God asks, no
matter what it is. They delight in doing the menial. They disregard their own needs and place
themselves second. In other words, they completely and utterly trust God and surrender to do
His will, no matter what, even at great sacrifice and sometime personal danger.
Spiritually Stalled
When people become “spiritually stalled,” t h e y a r e n o l o n g e r g r o w i n g o r
m o v i n g a l o n g t h e s p i r i t u a l c o n t i n u u m . They may decide to quit the journey of faith
or the church altogether. If their Christian walk is not deeply rooted in spiritual practices, they
may feel “rudderless” and consequently, dissatisfied with their spiritual life. They may become
dissatisfied with the role of the church in their spiritual growth and become highly critical of the
church.
Who are the stalled? The stalled segment tends to be found in the first three stages of faith,
if spiritual growth is not a priority. Busy schedules or reluctance to change may be at the root of
their priorities. Often, it is a simple refusal to submit to God‘s claim on their life, as the call to
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obedience is not always well received. Additionally, the initial excitement felt during the
awakening of faith is typically not sustainable, which often leads to disillusionment with the
spiritual growth process. Shallow spiritual roots have a withering effect on faith. Research
indicates that an overwhelming majority become un-stalled in their faith by re-engaging in
personal spiritual practices.
In the early stages of faith, it is also possible to get stuck in a feeling of ignorance. This is
often a frustration at their own lack of understanding of God’s nature and character and of His
Word; and so, they begin to feel isolated in that ignorance. Unfortunately, a stalled person may
even view a strong church community as a place with an attitude of exclusivity, fueling their own
judgment and pride. In these circumstances, pastors, spiritual mentors, and small group leaders
can play a critical role by dispelling these negative perceptions and rerouting the believer’s
spiritual path. Additionally, as people become more involved in church life, over-commitment
can easily lead to burnout. If people aren’t aware of their strengths or God’s work in their lives,
they are most likely out of touch with their own limitations and weaknesses as well. This can lead
to becoming enamored with influence or title, or become defensive when challenged to change.
The Dissatisfied
Dissatisfaction with the church compromises and frustrates the potential for spiritual
development. Many dissatisfied people see the church as an obstacle, not an aid, to their spiritual
development, and therefore, blame the church for their failure to thrive. While the stalled
generally fall in the earlier faith stages, the dissatisfied are evenly distributed across all stages.
“Move” research from Willow Creek indicates that the church has a great opportunity to
increase its influence with those most devoted to Christ, who have become dissatisfied. Personal
spiritual practices are foundational at all stages of faith, but increase in importance as faith
develops—becoming the primary catalyst for growth in later stages. The role of the church is
critical in the early stages of faith as it provides teaching in the essential tenets of the Christian
faith and draws people into a sense of connection and belonging in the faith community.
However, in later faith stages, the church transitions from “spiritual parent” to “spiritual coach.”
This is challenging but exciting news for the church, whose vision is to launch and send people
to participate in what God is doing in the world.
The best way to describe these segments is with a quote from the study “Reveal: Where Are
You”: “At the heart of their unhappiness may be the fact that neither segment—stalled or
dissatisfied—seems to realize that much of the responsibility for their spiritual growth belongs to
them.” (p. 64)
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The Catalysts of Spiritual Growth in Each Stage
Catalysts for Growth:
A catalyst can be defined as something that causes or facilitates change and forward movement
on the spiritual journey. The research into the faith journey has also identified catalysts that help
to advance spiritual movement and growth in individuals. There are five primary categories of
spiritual catalysts: spiritual beliefs and attitudes, spiritual disciplines, organized church activities,
and spiritual activities with others that occur mainly outside the church. The first four are
intentional catalysts. But there is a fifth category of spiritual catalysts which is an unintentional
catalyst like a crisis or a life transition. Unintentional catalysts are life experiences over which we
have little control: a change of personal, financial, or relational circumstances; a more serious
personal crisis, such as a health issue or loss of a loved one; and other psychological stressors. All
have the potential to be powerful catalysts for growth. Catalysts are all present at each stage of
faith; however they do change in level of influence. The spiritual practices of spending time in
the Bible and reflecting on Scripture are the most significant of the spiritual practices at all stages.
This is not surprising since God, as the author of spiritual formation and transformation,
communicates with us through His Word. The Bible is the Living Word of God. As we
intentionally increase our listening to God and each other through His Word, change will
inevitably occur.
Stage 1 – “Exploring God” Catalysts
Membership Class
Introductory small group experience – Alpha or Rooted
Introduction to the Bible
Stage 2 – “Growing in Christ: Learning and Belonging” Catalysts
Small Group of Sunday School class
Foundational Beliefs
S.H.A.P.E.
Stage 3 – “Partnering with God: The Productive Life” Catalysts
Disciple Bible Study
Training in in spiritual disciplines
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Training for sharing their faith
Accountability in their faith and spiritual journey
Stage 4 – “The Journey Inward/Re-discovering God” Catalysts
Stage 5 – “Surrendering to God and the Journey Outward” Catalysts
Contemplative Worship
Retreats
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Catalysts for Growth/Movement between Stages Movement between the stages of faith
A catalyst is defined as something that causes change to happen and provides an impetus
for movement. Spiritual catalysts fall into five major categories (in no particular order):
Personal spiritual practices
Organized church activities
Spiritual beliefs and attitudes
Spiritual activities with others (many of which happen outside the church)
Crises/life transitions
In order to move from one stage to another, these catalysts need to be engaged. However,
moving from one stage to another frequently causes confusion and challenge. Often there is a
period of disorientation and uncertainty followed later by a time reorientation to the new stage.
Although the spiritual growth process is entirely individual, each of the catalysts is
important at all stages of faith but with varying degrees of influence. For example, what one
person finds catalytic in stage 1, another person may find catalytic in stage 3. However,
reflection on scripture, both personal and communal, remains the most powerful catalyst of all
spiritual practices. In general, the church and organized church activities are more significant in
the early and middle stages of faith; and personal spiritual practices and mentoring others
become more significant for those in the later stages of faith, as they move from a dependence on
the church toward partnership with the church.
Another significant catalyst for growth are those unintentional life experiences over
which we have little control: a change of personal, financial, or relational circumstances; serious
personal crisis, such as a health issue or loss of a loved one; and other psychological stressors.
All have the potential to be either powerful catalysts for spiritual growth or barriers to faith.
The following synopses of the movements between stages describe the catalysts that are
generally most significant at each stage, and the changes needed for growth and movement. Movement from Stage 1 (Exploring God) to Stage 2 (Growing in Christ)
In order to stimulate movement from stage 1 to stage 2, the acceptance of certain core
beliefs of the Christian faith is essential. The most catalytic of these is the belief in salvation by
grace: the idea that there is nothing anyone can do to earn salvation, and at the same time,
nothing that can disqualify that guarantee. This involves accepting God‘s invitation of
unconditional love and forgiveness, and acknowledging that God knows and loves us for who we
actually are. Additionally, acceptance that the God of the bible is the one, true God existing in
the form of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is extremely catalytic. During this
movement, attitudes also change: God becomes more personal, accompanied by the belief that he
is actively involved in one‘s life. There is a desire to put Jesus at the forefront of life, and to look
to the bible for guidance, believing that it has the authority to direct one‘s thoughts and actions.
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The church community and organized church activities play an important role at this
stage of movement as well. There is a desire to belong, and a need to accept the caring of the
community of faith. There is also an increasing desire to contribute to this community. Different
people will find different activities catalytic, but these three seem to hold the most significance:
(1) serving in a church ministry, (2) regular attendance at weekend services, and (3) participation
in a small group. Another stimulant for spiritual growth is the formation of spiritual friendships
outside organized church activates. These provide opportunities to meet with and talk to close
friends, as well as the challenge of accountability.
Of the personal spiritual practices, spending time in the bible and reflecting on scripture
provide the greatest stimulus for growth at this (and all stages) of growth. Reflecting on scripture
implies a contemplative process, one of thoughtful and careful deliberation that looks for
personal application. At this one is asking the question: ―How does this apply to my life, my
actions, and my decisions on a daily basis?ǁ At this time in a person‘s faith, there is often also a
desire to seek guidance, confess sins, and gain forgiveness through prayer. Movement from Stage 2 (Growing in Christ) to Stage 3 (Partnering with God)
Moving from stage 2 to stage 3 involves a continued acceptance in the core beliefs of the
Christian faith, but with some change in emphasis. Belief in a personal God who is actively
involved in one‘s life is the strongest catalyst, but in addition to that, there is an
acknowledgement that a person‘s identity is found in Christ. This involves accepting that one‘s
value is as a unique creation of God and that each person exists to know, love, and serve him.
There is also an increasing desire to move from simple participation to active contribution in the
life of the faith community.
For movement to occur, a person must believe that they can make a worthwhile
contribution, and that their contributions (however large or small) are as valuable as others. At
this stage, believers need to be prepared to explore, take risks using their gifts, and deal with the
fear of possible rejection or failure.
The church can provide strong catalysts for movement by offering opportunities for
individuals to identify their SHAPE (Spiritual gifts Heart Abilities Personality Experiences), and
ministries in which people can serve meaningfully and purposefully. Serving outside the church
can also become a catalyst for movement. Additionally, research indicates that participation in
bible study and small groups is a significant catalyst as well.
As with all movements, reflection on scripture remains the strongest catalyst of the
spiritual practices. Additionally, at this time, there is an increasing emphasis on prayer to help
with decisions and direction. Also, a commitment to tithing reflects the desire to contribute to the
faith community and to serve God. Solitude, the practice of setting aside time to listen to God,
becomes a significant catalyst—as does a willingness to share one‘s faith with other individuals.
Meeting with close personal friends is more intentionally focused on spiritual growth and
accountability, and seeking a spiritual mentor or confidante can begin to facilitate change.
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Movement from Stage 3 (Partnering with God) to Stage 4 (The Journey
Inward/Rediscovering God)
This movement may be considered to occur in two stages: (1) from stage 3 through the
Journey Inward and (2) through the Journey Inward to stage 4.
In stage 3, faith is passionate and certain; there is a certain level of satisfaction, success,
comfort, and even self-sufficiency. A major catalyst for the initial movement from Stage 3 to 4 is
often provided by an outside event: a personal or spiritual crisis or a change in circumstances.
Movement in this stage is not necessarily something a person would naturally desire, but is
necessary in order to move into a deeper relationship with God. Movement is propelled by a
desire for greater meaning, and for an understanding of God‘s purpose in the midst of confusion
and disorientation. These changes compel people to know themselves and God more intimately.
Initially, catalysts require a change of attitude and an increasing commitment to allow
God to take charge. People must be willing to surrender everything that is important to them.
This may involve relinquishing some of the confidence, productivity, and success that
accompanies stage 3, in order to become more open and available to God. A believer must
become more vulnerable, willing to accept the uncertainty of this movement and the
accompanying sense of loss. At this juncture in the continuum, nothing seems as straightforward
as it once did. Our understanding of God expands as we recognize he is greater, more powerful
and loving than we could ever imagine. We realize we have a place in God‘s story rather than
God having a part in our story.
Emergence from this inward journey of doubts, questions, and uncertainty requires a new
and profound willingness to trust God with the future. The organized church is often ill-equipped
to provide assistance at this stage, meeting with a spiritual director, mentor or confidant may be
necessary. Often people don‘t get through the second phase of this double move, since the
process is so arduous and painful. Yet, in submitting to God in this way we discover our true
purpose is to know, love, and serve Christ in all circumstances. Movement from Stage 4 (The Journey Inward/Rediscovering God) Stage 5
(Surrendering to God)
This movement is an extremely difficult one to describe, as it is by far the most pivotal
along the continuum. Most people do not go beyond Stage 4, making the task of describing the
transition even more challenging. However, it is during this movement that a spike in spiritual
growth is imminent. At this time, people yield to God at a much deeper level, becoming deeply
confident in God‘s ability and promise to totally care for them.
Generally, catalysts for growth in this movement are self-motivated, and involve strong
beliefs and attitudes. In an attitude of full surrender, people at this movement receive God‘s
unconditional love and forgiveness, and experience a renewed sense of God‘s acceptance of their
humanness. They release their ego and will, relinquishing any sense of inadequacy, and
authentically allow God to take over. People feel compelled to live differently, accepting God‘s
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purpose for their lives and obeying His call. As a result of increasing intimacy with God, they are
aware of and attentive to God‘s presence at all times.
Personal spiritual mentors and directors can be powerful catalytic resources—as well as
the personal spiritual practice of mentoring others at earlier stages of faith—while church
programming becomes less of a factor in their spiritual journey. Serving others is a natural
outgrowth from the attitudes that catalyze this movement, and is in itself, a catalytic force. And,
as always, frequent reflection on scripture continues to be a strong catalyst for growth.
Concluding Thoughts
As we stated at the outset of this report, spiritual growth is a life-long and individual
process. What one person finds catalytic in Stage 4, another may find catalytic in Stage 2 (or vice
versa, or not at all). What we‘ve hoped to provide in this report is a basic overview of the life of
faith, and how as an organized institution, what the church can do to help, aid, and encourage the
work that God is already doing.
Similarly, we want to make it abundantly clear that no stage of faith is better than
another. God is equally accessible and near at each stage. It is sometimes hard to understand this
concept in light of our very goal-oriented and performance-driven world. The reality is, a person
can live their entire life—and live a life of strong and genuine faith—and not move beyond stage
3. God is still present to them, at work in them, and moving them toward an increasing intimacy
with them. They do not need to be at stage 5 to experience life with God. It is our desire to make
people aware of this spiritual growth continuum, in hopes that we all might find freedom and
increased awareness in the knowledge of this material. It‘s also our hope that this knowledge
may help those who are feeling stalled and dissatisfied in their faith. We would love for this
work to help unlock their spiritual lives with a new season of growth and discovery about who
they are and who God is.
Our greatest desire is that our church be a place where spiritual growth and
transformation is happening at all stages of faith. As we journey with Jesus, we hope our
congregation can be a witness of God‘s love, faithfulness, and hope to one another, in our
families, our cities, and throughout our world. As we become more and more like Christ, we
believe that God‘s kingdom work is being done; by conforming to His image and embracing
the people that God has created us to be, we are doing our part as we partner with Christ in the
reconciliation and redemption of all things.
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Biblical References Addressing Spiritual Growth
“Spiritual formation is a process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others.” M. Robert Mulholland, Invitation to a Journey
“S p iritual f ormation is a p rocess…”
The Christian journey is an intentional, continual commitment to a lifelong process of
growth toward wholeness in Christ.
―Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it.ǁ (1 Cor 3:1-2)
―When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.ǁ (1 Corinthians 13:11-12)
―Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here
and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their
deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into
him who is the head, that is, Christ.ǁ (Ephesians 4:14-15)
“Spiritual formation is a process of b ein g con f or med to the i mag e of Christ…”
We are becoming like Christ, who is the image of the invisible God. Transformation into
the image of Christ is not achieved by our effort or attempts, but is a gift that emerges as
we surrender our lives to God. Our behavior, attitudes, and desires reflect more and more
those of Christ, as characterized both by what we are becoming and what we leave behind.
―And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord‘s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.ǁ (2 Corinthians 3:18)
―I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself
for me.ǁ (Gal 2:20)
―But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spiritǁ (Galatians 5:22-25)
That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were
taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard
to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its
deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new
self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph 4:20-24)
―I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the
circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I
have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or
hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.ǁ (Philippians 4:11-12)
―Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and
have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its
Creator.ǁ (Colossians 3:9-10)
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“Spiritual formation is a process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of
oth ers.” Our spiritual journey, while it is unique to each individual, is dependent on
participation in community. Spiritual growth is characterized by an increasing journey
toward wholeness in Christ and an increasing love for others. Our relationships with others
are not only the testing grounds of our spiritual life but also the places where our growth
toward wholeness in Christ happens.
―Jesus replied: ‗Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.‘ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‗Love your neighbor as yourself.‘ǁ (Matt 22: 37-39)
―A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love
one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one
another.ǁ (John 13: 34-35)
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is
with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether
Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so
the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12-14)
―So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.ǁ (Eph 4:11-13)
―We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your
faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is
increasing.ǁ (2 Thessalonians 1:3)
The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters
* also. (1John 4:21)
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Recommendations and Suggestions for Implementation
As a beginning point, the Discipleship team created the following, realizing that as this
information is understood; there will be many more ways of incorporating the concepts in our
life together. Below is a list of ―first thoughtsǁ on what might be helpful in jumpstarting the
process.
1. The Discipleship Team will present their findings to leadership including staff, session,
deacons, small group leaders and other ministry leaders. We will create a written report
available on the website to provide a clear understanding of the spiritual pathway, stages,
and catalysts. The team will also be available to answer questions on the material.
2. We recommend ministry leaders evaluate their current and planned ministries with the
intention of incorporating catalysts that will stimulate spiritual growth. By looking at
existing programming with a filter of faith stages, leadership will be able to discern
where potential gaps are and how best to address them.
3. We recommend leadership continue to utilize the weekly message and sermon-based
small group questions to incorporate teaching on opportunities for spiritual growth and
development, challenging members to engage with their faith as a journey rather than a
destination. As spiritual formation is more fully understood and embraced by all
ministries, we anticipate our current culture of spiritual growth will deepen and expand.
4. Research has indicated that the church is strongest at addressing the needs of those in
middle stages of faith and that reaching people at earlier and later stages is a greater
challenge. We therefore suggest leadership explore the potential for growth in these
particular groups and what the church might do to help. For early believers this might
include incorporating a more intentional focus on the tenets of our faith (Alpha), and
emphasizing the significance of the membership commitment. For more mature believers
this might include expanding our understanding of mentoring relationships (including
those that already exist) and providing resources for growth within and beyond church
programming (seminary courses, spiritual retreats).
5. Our research indicates that a crisis or major change in life circumstance can be a
significant catalyst for spiritual growth. We suggest leadership explore ways our
ministries of care can go beyond extending support and comfort, in order to intentionally
help people experience life transitions as opportunities for spiritual growth and
transformation.
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