Sanctificationin the Church

Suggestions for Ecclesial Spiritual Formation

What Willow Discovered

The Looming Questions

Are church ministries supposed to help people grow in their faith?

If so, do they do what we hope they will do?

Which ones help us the most to love God and to love others?

Do all “do the job” equally?

Where are we getting distracted?

SHORTCUT

(1) From New Believer to Mature Believer

continuums of growth

(2) Five “Church-Growth” Principles

or, how you help the church help you grow

From New Believerto Mature Believer

1.Unbeliever

2.Infant Believer (Spiritual)

3.Mature Believer

4.carnal believer

From New to Mature: Greenhouse Principle

A church cannot make a person grow spiritually (cf 1 Corinthians 3.6-7)

A church can provide the best environment that it can for growth

Like growing plants in a greenhouse

From New to Mature: Early Church

cf. Hippolytus, The Apostolic Tradition

1. Seeker

2. Hearer

3. Kneeler

4. FaithfulThree-year process!

From New to Mature: Saddleback

Life Development Process:

1st Base: Knowing Christ (Membership)

2nd Base: Growing in Christ (Maturity)

3rd Base: Serving Christ (Ministry)

Home Plate: Sharing Christ (Missions)

Keep running the bases …

From New to Mature: Willow

REVEAL: The Spiritual Continuum

1. Exploring Christ

2. Growing in Christ

3. Close to Christ

4. Christ-Centered

Non-negotiable first steps

From New to Mature: Grace?

1. View of Membership?

2. View of Discipleship?

Q. Can we measure the heart? Are “continuums” OK to have?

Q. Can a church rightly demand “first steps” of members? More requirements than Jesus?

Healthy Spirituality

CATECHISM TRAINING

welcome new believers

establish faith of the weak

build a self-sharpening community

introduce self-sustaining, healthy spirituality

Strong Maturity

PRACTICE over TIMEcf. Heb 5.14–6.1

cf. Eph. 4.13-16

What Typical Churches “Provide”

Worship

Instruction

Fellowship

Evangelism

Service

“Church-Growth” Ideasgrowing spiritually at church

1. Attentiveness to the will of God

2. Receptivity to the work of God

3. Remembrance of God and His works

4. Conformity to the image of Christ

5. Expression in all areas of life

(1) Attentiveness

From worldliness …

… to awareness …

… to intention.

(2) Receptivity

Optimistic Brokenness (Wilhoit)

Longing, Perpetual Discontent (Mangis)

Intercessory Prayer – offered and asked for

(3) Remembrance

Keeping the Gospelthe Main Thing!

Jude 3 – Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints

2Thess 2.15 – Stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us

(3) Remembrance

Teach those who don’t know (Rom 10)

Remind those who do (2Tim 2)

Importance of personal Bible study (cf. REVEAL)

Before personal Bibles: storytelling, art, music

(4) ConformitySpirituality

Maturitycf also old man & new man

cast off lordship of flesh, world, and devil: death to sin

call to obey, conform to image of Christ: life in Christ

(5) Expression

“Real World Christianity”

active, not contemplative

family, workplace, government, social scene … and church, too!

Christianity for seven days, not just one

Supreme in faith, hope, and LOVE

(1) Attentivenessin Church

Worldliness: Show Fish Water

Awareness: Bite-Sized Disciplines

Intention: “One-Thing” Groups

purpose and result: Renovation of the Church, 127-128

Discuss: Evangelicals & Lent

(2) Receptivityin Church

Cultivating Brokenness and Discontent

confession: acknowledging our need

worship: longing for His presence

sacraments: accepting His grace

prayer: seeking His hand

(3) Remembrancein Church

How do we keep the Gospel at the forefront of our ministry?

Turning to His Word!

Singing important truths

Q. Does a literate society need Christian art?

Special Events & Practices

Testimonies of God’s work past and present

(4) Conformity in Church

Q. Where do you see this currently at Grace?

A1. Baptism

A2. Where else?

Easy to lose without attentiveness

(4) Conformity in Church

Confession and Assurance –death & new life

Teaching – also about us and our response

Baptism, Lord’s Supper –what we accept

Spiritual Formation –seeking spirituality, maturity

(5) Expressionin the Church

Usually considered missions and evangelism, “sharing the gospel”

Q. Which comes first: sharing the gospel or living the gospel?

Hard Answer: Matt. 23.1-3

Not Being Ned Flanders

Be the Church Outside the Church

SUMMARY

(1) From New Believer to Mature Believer

Spirituality (incl. catechism, training)

Learning the path in which to walk

+ Maturity (incl. practice over time)

Practicing the faith,deepening roots over time

SUMMARY

(2) Five “Church-Growth” Principles

Attentiveness to the will of God

Receptivity to the work of God

Remembrance of God and His works

Conformity to the image of Christ

Expression in all areas of life

To Download Slidesfrom the past 3 weeks

Go to http://kitbogan.wordpress.com/communication/

Scroll to the bottom and click the links

Or email writetokitbogan@gmail.com

Or ask John Deal for a printed copy