Was at the churchplanters.com conference this past Monday and Tuesday… here are some notes from the session led and taught by Ed Stetzer….he spoke on progressive sanctification…. don't know what that is? Google it!
Here is a quote I have been considering and pondering the last few days… it has been found that economy growth and church growth are counter-cyclical…so do we pray for economy or spiritual renewal??? WOW!
when it comes to spiritual growth…”elementary” is danger not a goal…maturity is goal…Heb 6:1.
Goal is life-transformation not a simple series of steps…
the goal is not church planting…disciple making is…
re-thinking discipleship begins with me continually growing as a disciple…
not growing spiritually will wash me out of ministry and kill church plant…can’t lead people where I have not been…
recognize getting busy working at the expense of knowing God….
find ways to go deep and help people far from God join in…not being seeker sensitive
need a strategy, workout plan to grow… pathway to spiritual maturity
Heb 5: 11, 12… desciption of many in American church…
teach people to know Jesus…move from decisions to disciples… measure discipleship in church…with same enthusiasm as counting numbers…
God wants you and your church on a clear path to spiritual growth…. if I have a strategy for everything else but this, I have missed the point…. Col 1:9 – 10 ….go from knowing to being to doing….
transformation begins with exposure to the truth… the WORD…and Jesus…need a strategy and plan (like the baseball diamond) or some thing similar
God involves us in our and our church’s spiritual growth… 1 Cor. 3:6,7.. most of us do not really believe this…
God will build church not us…Phil 2:12, 13…God builds even our spiritual growth…He is source and power for our working out salvation…we need to live this out….our whole life…
do I know and love Jesus more deeply today than I did yesterday?
God calls you and your church to be spiritual learners…1 Tim 4: 16….don’t lead through hypocrisy but through the Holy Spirit…
I am not the hero in my sermons…Jesus is!!! Am I a great leader or a Godly pastor??
followers of Jesus need to look like Jesus!!
biggest factor in growing in spiritual maturity is personally being in word of God…me and the people at church!!
jesus is head of this church…
Acts 17:11
do we welcome the message with eagerness and then examine scriptures daily?
true gospel changes people so that we can change the world…
I may not have all the money or resources I want but JESUS is enough!!
Discipleship is inexpensive compared to some of the other “things needed” in church ministry.
