If You Want Spiritual Maturity, then Start a Spiritual Community!
Take a look through the Christianity section of any bookstore, look at conferences and organizations like Renovare and Promise Keepers; books, Bibles, podcasts, and so much more – it seems that in the last decade the shift in the Christian West has moved unarguably toward “maturity in Christ.” Col 1:28 Following Jesus is no longer (truly, was it ever?) just about “fire insurance” – playing nice enough in the “sandbox of life” that you are given the green light to enter heaven when you die. No, discipleship was never that transactional in Jesus’ eyes.
The pathway to maturity is a “Way” that ends in intimacy and identifying with God – to become “little Christs” as Martin Luther put it. But if this is true, then why do so many Christians seem to be slogging through the same demons of immaturity that they were struggling with a decade ago? In my opinion, its because we’ve forgotten the context and mission in which Jesus calls his disciples: community development.
Yes, I know “community development” has its own connotations in our culture today – but think about it for a minute:
What was Jesus Christ’s only investment here on earth?
He had no assets, no heirs or lineage to pass on, he had no books (his only written words were in SAND!) (John 8:6), founded no new political party…
Jesus’ only investment on earth was community…
Investing-in-community-development is the “Way” Jesus calls us to…
…Which brings us to maturity.
Much like parenting that can act as a “turb0-charge” for an individual’s maturity — (no longer does your money go to yourself alone, but now you are primarily focused on the thriving of a young child and the whole family!) — Similarly, when you begin to plant little faith communities, organic churches…even little MICROs, you will find much of the New Testament making more practical sense. All of a sudden, you’ll find yourself depending on the words of Jesus in listening prayer, (not just coming to him with a list of self-centered requests), and you’ll see the basic mission Jesus commissioned us to begin to orient every part of your life. ”Go into all the world and make disciples…”
Yes – if you want maturity, then start a community.
Nothing should be more basic to Christian discipleship than this — so why does some leaders in the American Church resist their members from branching out and starting something new?
Jesse, and 