I’ve been thinking about how we grow in Christ and I think the answer will involve a unique mixture of four gospel elements.

First, we have to have “gospel content.”  We need the scriptures and the true narrative about who God is and who we are. We need good teaching and preaching, and there is a ton of it readily available both in person and online but we need to intentionally engage with it.

Second, we need “gospel community.”  We need brothers and sisters in Christ who challenge us and hold us accountable.  Both corporate worship and small groups are huge here. We need community that is partnering with us to grow us in Christ.

Third, we need “gospel practices.”  We need to practice spiritual disciplines like scripture memorization, prayer, fasting, silence, solitude and so on.  We should each have a rule for life.

Finally, we need “gospel service.”  The Dead Sea is dead partly because while it has a fresh-water input, it has no output and, that will be us if we don’t find ways to work out and share the gospel in both word and deed. As a congregation we can offer a ton of opportunities for gospel service.

So, what do you need to grow in Christ? I’d love to help you figure that out, so let’s talk!