This document discusses what it takes to grow spiritually and become a disciple of Christ. It defines spiritual maturity as being like Christ and outlines several core habits that are necessary for growth, including reading the Bible, prayer, fellowship, service, and stewardship. The document emphasizes that spiritual growth is a process that requires discipline and training oneself, not just the passage of time. Becoming a disciple means daily carrying one's cross by adopting spiritual disciplines. The ultimate purpose of growing as a disciple is to walk in God's love and experience his presence.

1. Spiritual Discipleship 6
Life­to­Life Groups
What Does it Take to Grow?

2. God wants you to grow up
Col 4:12, “Epaphras, who is one of you and a
servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is
always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may
stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully
assured.”
Write down the words, “mature” and “God’s
will.”
It is God’s will that you grow up.

3. Eph 4:14-15
“We are not meant to remain as children but to
grow up in every way into Christ”
Consider those with developmental issues;
mental retardation, physically handicapped,
developmentally challenged, emotionally
disturbed... How sad!
Father God must grieve over His children who
never mature.

4. What is Spiritual Maturity?
Eph. 4:13, “Until we come to such unity in our
faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be
mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up
to the full stature of Christ.”
Spiritual maturity is being like Christ.
True believers want to be like Christ but many
don’t know where to begin.

5. Core Habits for Maturity
1. In order to grow we need food - The Bible
2. In order to grow we need breath - Prayer
3. In order to grow we need good spiritual hygiene -
Confessing Sin
4. In order to grow we need a caring family -
Fellowship/Church

6. 5. In order to grow we need regular exercise -
Service to the Body
6. In order to grow we need to sow - Stewardship
7. In order to grow we must receive - humble and
teachable

7. Growth is a Process
The seed (Word) is planted into soil (heart). The
soil is watered (Holy Spirit activity) and warmed
by the sun (revelation). The seed pod fractures
and the germ of life on the inside is released. A
blade will shoot up through the soil to receive
more sunlight with the goal of full maturity and
reproduction.

8. Hebrews 5:12-13
“You have been Christians a long time now, and
you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you
need someone to teach you again the basic things
a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You
are like babies who drink only mile and cannot
eat solid food. And a person who is living on mil
isn’t very far along in the the Christian life and
doesn’t know much about doing what is right.”
Spiritual growth takes effort.

9. 2 Peter 3:18
“Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of
our savior, Jesus Christ.” (an ongoing process)
Some have known Christ for 50 years and they
should be mature by now, but they are just poking
along, not really going anywhere. Some have actually
stalled out and not moving forward at all.

10. Algebra I
Formula for distance: r x t = d (rate x time =
distance.
If I’m going 5 mph, it will take 1000 hours to go
5000 miles.
50 mph? 100 hours to go 5000 miles.
500 mph? 10 hours to go 5000 miles.

11. No Shortcuts
We all want to please our Heavenly Father by
growing in our faith, but how? Unlike physical
growth, spiritual maturity is not a result of the
passing of time. Paul once called adult Christians
in Corinth spiritual infants. Neither is spiritual
development, like mental growth is a function of
learning. Though they spent their lives studying
the Law, Jesus told the Pharisee, “You do not
have [the Father’s] message in your hearts” (Jn
5:39)

12. Hebrews 5:8
“He [Jesus] learned obedience by the things which
He suffered.”
We grow spiritually through our obedience to God
and His Word, even in the midst of suffering.
1 Tim. 4:7, “...train yourself to be Godly.”
Weight lifters train to lift heavier and heavier
weights. Spiritual maturity won’t happen without
discipline.

13. Disciple and Discipleship
The Bible calls mature believers “disciples.”
The Bibles teaches that I cannot be a disciple
without disciplines.
The Bible teaches that the more discipline I
become, the more God can use me.
The mark of a disciple is cross bearing.

14. John 14:27
Jesus said, “Anyone who does not carry his cross
and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 9:23, “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone
would come after me, he must deny himself and
take up his cross daily and follow me.” NIV
Daily bearing my cross means I commit to adopt
the habits necessary for growing spiritually.

15. Let’s Start Here
“All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to
teach us what is true and to make us realize what
is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and
teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of
preparing us in every way, fully equipped for
every good thing God wants us to do.” 2 Tim
3:16-17 (New Century Version)

16. The Bible is...
Like a new car’s owner manual.
Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth
Like a flashlight for a camper. Psalm 119:05
Like a weapon for a soldier. Eph 6:17 (Sword of
the Spirit which is the Word of God)
Like a mirror. James 1:23-24

17. Like the nutrients that water a plant.
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the
counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of
sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his
delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law
he meditates day and night. He is like a tree
planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit
in season and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.” Psa. 1:1-3

18. Tragedy of Lazy Christians
Many are more concerned about entertainment,
social activities, sports events, etc. than their
spiritual lives.
You need the Word. You need Worship. You need
Christian fellowship.
Trying to become a disciple on your own will
never work. You need nourishment that only
God’s Word can provide.

19. Starvation Rations
Complacent Christians only eat once a week
(Sunday morning) and then wonder why they
keep falling into sin. There is really no spiritual
development; no maturity; no fruit. Why? They
are starving themselves spiritually. They keep
making excuses and justifying their busyness.
Jesus has set a table before us in the presence of
our enemy (Psa. 23). It is a fabulous and
nutritious feast. All we have to do is sit and eat.

20. Why Become a Disciple?
Walk in the knowledge of God’s great love for us.
Experience His presence the rest of the Holy
Spirit daily in our lives.
Being empowered to destroy the enemy’s power
(Lk 10:19)
Knowing one day you will hear, “Enter in My
good and faithful servant.”

21. Knowing when you pray, GOD will hear from His
throne.
He will reveal your purpose in life and cause you
to walk in it.
Benefactor of all of God’s great and wonderful
promises.
Mark 8:36, “What does it profit a man to gain the
whole world but lose his soul?”