How to grow in the Word

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Hope in God

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Once a person sees his/her need to study with the help of God’s Spirit and well established, well balanced teachers, what is it they should be taught?

The Bible explains that it is not enough to merely be taught, but rather, the believer needs to be taught something very definite.

II Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears…”

Christians may think by attending services where they hear preaching, where a point here and a point there are being expressed, that they are gaining a well balanced spiritual meal that will somehow, someday lead to maturity.

But, without adopting a consistent, systematic training pattern at one's beginning, growing up in the Lord can be truly frustrating as one sifts through much of what passes for sound doctrine, but instead is merely a favorite few messages that are taught over and over again ad nauseum.

“The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them,” Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, “because he knoweth not how to go to the city.” Or, in other words, the student needs less to listen to preachers and teachers, or to read books and listen to CDs, than he needs to know what is in season for him/her.

Christians ought not deceive themselves regarding their spiritual growth. Newborns in the Lord, Peter wrote, need to be fed the “milk” of the Word (I Pet. 2:2), fed to them via a slow, steady, “precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little” (Isa. 28:10) systematic study.

Through this patient adding of principles, a strong, solid foundation is built, believers remain planted, and are not easily shaken when their faith is being tested.

So what is it that should be included in one’s academic start? The writer of Hebrews (6th chapter) lists six principles that make up the “first principles of the doctrines of Christ.” Without these truths deeply rooted in a believer’s beginning, such lack often leads to a bad beginning; and, as was written to the Hebrews in 5:12, the resolution of a bad beginning is to go back to the beginning, to start again the right way.

For, even with the children of Israel, the Lord had to many times “restore as at the first…as at the beginning.” (Isa. 1:26) “This is the commandment,” wrote John, "that as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it” (verse 6)
 

Pearl

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Our church has mid-week home bible study groups and any new Christian would be placed in one of those.
 
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Hope in God

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Our church has mid-week home bible study groups and any new Christian would be placed in one of those.
One night per week bible studies are a good start, Pearl. It would be my recommendation that attendance to it would include extensive notes that you take home and study over and over repetitively, because it is by rote that we begin to memorize Scripture. Also, search out that topic throughout the Bible. Go above and beyond.

I tried so hard to gain some footing within the first six years of my Christian walk through nothing more than preachers and the occasional group that met to go over someone's book. It didn't help me nearly as much as when I finally was patiently forced to not merely take notes, but to go over them repeatedly once I got home. I did word studies to compliment the verses given within the topic. For instance -- and I might show how I do it soon -- if a verse like "pride comes before destruction" comes along, I would take the word pride and search every verse from my concordance that held the word pride, and give consideration to the meaning and how it works.
 
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Pearl

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When people become Christians they will all grow to maturity in their own time and in their own way. There is no right or wrong way for them to do this. It's good if they are properly discipled but many won't be. It is good if they join a bible study group but many will feel out of their depth and many will not want to take note and do homework. We have to treat people as individuals and try to get alongside them and then we can teach them at a one to one level. Each church will have its own programme for newbies and in the UK churches run the Alpha Course for both new Christians and seekers alike. But you can't make people study. Some will and some won't and we have to accept that.
 

Berserk

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The question of spiritual growth is presently problematic for me not due to biblical teaching itself, but due to the reality of deteriorating mental capabilities resulting from various forms of dementia, mental health issues, and sheer loss of mental sharpness due to advancing age. So I often seem to see mental and spiritual regression, when I wish I saw progressive maturity. Does God judge the end result of our spiritual journey or ourselves at an age and heath condition when we are at our best? The Bible displays respect for the wisdom of advancing age, but the factors mentioned often seem to produce the opposite result. For example, many have observed the apparent deteriorization of character that often results from a stroke. To simply claim that God takes all our handicaps into account is to duck the central question. Because these issue have affected family members I dearly love and respect, I find myself resisting easy cliched answers.
 

marks

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The question of spiritual growth is presently problematic for me not due to biblical teaching itself, but due to the reality of deteriorating mental capabilities resulting from various forms of dementia, mental health issues, and sheer loss of mental sharpness due to advancing age. So I often seem to see mental and spiritual regression, when I wish I saw progressive maturity. Does God judge the end result of our spiritual journey or ourselves at an age and heath condition when we are at our best? The Bible displays respect for the wisdom of advancing age, but the factors mentioned often seem to produce the opposite result. For example, many have observed the apparent deteriorization of character that often results from a stroke. To simply claim that God takes all our handicaps into account is to duck the central question. Because these issue have affected family members I dearly love and respect, I find myself resisting easy cliched answers.
Hi Berserk,

I see these things as issues of the flesh, but not of the spirit. I don't mean to minimize. I have issues also, such as major depressive disorder. Not "feeling sad", for those who do not know, but serious chemical imbalances resulting in a variety of friendly and fun symptoms including, yes, sometimes saying things like, "It doesn't matter what any of us try to do, nothing will ever work anyway!"

But I've learned, and am learning, to counter the flesh with the Spirit, in the sense that, I feel this way, but I don't care, I know what is true.

In the case of dementia, and we don't even remember what is true? That's hard!

I've volunteered for a number of years at an assisted living home that includes an alzheimer's wing. I've known quite a number of people, watching them slide deeper and deeper into dementia.

Something I've seen very consistently is that there will be one who does not know who they are, or where they are, or who anyone is, or what is going on, people who can't hold your eye for more than 5 seconds. But I quote a Bible verse, and that light comes into their eyes. And they smile big smiles, and look me in the eyes, and they are alive in Christ. We sing a hymn, and they remember every word, and I see in their faces, they sing with understanding. I encourage them, and they hold my arm, and look into my eyes, and occasionally answer.

And then, I watch as they slide back into the shadows. But their Redeemer lives, and lives in them.

Much love!
 

farouk

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Hi Berserk,

I see these things as issues of the flesh, but not of the spirit. I don't mean to minimize. I have issues also, such as major depressive disorder. Not "feeling sad", for those who do not know, but serious chemical imbalances resulting in a variety of friendly and fun symptoms including, yes, sometimes saying things like, "It doesn't matter what any of us try to do, nothing will ever work anyway!"

But I've learned, and am learning, to counter the flesh with the Spirit, in the sense that, I feel this way, but I don't care, I know what is true.

In the case of dementia, and we don't even remember what is true? That's hard!

I've volunteered for a number of years at an assisted living home that includes an alzheimer's wing. I've known quite a number of people, watching them slide deeper and deeper into dementia.

Something I've seen very consistently is that there will be one who does not know who they are, or where they are, or who anyone is, or what is going on, people who can't hold your eye for more than 5 seconds. But I quote a Bible verse, and that light comes into their eyes. And they smile big smiles, and look me in the eyes, and they are alive in Christ. We sing a hymn, and they remember every word, and I see in their faces, they sing with understanding. I encourage them, and they hold my arm, and look into my eyes, and occasionally answer.

And then, I watch as they slide back into the shadows. But their Redeemer lives, and lives in them.

Much love!
I'm sure that the hymn singing and Bible reading in those circumstances can be very helpful. :)
 

marks

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I'm sure that the hymn singing and Bible reading in those circumstances can be very helpful. :)
I think so. I know that having a near constant background of spiritual songs and audio Bible are very helpful to me, and I'm not even demented! Or, I guess it depend on who you ask. But that's what I do. Constant Godly input.

So hopefully if I do suffer in that way, it will be ingrained in my mind enough that I won't be the old guy constantly muttering about how I can never get shoes like the ones I had in '98, instead, I'lll be muttering about how much God loves us.

Much love!
 

farouk

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I think so. I know that having a near constant background of spiritual songs and audio Bible are very helpful to me, and I'm not even demented! Or, I guess it depend on who you ask. But that's what I do. Constant Godly input.

So hopefully if I do suffer in that way, it will be ingrained in my mind enough that I won't be the old guy constanly muttering about how I can never get shoes like the ones I had in '98, instead, I'lll be muttering about how much God loves us.

Much love!
May we be able ever to raise our Ebenezers (1 Samuel 7.12) until our journeys are done! :)
 

farouk

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When people become Christians they will all grow to maturity in their own time and in their own way. There is no right or wrong way for them to do this. It's good if they are properly discipled but many won't be. It is good if they join a bible study group but many will feel out of their depth and many will not want to take note and do homework. We have to treat people as individuals and try to get alongside them and then we can teach them at a one to one level. Each church will have its own programme for newbies and in the UK churches run the Alpha Course for both new Christians and seekers alike. But you can't make people study. Some will and some won't and we have to accept that.
Daily prayer and the Scriptures is so important...even more important than meeting with other Christians (which is v. important also...)
 

Pearl

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Daily prayer and the Scriptures is so important...even more important than meeting with other Christians (which is v. important also...)
Yes I agree farouk, those are vital activities. When I was a new Christian I started to read my bible with the aid of a daily devotional book and I prayed a lot too.
 
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Pearl

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It's so vital! How can we not want to feed more on God's precious Word and cry to our Father through the Lord Jesus? :)
Baby steps for baby Christians. They shouldn't try to run before they can walk and they will grow in faith and maturity little by little which is healthy.
 
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Nancy

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Once a person sees his/her need to study with the help of God’s Spirit and well established, well balanced teachers, what is it they should be taught?

The Bible explains that it is not enough to merely be taught, but rather, the believer needs to be taught something very definite.

II Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears…”

Christians may think by attending services where they hear preaching, where a point here and a point there are being expressed, that they are gaining a well balanced spiritual meal that will somehow, someday lead to maturity.

But, without adopting a consistent, systematic training pattern at one's beginning, growing up in the Lord can be truly frustrating as one sifts through much of what passes for sound doctrine, but instead is merely a favorite few messages that are taught over and over again ad nauseum.

“The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them,” Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, “because he knoweth not how to go to the city.” Or, in other words, the student needs less to listen to preachers and teachers, or to read books and listen to CDs, than he needs to know what is in season for him/her.

Christians ought not deceive themselves regarding their spiritual growth. Newborns in the Lord, Peter wrote, need to be fed the “milk” of the Word (I Pet. 2:2), fed to them via a slow, steady, “precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little” (Isa. 28:10) systematic study.

Through this patient adding of principles, a strong, solid foundation is built, believers remain planted, and are not easily shaken when their faith is being tested.

So what is it that should be included in one’s academic start? The writer of Hebrews (6th chapter) lists six principles that make up the “first principles of the doctrines of Christ.” Without these truths deeply rooted in a believer’s beginning, such lack often leads to a bad beginning; and, as was written to the Hebrews in 5:12, the resolution of a bad beginning is to go back to the beginning, to start again the right way.

For, even with the children of Israel, the Lord had to many times “restore as at the first…as at the beginning.” (Isa. 1:26) “This is the commandment,” wrote John, "that as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it” (verse 6)
Love this post. It seems to me that there is a lack of discipleship in the "Church's" I have been to. I have never had a "mentor" so to speak. Nobody takes the new-uns under their wings. Although, there was this one girl from the second Church I attended (and the longest one too-in attendance) who I think was trying to do that with me but at that time, I was not hearing her. And that was early 90's. Since then, not hide nor hair of an actual person approaching a newcomer. These "Churches" have become waaaaay too large...IMO. I do understand that (esp. my present place of worship) that there are different events like bible studies, and also discipleship classes but...it just seems so formal! I wonder if the Church of Acts had disciple ship classes, lol. Anyhow...Good post Hope.
 

Berserk

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(1) The greatest problem with the subject of spiritual maturation is this: in the churches I pastored there were so many sweet souls who loved church and worship, but were so intellectually limited that they would have no hope of passing a quiz on the basics of the Gospel, though they would be quick to confess Jesus and their Savior. I have no doubt that these simple souls are saved, but their plight acutely raises the question for me of how important a cognitive grasp of Christian spirituality is to our salvation and maturation. With that caveat, I move on to what I deem the most important way to grow spiritually.

(2) Most evangelicals assent to the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith, but look at you with a blank expression when you ask them to explain how to live a grace-based life. A grace-based life is a life underpinned by gratitude in all we do and thus such a life fulfills Paul's command, "In everything give thanks." For many Christians, love is just a jargon word that says more about their self-image than their core feelings and attitudes towards their circumstances and the people they daily meet. For this reason, gratitude is even more basic to the Christian life than love because love without a constant experience of gratitude is not agape love. One of my favorite quotes about spirituality is this one from Billy Graham: "Theological understanding is the booby prize because it gives you just enough spirituality to inoculate you against the real thing." The real thing is a life of regular communion with God--a life soaked in prayer. Put differently, Spirit-filled and Spirit-directed living is far more important than cerebral understanding of Scripture--and I say this as an ex-Theology professor who has been exposed to the spirituality of many of the best Bible scholars at close range.

(3) In the Catholic and Episcopal/ Anglican church, you can get a Master's degree in Spiritual Direction. This degree trains students to develop and integrate expert listening skills with practical insights from Scripture and the wisest saints throughout history. My cousin, a Mennonite, was never pro-Catholic, but when his marriage was failing, no counselor he tried helped the problem. That all changed for the best when he sought a well-trained Catholic Spiritual Director and now my cousin's attitude has totally changed towards the best of Catholic spirituality.

One of the most renowned evangelical writers of the late 29th century is Philip Yancey. In one of his books he confesses that his brand of evangelicalism never allowed him to confidently experience God's presence. An ex-priest, Brennan Manning, challenged him to go on one of his spiritual retreats with him as the Spiritual Director and guaranteed that Philip would at least experience God's presence. Philip writes that Manning delivered on his guarantee!
 

Pearl

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Love this post. It seems to me that there is a lack of discipleship in the "Church's" I have been to. I have never had a "mentor" so to speak. Nobody takes the new-uns under their wings. Although, there was this one girl from the second Church I attended (and the longest one too-in attendance) who I think was trying to do that with me but at that time, I was not hearing her. And that was early 90's. Since then, not hide nor hair of an actual person approaching a newcomer. These "Churches" have become waaaaay too large...IMO. I do understand that (esp. my present place of worship) that there are different events like bible studies, and also discipleship classes but...it just seems so formal! I wonder if the Church of Acts had disciple ship classes, lol. Anyhow...Good post Hope.
I was blessed to have our vicar's wife take an interest in me as a new Christian, and not just me but everyone. She was always there if I wanted to ask something and I can see her now standing in her kitchen preparing food while she chatted to me. She always had time. She was a wonderful example and was still working well into her eighties and maybe still is.
 
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Nancy

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I was blessed to have our vicar's wife take an interest in me as a new Christian, and not just me but everyone. She was always there if I wanted to ask something and I can see her now standing in her kitchen preparing food while she chatted to me. She always had time. She was a wonderful example and was still working well into her eighties and maybe still is.

How awesome for the pastors wife to, well ACT like the pastors wife!! Lol...One of the nastiest woman at my last Church, was, yep...the pastors wife. She was a "shunner" big time. The saddest thing was when one time, the husband of the lady who runs the pantry/community center I go to mentioned to me that she was not well liked among the Episcopalians that run the Center I work for. I was still attending my old Church, so I was a bit embarrassed.
The Genesis Center (community center) and Caz Baptist Church is like, right next door to each other. Every year, all the Church's in this area (not ALL, but the ones on that corner area) have a summer picnic. Each Church has their own things going on, and folks just go from one to the other. Bounce houses, games, hot dogs, face painting, clowns and balloons...it is fun, we had Karaoke last year with Christian songs! Caz Church left a bad taste in my mouth and broke my heart. I can forgive the coldness of the people there but, does not mean I want to be around them any time soon as, I'd be sittin alone, lol! Now, if there were more warmth in that particular local body I would think there would be much more growth. Seemed everyone was afraid to ask pointed questions, I know I was as it took me only one time to learn NOT to ask stuff. They shut me right down...bye bye Caz. I wish them well and do pray for them. Just do not want to ever walk through those doors again. :(
 

tzcho2

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How awesome for the pastors wife to, well ACT like the pastors wife!! Lol...One of the nastiest woman at my last Church, was, yep...the pastors wife. She was a "shunner" big time. The saddest thing was when one time, the husband of the lady who runs the pantry/community center I go to mentioned to me that she was not well liked among the Episcopalians that run the Center I work for. I was still attending my old Church, so I was a bit embarrassed.
The Genesis Center (community center) and Caz Baptist Church is like, right next door to each other. Every year, all the Church's in this area (not ALL, but the ones on that corner area) have a summer picnic. Each Church has their own things going on, and folks just go from one to the other. Bounce houses, games, hot dogs, face painting, clowns and balloons...it is fun, we had Karaoke last year with Christian songs! Caz Church left a bad taste in my mouth and broke my heart. I can forgive the coldness of the people there but, does not mean I want to be around them any time soon as, I'd be sittin alone, lol! Now, if there were more warmth in that particular local body I would think there would be much more growth. Seemed everyone was afraid to ask pointed questions, I know I was as it took me only one time to learn NOT to ask stuff. They shut me right down...bye bye Caz. I wish them well and do pray for them. Just do not want to ever walk through those doors again. :(
So your opinion was it was the members of baptists not the members of the episcopalians? Whichever, it has to do with the leadership in that church and the specific people that attend there and what the culture has developed in their specific church. The larger problem is when people have a bad experience specifically with individual people or a group of individuals and then start labeling that whole denomination as being this or that, painting all with a wide brush, it becomes a carried prejudice & grows hate not love. :(:(
 
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