Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).
At some point, each of us have to take on the responsibility of growing in the faith. The primary responsibility for our spiritual maturity and growth is on us. At some point, we have to decide to grow up in our faith.
Infants are cute. And, infants are exhausting. Just ask any new parent of infants. They require 24/7 care. Feed me. Change me. Hold me. Entertain me. Me. Me. Me. It’s a good thing infants are cute. Grown adults couldn’t ever get away with such behavior!
What’s true for infants in families is true for infant Christians in the church. Being a baby has nothing to do with how long you’ve been going to church, but with how much you are taking responsibility for growing and maturing. If you are growing and maturing, you are on solid foods.
But what does that mean? It means that you are not being fed milk. You are taking solid food of God’s word and reading and studying it with others who are interested in growing. It means that you don’t just show up to church asking to be fed. You mature by growing in the knowledge of God’s word AND by serving God and his church. It means you take on the responsibility to help new baby Christians grow.
I thank God that many at the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace are growing and maturing. Friends, as we near the end of the year and start thinking about the new year, make it your goal to grow up and mature in your faith.
Here are the three basic foundations that we expect growing disciples to practice:
- Worship – non-negotiable. We worship because God is God who is worthy of worship
- Small Groups – We study God’s word together with others
- Serve – We do our part in serving God and his church
Just because you are doing these things doesn’t necessarily mean that you are growing. But, if you are not doing these things, I can guarantee you are not growing.
Engage. Commit. Grow.
Praxis: Faith in Action 