What is a mature christain

Base Line Spiritual Growth Levels

For A Mature Relationship With God

     On June 19, 2005 the Elders and Pastors of Catching Life Christian Church endorsed the following descriptions as “base line” or beginning levels of maturity within each of our nine ways of spiritual growth.  These are not meant to become legalistic check-lists for those who seek spiritual self-righteousness.  These are intended to be helpful illustrations and sign-posts for those persons genuinely seeking a mature relationship with God.

Prayer

-          Has a Conversational Relationship With God – does not just seek their Heavenly Father in case of emergency but has an ongoing dialogue and sense of God’s presence

-          Has a “Quiet Time” – sets aside special time for being with God

-          Understands the Fundamental Aspects of Prayer – knows the different aspects of prayer such as adoration (telling God what you like about Him), intercession (praying for others), confession (telling about sins), petition (asking), and devotion (listening)

Study

-          Reads the Scriptures on a Regular Basis – sets aside time to read the Scriptures

-          Views Scripture as Spiritual Food – realizes the necessity of consuming God’s word

-          Can Use Basic Bible Study Tools – can find out what the Bible teaches themselves through Bible commentaries, Bible concordances, and Bible dictionaries

-          Values Good Christian Writing – sees the benefit of reading challenging and informative and inspirational Christian writing as a regular part of their spiritual life

Worship

-          Makes Weekly Worship With Their Faith Community a High Priority – has a sense of the “Lord’s Day” and looks at it as a special time to return thanks and praise to God

-          Focuses On What They “Put In” to Worship – their center of attention in worship is God, not themselves

-          Comes With a Sense of Expectation – anticipates that God will be present in a special way when the whole church gathers for worship

Fellowship

-          Values Christian Community – they view Christian fellowship as providing the fundamental relationships out of which they are capable of growing and thriving in Christ

-          Is Encouraging To Others – they look for ways to support and cheer on their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and they avoid gossip and back-biting

-          Respects Healthy Boundaries – has a sense of the appropriate level of intimacy with other persons

-          Sees Themselves As a Community Builder – they introduce themselves and welcome others into fellowship

-          Knows How To Constructively Resolve Conflict – knows how to seek reconciliation with the person they are in conflict with, and knows how to involve the Elders of the church if necessary.

Volunteering

-          Is Actively Playing a Part – they are “helping out” in some way

-          Has A Sense of Servanthood – they have the concept of serving God in their work and not just “doing a good deed.”

-          Understands Spiritual Gifts – is sensitive to the special spiritual abilities God has given them and is applying them in the church

-          Sees Themselves As Having a Role in God’s Work on Earth – is aware that as a Christian they have responsibilities

Giving

-          Understands The Concept of Stewardship – realizes that in life they are managing a life which actually belongs to God

-          Sees Tithing As “The Training Wheels” Of Giving – views returning a tenth to God as a good basic starting point for giving and also a way to get a feel for giving

-          Understands the Difference Between Tithes and Offerings – sees that the general fund of their church is the place to give their tithe or basic giving, and views giving to special projects or ministries as a special offering “above and beyond” their tithe or basic giving.

Sharing Our Faith

-          Has a Good Grasp of the Basic Christian Faith –  has a grasp of the fundamental Christian message and is aware of the basic evidence for the faith

-          Can Share Their Own Faith Story – is able to share the impact that being a Christian has had in their own life

-          Is Able To Lead Another Person To Christ – can pray with someone as they receive Christ into their life

-          Is Pursuing Opportunities – is praying for and “on the lookout” for opportunities to share their faith

-          Feels Sympathy For the Lost – feels sympathy and concern for those living without Christ

Showing Compassion

-          Is Actively Reaching Out – they are giving practical assistance to people who need help

-          Has A Heart For The Poor -  has special concern for the homeless and the suffering

-          Has A Sense of Servanthood and Fellowship With Those They Serve - they don’t see themselves to be “better than” the people they are serving

-          Can Help Without Having To “Fix” Everything – they don’t try to jump in and run the other person’s life, instead they have a priority for listening

Being Spiritually Honest

-          Has Self Awareness – is able to confess to God their own areas of personal weakness and vulnerability to sin

-          Sets The Standard of Christ – doesn’t compare their character to the character of other people but compares their character to the character of Christ

-          Is Connected With Others Who Have The Same Goal - meets regularly with a trusted Christian friend (or friends) to confess their sins and their need for growth