Spiritual Growth

I was sitting in a leadership meeting recently discussing congregational concerns. This meeting was no different than any other leadership meeting you may have attended. This was somewhat unique for me in two ways. First, after getting to attend these meeting for years every month when I was the youth minister, I had not attended an elders and deacons meeting in almost 18 months. Second, I have never been a deacon before, which is to say that I have never been in one of these meeting where I also have a job outside of the church. While that discussion is for another blog topic, I will simply say this: the view from this side of the fence is very different. I think every minister should be required to work in a non-church job while trying to support their family; it would change some perspectives I think.

Anyway, on the agenda to discuss was this recently raised concern: “Need for congregational emphasis on spiritual growth.” When I read this statement, the first thought that popped into my head was, “What does that mean?” As I began to mull this over in my head I became increasingly concerned with how I have understood what spiritual growth is for most of my life. I have been in many meetings and discussion with different groups of people who have often discussed the need for spiritual growth. As I began to think through these conversations I made some disappointing observations.

Perhaps the most disappointing is the realization that most, if not all, of the times I have discussed spiritual growth it has been in the context of something others need to do. The conversation was laced with phrases like “Why don’t they think this is important?” and “How can we help them be more spiritual?” How embarrassing!! How arrogant!! I wonder if this is a major turn off to people who are either outside of the church or have just begun their walk of faith. I can only imagine how this attitude has come across to others over the years. I guess I wonder if there is still at least a hint of this attitude in our theology. Perhaps we understand spiritual growth more as a series of checklist items we can “complete”. It concerns me that so often the conversations about spiritual growth are almost always tied to how many people we are (or aren’t) baptizing. It’s almost as if we assume that if our church is not baptizing many people; then we must not be growing spiritually. Of course if we are asked if that’s how we measure “growth”, we are quick to say “it’s not about numbers,” but let’s be honest, it is about the numbers. I am often concerned that when we talk publicly about spiritual growth, our conversation is about needing to pray a little more or read our Bibles a little more. Perhaps we even have an occasional talk about fasting or some other spiritual discipline, but the reality seems to be that we don’t really expect anyone to adopt these practices. I wonder if all of this stems from our over emphasis on the beginning stages of the faith walk: coming to church and getting dunked.

Spiritual growth is about the pursuit of holy living. It’s about becoming increasingly holy; being set apart. It’s about choosing to give up the things that make us comfortable in the attempt to become more like the image of Christ. It’s about changing the way we think and refining the way we see. It’s about confronting evil. Standing out as light in the darkness. Holy living brings abuse and persecution. When Jesus taught about holy living, he made people sad and uncomfortable because they knew it was not something they had arrived at. Think of the rich young ruler, told to go and sell everything and give it away. He had completed the checklist (following the ten commandments) but still needed to grow spiritually. Note to that the scriptures say that Jesus “had compassion” for the man – and he still went away sad!! Look at Job. This man had everything taken from him except those who were discouraging to him. For Job, his call to holy living was simply to not curse God when everything around him was screaming at him to do it! Esther was called to confront evil, face to face, and risk her own life. Look around today. There are people living out this pursuit of holiness all around us. People who are moving up the ladder of success, but rather than spend their additional resources on themselves, they are moving into smaller houses and driving older cars so that they can find ways to give more to others. Around us are those who when they say the spent last night praying for us, we know it wasn’t a passing statement in a prayer over a meal, but rather that they were literally on their knees all night crying out to God on our behalf. People who giving up there own comfort to serve others, often to serve the outcasts of society. They seldom talk about themselves or what they are doing; rather, they quietly go about their lives advancing the Kingdom of God into new places. What always strikes me is how I feel both drawn to these people, yet also struggle to be around them. For me, when I am around them I see my own failures. It’s like the light shining from them exposes the darkness in my life. And seeing my own needs, I am faced with a choice…to be like them, empty myself and pursue holiness; or return to the safe group who talks about a new program to help people experience spiritual growth…

It’s time for the church, the body of Christ, to be about holy living.