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Growing in Christ
 
Our desire is to see the body of Christ grow and gain strength. As you make a commitment to “Grow in your faith”, you will need to develop the following set of commitments in order to continue on the right path. Oftentimes, Christians begin with a zeal and passion because it is truly exciting when you first commit or recommit your life to the Lord. You are willing to do whatever the Lord wants you to do, but many times people lack the direction and guidance to carry out the commitment they have made to the Lord. 
 
The following list of commitments is a great starting point, but is not the final destination. It will help you by putting a framework together that will help you grow stronger in your relationship with Christ. Remember, we are in this relationship all the way till the Lord returns and we will need to continually adjust these basic areas of our life to finish strong. 
 
  1. Committed to your personal relationship with Christ.

    1. Your relationship with God is the most important relationship in your life. Don’t allow anything else to become more important or take away from your relationship with Christ. Devote your energy, time, resources and lifestyle to preserving this relationship. The more effort you put into your relationship with God, the more you will benefit from the relationship. God loves you and He was committed enough in His relationship with you to go to the cross for you! 

  2. Committed to Prayer: Pray a minimum of 30 minutes per day. Luke 18: 1-14

    1. Pray in the following areas: Start with Praising God for who He is, Pray for yourself, Pray for others, Pray for your church & Pastor, Pray for your City, State, and Nation, Pray with thanksgiving and thank God for being good, End with Praising God for who He is.
    2. Daily Areas of Prayer: Repentance for your sins, the salvation & healing of others, Revival in the local church and throughout the world, and that God’s will be done in your life.
    3. Remember: Prayer is communication with God. Talk to him just as you do with a friend. Don’t make it more complicated by trying to add big words or pretending to be super spiritual. Keep it simple and fall in love with Christ. If it is too difficult to start out praying 30 minutes in one setting, break it up into smaller sessions throughout the day to reach your goal. It is like having a phone conversation with someone you know. The more times that you pick up the phone and call them, the easier it gets to talk for longer periods of time. 

  3. Committed to Bible Reading: Read 5 chapters per week. I Timothy 2:15

    1. Recommended Reading: If you have not read the Bible before or it has been a long time since you picked it up, we recommend you start with the following books of the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (The Gospels or Good News of Christ). Then, read Genesis – the book of beginnings, Acts – the beginning of the church, Psalms – a collection of songs and poetry, and Proverbs – a collection of wise sayings.
    2. Take notes during preaching and teaching. Write down the scriptures used in the messages and study the scriptures throughout the week.

  4. Committed to Fasting: Regular Denial Matthew 17:21

    1. Fasting is when you give something up that you regularly depend on. Most commonly, fasting is associated with not eating food for a designated period of time. Fasting can include a meal, a day of meals or many consecutive days without meals. Please remember that fasting must be accompanied with prayer and is done for spiritual reasons.
    2. In this modern day of technology and convenience, fasting can also include a media fast or activities that we regularly participate in. During these kinds of fasts you should replace the activity or media with spiritual activities such as; increased Bible reading, prayer time, devotional writing time, sharing a Bible study lesson with someone else.
  5. Committed in Attendance: Every Sunday, Thursday, and Activities. Hebrews 10:25
    1. Make up your mind that you are going to be faithful in attendance. Mark it in your calendar, block the dates in your phone, and write it in places that will help you remember your commitment to attend church. Oftentimes, we are not committed because we place more value on other events or forget to schedule ourselves to be at church.
    2. Be Successful: Part of your commitment to attendance should be to arrive early (approximately 15-20 minutes), pray when you arrive for the service or activity, and participate in the service or activity with all of your heart, soul and strength. This is the key to getting the most out of every service or activity.
  6. Committed to God’s Financial Plan: Tithe (10% of earnings) & Offerings (over and above the tithe). Malachi 3:8-12
    1. God’s word promises that he will bless you when you honor Him with your giving. Tithing is a spiritual act of returning the first part (the tenth or 10%) to God. Returning the tithe to God represents your thankfulness to Him for providing your needs and is the spiritual act of placing God first in your life.
    2. The offering is anything you give over and above the tithe. This reflects your thankfulness to God for every blessing He has provided and to help support the great commission of spreading the gospel to the whole world.

  7. Committed to a Lifestyle of Praise & Worship: Rejoice! Psalm 150 & John 4:23-24.

    1. Praise is the outward expression of what God has done in your life. Praise is expressed in many ways such as singing, dancing, playing instruments, clapping your hands, and lifting your voice with a shout of joy to name a few. Praise is often associated with what God has done in your life.
    2. Worship is the intimate expression of your love and appreciation for God. Worship is often expressed with tears of joy, hands lifted high, praying in a kneeling position, and words expressing your love and commitment to the Lord. Worship is often associated with who God is in your life. 

  8. Committed to Excellence: Give Your Very Best! I Kings 10:1-9.

    1. In everything you do, put your whole heart into it and offer God your best. The acts of service and worship we perform are not for men, but for God. God deserves the best you can give. Remember, it all comes down to pleasing the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. When we give God our best, the world will acknowledge His glory and want to serve Him. Be committed to excellence.

  9. Committed to Caring: Show someone you care outside of the church. 


 

Many people wait to share the gospel until they have been in church for a certain number of years or they have learned a specified amount of scriptures. However, spiritual growth in your life will take place at a much more rapid pace when you find someone else to share your experience with. We encourage you to find someone else and show them that you care about them. Each week as you learn something new, share it with someone else.