{"id":8069,"date":"2012-01-23T08:00:22","date_gmt":"2012-01-23T13:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/?p=8069"},"modified":"2026-07-10T10:32:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T14:32:11","slug":"spiritual-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/spiritual-growth.htm","title":{"rendered":"Spiritual Growth: Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Spiritual
\nTo Grow:\u00a0 increase, develop, mature, advance, enlarge<\/p>\n

Are you growing spiritually?
\nIs your church growing spiritually?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Spiritual Growth is God’s Intent<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Certain spiritual gifts have been given to the Body with the key purpose being “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:11-13). “Then we will no longer be infants” (Eph. 4:14).<\/span><\/p>\n

Question:<\/em> How intentional are you in lining up with God’s growth objective?<\/p>\n

God Has an Ultimate Growth Objective<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ephesians 4:15 —<\/span><\/p>\n

“in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”<\/p>\n

“in all things grow up” –<\/em><\/p>\n

We grow in grace, knowledge, faith, love, etc. (2 Pet. 3:18; 2 Thess. 1:3; Col. 1:10) which will touch all areas of our lives wherever we are in whatever we do … our feelings, thoughts, words, attitudes, actions.<\/span><\/p>\n

“grow up into Him … “<\/em><\/p>\n

Growth has an objective, that of becoming Christ-like so that the fullness of Christ fills all in all of our lives so we are “conformed to the likeness of Christ” (Rom. 8:29) that “in everything he might have the supremacy” (Col. 1:18).<\/span><\/p>\n

If you want a picture of what a mature believer should be like, look at Jesus.<\/p>\n

Questions:<\/em> How Christ-like are you personally?\u00a0 How Christ-like is your church?<\/p>\n

Growing isn’t Automatic but Tends to Happen Developmentally<\/strong><\/h2>\n

1.\u00a0 We are commanded to grow (2 Pet. 3:18) and to make every effort to increase in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. (2 Pet. 1:5-7)<\/span><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 God’s Word identifies people at varying stages in their spiritual growth: infants (Eph. 4:14; Heb. 5:13; 1 Pet. 2:2), children, young men\/adults, and parents\/fathers\u00a0 (1 Jn. 2:13-14)<\/span><\/p>\n

In the next five posts we are going to look at different levels of spiritual growth.\u00a0 Click on the links below to learn more about those spiritual stages:<\/p>\n