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Spiritual Growth at Manchester Christian Church

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by | 22 February, 2009 | 0 comments

by Josh Peigh

I was a junior in college when I heard Keith Ray, president of Lincoln (Illinois) Christian College, say, “Almost nothing happens by casual affair. It is by intentionality that things get done.”Â 

That statement has lingered with me ever since. As a graduation gift, my father had the quote framed. It sits today in my office as a reminder of the mission that has been given to every church across our globe. Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19, 20).

As the spiritual growth team leader at Manchester (New Hampshire) Christian Church, I have spent more than a few hours mulling over Jesus” words. Wondering, dreaming, strategizing on behalf of those who regularly attend our church. The task of discipleship leaves me with more than a few sleepless nights. In a world that is distant from God, running at a pace without margin for God, how do we help an increasing number of people live lives that honor God?

One thing is certain, it will not come as the result of a casual affair.

I have the joy of serving with a church that takes the task of making disciples seriously. At Manchester Christian Church, our desire is to help ordinary people become extraordinary followers of Christ. During any given week, I watch as men and women, staff and volunteers, longtime members and new attendees pursue meaningful pathways of spiritual growth.

 

Inspire Life Change

Consider, for example, an average Monday morning at the church. Nine people are gathered in the church conference room: staff, volunteers, teachers, communicators, artists, musicians, and videographers. Everyone is committed to creating Sunday morning services that inspire people to take important next steps in their spiritual journey, whatever those steps may be.

But inspiring people toward life change involves more than simply presenting certain concepts for people to think about. It is more than just a lesson on Sunday. It requires that we move people toward action in their faith.

This then is a process that far exceeds one Sunday, or one message, or one music set. All such resources are tools of the craft of helping people discover the courage to live as Jesus would in the comings and goings of their everyday lives.

 

Connecting the Fringe

Fast forward to Tuesday evening. All across our city, small groups of 15 to 20 friends make their way to each other”s homes. Some people have known each other for years. Others are new faces with new stories. Together they talk and laugh and drink enough coffee for a week. Most importantly, they search the Scriptures and apply them to their lives. They pray for one another and listen for the voice of God. They discover the courage to live as Jesus would if he were living life for them.

Its amazing that many of the people making their way to more than 50 small groups throughout our city are doing so for the first time. Since community is such a significant part of the spiritual formation process, we are desperate to make sure everyone has easy access to such opportunities, especially those people who are on the fringe.

In every church, some people reside on the fringe of our ministries. They attend church, maybe once a month. They are often searching for a place to develop a few meaningful friendships. They are curious about growing with Christ, but are unsure what growth looks like or how it might unfold.

Helping this group of people find easy, accessible pathways to connect with others can be the fuel to spiritual growth. Jesus said, “Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). For many on the fringe, finding a place to read the Scriptures and pray with a few other people provides an encounter with the living Christ in a way they have never experienced before.

 

A Plan and a Partner

Stop by the church on a Wednesday morning and you will find a young man sitting with a cup of coffee, setting goals for his personal spiritual growth. Using a resource called the “Spiritual Growth Assessment and Planner,” he is led through an exercise to help determine progress in five specific areas””worship, community, spiritual disciplines, ministry, and outreach. The assessment helps him discover one or two areas he will concentrate on over the course of three to six months.

Accompanying the assessment is a grid of more than 100 suggestions for appropriate next steps. Suggestions like reflection on Scripture, prayer, solitude, and service may move their way into his plan. Such spiritual practices are important next steps in the pursuit of Christ. We are finding it helpful for people to have a plan of action to facilitate movement toward these transformational experiences.

However, many create a plan but lack the discipline to follow through. So later in the morning a good friend sits beside the young man with a spiritual growth plan of his own. They are co-travelers down a path of becoming more and more like Christ. As spiritual growth partners, they meet regularly to help each other set goals and chart progress. When needed, they pursue accountability and provide active support to one another through the challenges of life.

But sometimes the challenges are greater than they can process together. Sometimes knowing what is next in their relationship with Christ seems a bit uncertain. So on this day, the two men decide to reach out to the Spiritual Growth Mentor Network. This network consists of men and women, seasoned in their relationships with Christ, who are available to talk to, as resources, or a push in the right direction.

Support for the Journey

Even with a thoughtful plan for growth, the ability to know what spiritual practices to pursue can be daunting. For example, if you desire to grow in your dependence on God but have never been exposed to the idea of fasting, it is unlikely you will make that next step. But with the help of a mentor, such opportunities are within reach. A mentor commits to talk and pray and empathize and suggest resources that empower people to live lives that honor Christ.

But there are seasons when, for whatever reason, we become stuck in our faith. Spiritual practices seem hollow. Our prayers seem to go unanswered. Books and messages and plans and partnerships bring little or no movement to spiritual growth. Perhaps it is because of a profound hurt, a habit that dishonors, or a hang-up of some kind.

It is Thursday evening and many are making their way to church for Celebrate Recovery. It is a weekly gathering of people who recognize the importance of some additional support for the journey. These are men and women pursuing Christ and working through a hurt, habit, or hang-up that is impeding their journey with Jesus. They gather to worship and share their struggles and pray for one another. It is a gathering of hope, a reminder that God is in the business of second chances. And with time, commitment, and surrender, what was once a stagnant expression of religion becomes a thriving relationship with Jesus.

Every day, every month, throughout the year Manchester Christian Church is striving to become a place where stagnation changes to motivation, fatigue changes to excitement, and resigned doubt turns into earnest searching. For many that journey embarks during a moment of inspiration on a Sunday morning. For others the journey deepens as a small group works toward biblical application. For some the journey finds direction from pursuing a spiritual growth plan and partner. For many it is the guidance of a mentor or the support of Celebrate Recovery that enables growth to continue.

Whatever the environment, our heart is to become a community where a stagnant relationship with God is the unacceptable exception and spiritual growth is the exciting norm. To this end, we joyfully labor.

 


 

Josh Peigh is spiritual growth team leader at Manchester (New Hampshire) Christian Church.

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