God’s plan for your life is that His Kingdom grows in you until His power and influence fills all of you; every part of your life.

This is what we call “spiritual growth.” According to Jesus, spiritual growth is a partnership. God is the One who grows us, but we have a part to play by creating space in our lives for God to work. Without both of us doing our part, growth doesn’t happen (Mark 4:26-29).

Just as seed needs soil, water, and sunlight to grow, there are three ingredients we need to grow: spiritual RELATIONSHIPS, spiritual PRACTICES, and providential EXPERIENCES. Here are examples of what we might do to implement these different growth ingredients in our lives.

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Relationships: Join a Grow Group. Meet regularly with a friend to discuss the Bible. Find an encouragement partner who will encourage me to stay connected to Jesus. Ask someone to serve as a spiritual mentor for a period of time. Intentionally spend more time with spiritually-minded friends.

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Practices: Commit to a Bible Reading Plan. Pray regularly. Journal on the Bible or other life experiences. Spend time in solitude. Practice silence or fasting. Make Sabbath morning worship a weekly priority. Serve regularly at church. Give financially in more systematic or sacrificial ways.

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Experiences: Plan a personal spiritual retreat. Go on a mission trip. Look for opportunities to share my faith. Invite 5 people to church. Join the family of God through baptism. Join Newday’s Doctrine or Hunger class. Serve in the community. Join a Community Outreach project.