How Series
About a month ago I read Reveal, the study released by Willowcreek after extensive research on what makes people grow spiritually. As many of you have noticed, that study is shaking things up. I think anything that makes us rethink WHY we do what we do and HOW we do what we do is healthy!
The major finding of the study was this: church does not drive long-term spiritual growth. That certainly doesn't mean church isn't important. And on one level, the primary finding isn't shocking at all: personal spiritual disciplines drive long-term spiritual growth. But the study had some fascinating insights. Maybe the most important thing we can do as pastors is function like spiritual coaches and help people develop a spiritual growth plan.
That study is inspiring our first sermon series of 2008. We're titling it How. And we want to get painfully practical and talk about how to develop spiritual habits. This would be what I call a back to basics series. Here are a few of the potential topics. If you have any ideas, add to the list.
How to Study the Bible
How to Pray
How to Set Goals
How to Fast
How to Worship
How to Share Your Faith
The major finding of the study was this: church does not drive long-term spiritual growth. That certainly doesn't mean church isn't important. And on one level, the primary finding isn't shocking at all: personal spiritual disciplines drive long-term spiritual growth. But the study had some fascinating insights. Maybe the most important thing we can do as pastors is function like spiritual coaches and help people develop a spiritual growth plan.
That study is inspiring our first sermon series of 2008. We're titling it How. And we want to get painfully practical and talk about how to develop spiritual habits. This would be what I call a back to basics series. Here are a few of the potential topics. If you have any ideas, add to the list.
How to Study the Bible
How to Pray
How to Set Goals
How to Fast
How to Worship
How to Share Your Faith
16 Comments:
I suggest: How to Serve
Hey Mark,
Love your site. Read it every day. Loved "In a pit..."
First thing that hit me was why not change the name of the series to "Why" and leave everything else the same:
Why study the Bible
Why pray
Why etc.
Provide powerful motivation before the "How". Leave 10-15 minutes at the end of each sermon for the "How".
Hope I am not being too forward, it just hit me and I thought I would share
We are re-thinking how we approach discipleship as well. We have decided to have the entire church periodically spend "21 Days with God" by focusing on one specific spiritual discipline at a time. (We got the 21-day idea from Dave Ferguson at Community Christian Church in Naperville, IL.)
We will provide resources and training during our weekend services and challenge our people to practice the spiritual discipline for just 21 days - kind of like a test-drive.
We are beginning with journaling and will provide everyone in the church with a free journal.
We are planning a series titled 'God's Gym'. It too is a series dealing with basic Christian Growth and Discipline.
Our key text would work for 'HOW' as well:
1 Timothy 4:7 - 8...train yourself in godliness, for, the training of the body has a limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Mark-
Love the idea.
Here are my thoughts...
How to Love- (Worship)
How to Listen- (Prayer)
How to Learn- (Bible Study)
How to Lead- (Serve)
If you are going to do "how to set goals" you should use this quote...no idea who its by...
"Don't start your day until it is finished on paper."
Later.
I would suggest: How to love.
I like to say when talking about disciplines or discipleship is this..."Discipine comes from Devotion, NOT Devotion from Discipline" Another words, we can't work our way closer to God, if we truly want to grow we must first have a better understanding of forgivenesss and love.
What about how to celebrate? As in building personal Ebenezers. For example, nine years ago Jesus did a huge miracle in my life, and every year I celebrate it in one way or another, such as taking my wife out to dinner and tipping the waitress 100%.
There are also things to celebrate daily, such as answered prayer, salvation, blessings, etc.
Sounds like a great series and I look forward to catching the podcasts!
Here are a few ideas we came up with in our Big Idea Meeting. We'll probably land on about 6-8 "How To's".
How to Repent
How to Forgive
How to Pray
How to Study the Bible
How to Share Your Faith
How to Prepare for the Rapture
How to Discover Your Gifts
How to Worship
How to Manage Your Money
How to Love Your Neighbor
How to Discern the Will of God
How to Break the Cycle of Sin
How to Love Difficult People
How to Stay Sexually Pure
Love the thoughts, Mark. Thanks for sharing. It seems like you do a great job of making important things relevant and reachable. john in colorado
Mark,
If you haven't read Sacred Pathways make sure to read it in preparation for your series.
The thoughts are simple but it really encourages some thought on how we can be more creative in our Spiritual Journey!
Mark, this list misses Accountability. I know you hit community hard and regularly. But long term life change happens best in intentional relationships where you are committed to brutal honesty.
Take a look at the series Andy Stanley did called "Our Spiritual Growth Strategy" from 1994. Accountability is one of the major habits for long term growth (all the others were on your list), and he spends 2 weeks on it in this 9 part series.
That sounds great, Mark. I really look forward to picking up the podcasts for those (I'm way out here in California!). One funny thing though: you've been saying for some time that XYZ message or series is a "back to the basics" one. Maybe you've just been in a basics mood lately! :)
Some great posts! I've been wrestling with those same issues since I was confronted with Reveal at the Summit. And then recently we participated in the next Reveal Survey.
I'm trying to plan my whole spring around helping folks become self-feeders and self-leaders.
Thanks for your continual encouragement Mark!
Hey Mark,
I thought about "How to Give," something about dealing with generosity. Sounds exciting! -Jumaine
Mark - I haven't yet read the book although I certainly have heard of the study.
While others have commented on topics for your sermon series, it's the study's finding which intrigues me.
What does the Bible say drives spiritual growth? Is community involved? I think the "one anothers" of the New Testament make it pretty clear that interaction with other believers is crucial to our spiritual growth. Grouplife's comments are spot on. So much of our growth in the Christian life involves putting others before ourselves. If we don't have "others" in our lives, we don't have the opportunity to be stretched in this way.
If it's true that community is crucial to our spiritual growth, and if it's true (as the study suggests) that church doesn't drive spiritual growth, maybe the problem is that our paradigm of "church" isn't the same thing as biblical community.
Just a thought.
Since you are going to do the "HOW" series, you could tie in "WHO", "WHAT", "WHEN", and "WHERE" series.
Another "HOW": how to have a personal relationship with God.
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