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For the past few weeks we’ve been refreshing our vision as a church and asking, “What’s the Point?” Why do we do what we do? What’s of critical importance? As Brian reminded us, whenever we are part of something for a long time in the same direction, things can become routine and maybe lose their meaning. This Fall Vision Refresh series has been designed to remind us of the point of it all; the purpose of what we’re doing.

To do that, we’re looking at Paul’s words to Timothy as the young pastor learned how to lead the church in Ephesus. Two weeks ago, we immersed ourselves in the reality that Jesus is the truth we cling to. He is the truth that transforms us and He is the truth we declare to the world. Our creed isn’t a bunch of words, but the true and living Word—Jesus Himself.

Last week took a look at the first of the three main objectives that we want to keep boldly before us if we’re going to share the truth of Jesus to those around us. Our first objective is to connect people to Jesus. That is our mission. That is the key and everything else flows from that.

Our second objective, after connecting people to Jesus, is helping them grow in Christ. How do you grow as a follower of Jesus? What do you do to become more like your Savior? That’s what I want to talk about with you today.

So, let’s open our bibles to 1 Timothy 4:7-10 and follow with me as I read. [READ 1 Timothy 4:7-10] (*A quick note on verse 10: Jesus really is Savior of all men in that all who come to Him are saved. Nobody knows that better than the believer. This is not a verse supporting universalism.)

Stay away from spiritual counterfeits (v 7a)To Timothy, this is a warning against heresies and man-made demands that wound the believers and stifle the growth of the people. Paul wasn’t explicit but we get hints from earlier parts of letter that there were men teaching false doctrines, spiritual myths, clinging to genealogies, commanding people to stay away from certain foods, and forbidding people to marry. Such godless teaching was hollow and useless for spiritual growth; about as valuable as the wild stories that old women told their grandchildren for entertainment. Paul was warning Timothy to stay away from spiritual counterfeits.

1 Timothy 4:7-10 “Grow: Training in Godliness”Pastor Phil Christiansen : September 29, 2013Big Idea: Spiritual training is key to our growth and preparing us for all that God wants to do in and through us.

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We are constantly faced with spiritual forgeries of every kind. From what seem like the more obvious palm readers, psychics & horoscopes, to the more covert “work to make yourself good enough for god” cults, the Christian—particularly the new believer—is at risk of buying into these godless myths if they don’t know the truth. Those who embrace anything other than the truths found in the Bible will eventually find themselves empty and far from Jesus.

That’s why Paul tells Timothy to stay away from spiritual counterfeits. And the best way to avoid a fake is to be so familiar with the real thing that the imitation is easy to identify. That’s where the second half of the verse leads us: Stay away from the fake stuff! Instead, grow in godliness (7b). Immerse yourself in becoming like Jesus, the Source of truth (John 14:6), and counterfeits won’t fool you.

The value of physical training (v8a)Physical training is valuable—you know that. When you’re eating right, exercising, taking care to drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep, your body is in good shape. You’re healthy. And when you’re healthy you can get up and go whenever the Lord calls. People who take good care of their bodies usually live long lives and have lots opportunities to serve the Lord and those He loves.

You may be young and the picture of health & fitness today—but the truth is: you are aging. If you’re older, you may be healthy, but not in as good of shape as you were when you were younger. There is no doubt that being physically fit honors God: you are caring for the body He gave you, in which His Spirit resides. So, yes! Take good care of yourself. But, ultimately, that body is going to wear out and when it does what will you have left? Will you have a depth of character that honors God and will carry you for the rest of this life and into eternity? As your body is fading, will you be being inwardly renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16)? Physical training is good—but it’s short-lived and will eventually fade.

Growing in godliness is valuable today and always (v 8b)Spiritual training, on the other hand, will never grow old or wear out because spiritual growth is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ. The same One that you trusted to save you wants to help you become more like Him. Growing in godliness will pay dividends that will positively affect every area of your life both today and eternally because Jesus is with you today and eternally! Church of the Foothills exists to connect people to Jesus and help them to grow… so that they can be available and thoroughly equipped for whatever, whenever and wherever God calls—for His glory and the sake of others!

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But there’s a problem. We, people in general, really want to be in charge. We wrestle with submitting to the leadership of Jesus because we want to call the shots. But let me shoot straight with you, friends: if you’re going to grow into the person that God wants you to be, then you’re going to need to completely surrender to the lordship of Jesus in your life. If you’re not willing to do that, then you will never experience the fullness of what it means to be forgiven and free. He created you for Himself. He created you to glorify Him. He created you to be in an intimate relationship with Him that will continue to grow and mature for eternity and He bought you with His own life to make it possible for that to happen.

So, if you have asked Jesus to be your Savior, then I want to encourage you to trust Him to finish what He started (Philippians 1:6). Let Him lead. Am I making sense?

Take a look at what some people you know and love have to say about what helps them grow.

Spiritual Growth OpportunitiesSo, with that in mind, I want to highlight several key ways that you can grow around here at Church of the Foothills and on your own. I’m going to hit a few of the big things you can be part of that will help you grow in godliness. I expect that there may be some of you who have been journeying with Jesus for a while now and you’re looking for fresh ways to grow. Prayerfully consider the book I’ve listed at the end of your notes. I think you’ll be pleased with how the Spirit meets you and further develops His character within you through it.

PrayerOne of the first things I want encourage you to allow the Lord to cultivate within you is a lifestyle of prayer. Prayer surrounds everything we do at COTF—it’s one of our core values. Every gathering, from the leadership board, to Sunday classes, to corporate worship, to student ministries meetings, all the way into the nursery with the littlest ones—our people are praying. We’re modeling the value of prayer.

I invite you to be in prayer every day and not just at meal times. Pray for the Lord’s leading in your own life. Pray for wisdom and insight in your family, finances, marriage, school, your job, your friendships and ministry opportunities. Pray for your pastors, your elders, your ministry leaders and every event that happens around here. Pray for the marriages in our body. Pray for healing for those who are sick and employment for those who need it. Pray for protection of the children who attend our schools, their teachers and administrators. The list could go on for hours.

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Allow the Lord to draw you into prayer every day—several times a day. You don’t have to stop everything. You can do it as you drive (just don’t close your eyes), as you do your family chores and as you go through life. When I hear sirens that’s my cue to pray for the first responders & for those who need help. Prayer is core to your spiritual growth. Jesus snuck away first thing in the morning for prayer. Prayer is crucial because it connects you with God. When you take time to pray, you are acknowledging that God has influence not only in your life but also in the world. Prayer is a continual reminder that you are not in charge and that God is.

Small GroupsAnother vital means for growth is being involved in a small group. We have more than 20 available for adults alone at Church of the Foothills. Men’s. Women’s. Couple’s. Stage-of-Life. Particular books of the bible. Particular life struggles. Student Ministries has small groups each week for both junior and senior high students. We even have small groups that the littlest of children are part of in their AWANA program.

Small groups are critical to your growth. In a small group, you are known (which is why some of you have a problem with it!). Jesus did His best stuff with a small group of 12 guys over a 3-year period. If you are not yet part of some sort of small group that encourages you to grow and deepen your relationship with Jesus and others, then you need to get involved with one TODAY. Don’t mess around any more. Don’t accept the excuse that you don’t have time. You ALWAYS have time for the things that are important to you. If it’s not yet important, then choose to make the right decision to get involved and your feelings will follow. I cannot overstate the value of a small group as a key means for personal growth. Not only that, if you’re not careful, you’ll end up with a bunch of friends. You’ll have people around you that will pray for you and encourage you through the bumps of life. They’ll be some of the first to celebrate the cool stuff that happens. You need a small group.

Sam was telling me the other day that we need more leaders for small groups. Some of you need to step up and lead. You’ve been in groups, you know how they work, you know what people need and you’re further down the road of faith than some others. If that’s you (and it is) then talk to Sam today. Tell him you’re nervous but willing to lead. That could be one of the ways God wants to grow you!

Corporate WorshipThis next one may seem a bit of a ‘duh!’ because you’re here, but corporate worship is fundamental to your spiritual growth. Don’t neglect this piece

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(Hebrews 10:25). We need each other. When we worship together, in song, in giving, in prayer, and in study of the Word, God knits our hearts together. We receive the same charge as Christ’s ambassadors. But if you’re not in corporate worship, we all lose. You miss out on an opportunity to declare Christ’s worth in your service of worship. You miss out on a chance to hear the Spirit speak to you. If you’re not regularly worshipping corporately, you’re missing out.

And guess what? The rest of the body misses out. You may be thinking, “Who’s going to miss me?” We will! We are a body—1 Corinthians 12 makes that clear. If you’re not here, you are missed. We miss your voice. We miss your smile. We miss the opportunity to be blessed by you. We miss the chance to pray with and for you. We miss out on sharing communion with you, encouraging you and making ourselves known to you. Be here. It’s stunning to me how many people act like this is optional. It’s key to your spiritual growth. Whether you’re in the chapel, re:new or here in Live!, be in corporate worship more often than not.

To clarify: Sunday seminars/classes are not corporate worship. If you go to a class at 930, that is not the same as gathering with the body to offer yourself in worship for all the reasons I just described. That’s a great small group experience and I’m glad you’re part of that. But part of your training in godliness needs to include regular corporate worship. There is no substitute.

GivingAnother essential practice that supports spiritual growth is giving. Giving your time, which is a precious commodity for most, is huge. It’s volunteers like you that make things happen around here. Thank you! Some of you are incredibly talented—you have musical gifts that bless the body all the time! But did you know that we still need musicians? We need bassists, lead guitarists, skilled pianists, male vocalists and drummers. We need more talented people like you here in Live!, in the Chapel and re:new.

But that’s not the only talent that you can give around here. We need artists and writers, people with decorative genius and management skills. We need gifted communicators and people who are like the Pied Piper with children. We need you to be involved and to give freely of your talent. Share your gifts and talents—they’re more fun that way anyway.

Perhaps the biggest stretch for most of us is the giving of our treasure—our money. In fact, the way I stated that last sentence gives away the attitude of many. It’s my money. What strikes me as funny is that we’re okay saying, ‘God gave me my time and God gave me my talent, but I gave me my money.’ It’s all a

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gift from Him—we’re just stewards. Everything has been given to us on loan. We’re stewards.

Your regular financial support allows us to do ministry at Church of the Foothills. Your faithful giving is an investment in the Kingdom of God—one that yields eternal dividends. Your giving has enabled us to have programs that, like Brian said last Sunday, have changed the eternal destinies of 120 people so far this year! And I found out from Danny this week that another young woman gave her life to Christ last Sunday at Student Ministries. Because you gave, yet another life is forever changed.

I know that this makes some of you uncomfortable…and that’s okay. It’s a growing edge for you. Let the Lord deepen your faith and help you trust Him in every area—even with the money He’s given you. If you don’t yet give, start with a small, regular, gift either weekly or monthly. You may need to make some changes in your lifestyle to accommodate that giving—that’s okay, too! What you’ll discover is that giving is a blessing. In fact, I encourage you to ask some people you know and trust if they regret giving regularly and faithfully. Here’s what you’ll hear from the regular givers, “It’s such a blessing to give. I wish I could give more.” Go for it, friends. Step out. Trust God in this arena. See what happens. Become a regular, faithful giver.

Interaction with the Word of GodWe grow when we pray, participate in small groups, corporate worship and giving. And I’ve saved the best for last. Your greatest opportunity for spiritual growth is going to come through interaction with the Word of God. This is different than knowing what the Bible says. Heads that are full of information about God are useless if the heart is not engaged. There are too many people who can quote chapter and verse, but whose lives, relationships and spiritual health are disasters. Yes, they know the Word—but that Word has not yet soaked into their hearts and lives so that it influences them. That reminds me of James chapter 1, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

Cally Parkinson and Greg Hawkins wrote a book called Move. Through a survey, which polled more than 1,500 churches representing more than 400,000 church attendees at various stages in their spiritual journeys, they found that people fall along a spiritual continuum, from exploring Christ to being Christ-centered—and many things advance our walks with God along that continuum.“But of all the personal spiritual practices—prayer, confession, tithing, journaling, solitude, serving or worship‐we find that one stands out…Scripture reflection—more than any other practice—moves people forward in their love for

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God and love for others.” (“Engaging Scripture is the #1 Predictor of Spiritual Health and Growth.” The American Bible Society explores key surveys for proof. http://uncover.americanbible.org/proof)What I’m stressing here is not more reading, though there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m talking about taking time to read, pray, marinate-in, muse over, create a movie in your mind, re-read and, with the strength of the Spirit within you, put that to work in your life. You can know all the facts, but if the facts don’t change you, the facts don’t matter.

There’s 18 inches between your head and heart. If stuff gets stuck in your melon, it isn’t of much use. But when it sinks into your heart, it begins to influence how you live, love and serve. That’s when the things of God become the things I’m most interested in and my life changes to look more like His. Do you see what I’m saying?

If you had to pick one thing, pick this. I’m not saying you need to pick one, but if you had to. Don’t just read it. Reflect on it and allow the Spirit to stretch you and apply it to your life.

A Word of Caution… these activities can be deadly if not surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus in your life. You can do all these things and be spiritually dead. All of this assumes that you’ve trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord. If you haven’t, then start there.

For those who have trusted Jesus you may be tempted to make this a checklist and think that if you just do more that God will love you more or bless you more. But that’s not true, friends. His commitment to you is rooted in His character not in your activity. This is not about performing for approval. It’s about responding to God’s invitation to be shaped and formed to His image. Make sense?

Wrap“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.” Verse 8 is the trustworthy saying to which verse 9 refers…not verse 10. And we train hard because our hope is in Jesus. He’s the Savior of all who come to Him—and we who have already trusted Him know that best! That’s verse 10. Physical training is ok. But spiritual training is where it’s at. And we exist to connect people to Jesus and help them to grow. That’s the point!

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Suggestion for further growth: Spiritual Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups on the Twelve Spiritual Disciplines, Edited by Richard Foster and Emilie Griffin.

© Church of the Foothills 2013