Growing Old without Growing Up

One of the great problems in churches today is the perpetual immaturity of the members. Too many Christians grow old without growing up. It is possible to attend church your entire life and never grow into Christlike maturity. It takes far more than sermons to produce a disciple. For thirty years at Saddleback Church we’ve used an intentional biblical and sequential “catechism of life” to move people from immaturity to maturity, from “come and see” to “come and die” as Jesus did.

To live a kingdom life, we must love the Lord with all our heart (emotion), all our soul (volition), all our mind (intellect), and all our strength (physical body). We must grow in knowledge and perspective (knowing), conviction and character (being), and skills (doing).

This journey of spiritual formation is neither quick nor easy. It takes time, the Word, intentionality, discipline, community, and opportunities for ministry and mission.

Warren, Rick. 2010. “Foreword.” In The Kingdom Life: A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation, edited by Alan Andrews, 8. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.