April 2015 LifeChronicles | The Measure of Maturity
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April 2015 LifeChronicles | The Measure of Maturity
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Because of Chirst, We Can.
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3 Step Strategy for Spiritual Maturity
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A Handbook for Christian Maturity
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Words of Life from Pastor G
Pastor G’s Growth Garden
WOL Mission
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WOL Core Values
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Lamar Hay & Kendall Green
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7 Marks of Maturity
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Easter Joy
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Don’t Believe the hype about Christian Maturity
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Young Life in Action
Word of Life Christian Church George Wilkinson, Pastor 460 W. Atherton Rd. Flint, MI 48507 (810) 232-5944 www.thewordisalive.org
APRIL 2015 April 2015 LifeChronicles | The Measure of Maturity
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Words of Life from Pastor G
Worship!
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The Bible reveals Christianity to be a comprehensive way of life. It is important that we become what the Bible says we ought to be. Nine times in the book of Acts, it is referred to as “the way,” “this way,” “that way,” “the way of God,” “the way of the Lord” or “the way of salvation.” A way can be a path, course or road upon which one travels. It can also be a manner, method or system to achieve a desired goal. Being comprehensive, the Christian way touches on every element of life, but it focuses on the worship of God! Grammatically, worship can be either a verb or noun. According to Webster’s Dictionary, its verb form includes such synonyms as “esteem,” “exalt,” “revere,” “glorify” and “respect.” As a noun, it can encompass adoration, veneration, devotion, supplication and invocation. Its actual definition, though, is “reverence, honor or homage paid to God; ceremonies or services expressing such reverence.” Worship thus includes both an attitude and the actions that accompany and are motivated by it. The underlying concept of worship in Scripture is that of service to the One revered. This understanding greatly expands the application of worship far beyond the walls of a building. It includes any activity done in service to and because of the one worshiped.
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T
he Easter setting let’s us know that when life challenges are significant and it seems as you can’t; remember When we are asked though why we worship and how do we Christ’s winweon worship, our answersthe areprize of often vague because take Easter releases us with power worshiping God for granted. We can provide expert professional sport analysis, define important historical to overcome the can’ts in our life. Let’s review events, and delineate on celebrities’ idiosyncrasies, but again the weekend of Resurrection Sunday. do you define and demonstrate worship of God/Creator daily? In order for our worship to be real, we must be real The women who buried Jesus on Friday about our worship. It must be intentional, inspirational, and returned to visitdaily himexecution. early Sunday morning. indispensable in our They brought spices and perfumes to anoint the body. What they found is an theattitude substance Worship is homage consisting of both of deep respect, adoration, reverence and in even aweof and of Easter hope: no stone front thethegrave, activities designed to the describe the position and worth no body within grave. They found an of theangel, One worshiped. must understand that biblically, clothed We in white, seated on the stone. the Creator initiates our worship of Him and that our “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. response in worship is merely a reaction to His insertion of Come, the place where lay”is (Mt. Himself intosee our lives. It has been saidthe thatLord worship the 28:6NKJV). intersection where God’s grace and human anxiety meet.
Christ you can. Can’t survive the struggle? You can’t, but with Christ you can. Can’t hang on any longer? Yes you can with Christ! “God’s power is enormously great for us beyond the our borders of the idea and practice of worship who believe. That power the same as right the into formal setting. In other words,isworship expands great strength Godplace, used raise Christ from the the home, the work thetobedroom, the kitchen, highway the basketball In fact, the dead”and (Eph. 1:19-20court. NCV). Theworship sameincludes the activities one that does raised as well as the formal allallpowerful force Christ fromchurch/ the missionary setting. Thus, we have the opportunity dead will turn your “I can’ts” into “I cans”: “Ithrough all our activities to show the high regard and reverence can do all things through Christ, because he we hold for the One we worship. We can see, then, that gives meeven theplays strength” (Phil. 4:13 NCV). worship a part in the quality of witness we make
angel. And, if we could’ve examined the emptyelaboration grave with we’d find something Scripture by them, the Gospel Globetrotter Paul else. Languishing in theand corner, in theofdust, reveals that we are the Temple, the worship God doomed to be sealed and buried forever… expands to any time, any place, under any circumstance. Thisyour doesstack not mean fellowshipping as a congregation of Ithat can’ts.
you asked God to help you?
before mankind.
With Christ you can face the struggles of Saints ofSet God,your we worship Godthe because He is worthy, we Friday. mind on joy that awaits worship God because He commands it, and we worship you.
God out of a consecrated compulsion. When we seek Him and see Him it compels us to worship Him!! He shatters With Christ you can endure the silence of our humanistic thinking with His glory, and deposits in our Saturday. Be patient. come spirit an insatiable desire toChrist want towill know Him.and This month bring joy in the morning. we will dive into the WOW!!! We will reveal the Way of Worshipers so that we improve our worship and ACE this life. Christ you can celebrate on Sunday. With
Worship may occur with a rendezvous with destiny or a collision His did, unstoppable love. result mayofbethe an Whenwith they they saw theThe first signs improved journey ora avacant sharp detour. Worship is the purest The same power that defeated His death will resurrection: slab, an abandoned form of God’s mission, and God expects our collaboration burial cloth, a folded shroud, and a beaming to give you life. Have you asked for it? Have make it happen.
in a formal setting is no longer necessary, but it enlarges
God buried your I can’ts in the grave of Christ. Every last one of them. You say you can’t forgive someone? You can’t, but with
He will. He will give you strength in this life and eternal joy in the next. All you need to do is ask him. Pray to God this Easter your thanks for releasing the power of “I Can” in Jesus Christ. This Easter receive your “I Can” power and celebrate the power you have in Christ overcome life challenges.
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3 Step Strategy to Spiritual Maturity
April 2015 LifeChronicles | The Measure of Maturity
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Discipleship is the process of becoming more like Jesus Christ. It is the goal of every believer and producing disciples is the command Jesus gave the church. It is also the vision and a core value of Word of Life Christian Church. Sometimes knowing the next step to take is the hardest. At Word of Life we have tried to simplify the process for you. We have a three-part strategy designed to encourage spiritual growth and maturity. Be Active The goal is to become a regular attendee of the weekly Sunday Life’s Celebrations and Tuesday Life Essential gatherings. It is difficult to take greater steps until a person begins a consistent attendance pattern. In addition to providing a worship experience and teaching opportunity, these gatherings are designed to be encouraging, engaging, and to produce interest in maturing in Christ. Be Committed Entering the commit stage of the strategy means a person takes a next step of sincere dedication to relevant relationships based on commitment. When we commit to Christ we commit our lives to learn and serve Him daily. Inevitably we will have days where we do not want to activate our spiritual man, but God desires a level of commitment that
is not like a utility switch. We can’t turn it on and off - we must commit to progressive development on a daily basis and that only evolves through commitment to Christ. Be Engaged (Serve) The final stage of the strategy, and perhaps the most important, is when a person moves from soaking in grace and truth and begins to invest love into other people. This can be through volunteering in WOL Ministries or in the community, we are Life Changers and when we serve others life changes for the served and the server! Giving to others helps a person to mature spiritually. Ultimately the goal of the believer should be to become a disciple, a follower of Christ. When one truly sets his or her focus on being like Christ he or she will become a “self-feeder” and seek after the deeper truths of the faith, more intimacy with Christ, greater fellowship with other believers and a more intense love for others. This really occurs when a person’s heart’s desire is to follow Christ completely and that is when the best spiritual growth can occur. We believe following this strategy of Active/Committed/ Engaged service represents a strategy to assist a person in maturing into a disciple for the Lord.
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xcellent for personal or group study, the Handbook is one of the most life-changing Bible studies ever developed. Apply the principles you learn in these lessons to your everyday life and you will experience the exciting adventure of joyful and fruitful Christian living.
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MISSION Word of Life Christian Church exists to glorify God in Worship by reaching people through evangelism, uniting them through membership, developing them through leadership, and empowering them for ministry.
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CORE VALUES In order to bring life to the hopeless and uplift the downtrodden, Word of Life must Be GREAT B G R E A T
is for Biblical - The Word Is The Final Authority! is for Give - Give Glory To God And Grace To His People is for Reach - Touch People With The Relevant Message Of The Gospel is for Excellence - He Is Excellent And We Are His Examples is for Authentic - In Our Person, Practice, And Purpose is for Team - Tackle Ministry Work Through Teamwork
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Young life in act Lamar Hay
Determination - Dedication - Destiny are three words that come to mind when you hear of our first student spotlight. Lamar Hay (Threlkeld) is a member of Word of Life Christian Church and a Freshman at Grand Blanc High School who’s gaining quite the reputation. He is a young man who keeps God first, strives to represent his family/church with a spirit of excellence and is convinced that nothing will stop him from being the best he can be. His favorite scripture is “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me!” - Philippians 4:13 Lamar is the 8th of 11 siblings,of his father, the late Morty Williams; However, he’s “Big Brother” to his twin brothers Maurice and Tyrice. Born and raised in Oak Grove, Louisiana, Lamar has that southern charm that warms your heart. He had his major Michigan experience in 2011 when he lived with his cousins, JT and Paula Threlkeld (who he affectionately calls Dad and Mom). During this time, Lamar began his official walk with Jesus, was baptized and became active in HYPE Nation.
After the passing of Lamar’s father, Lamar purposed in his heart that he wanted to “be something in life”, and make his father proud. So Lamar prayed, decided to pursue the most challenging decision to move back “home” to Grand Blanc, and the rest is history. Lamar is excelling in school and realizes that God will make you smart, if you do the work. He is hopeful to join the Varsity Football team as football is his PASSION and God used him in assisting his Freshman Football team to a 7-2 season last year. Once, when asked how he feels about bullying and peer pressure, Lamar’s response was unique. He said, “I’m comfortable with who I am, because God made me in His image!” His challenge to all of us is “BE YOURSELF!” He’s embracing his uniqueness and wants everyone else to do the same. Lamar asks that you keep him in prayer as he strives to capture his destiny.
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tion. Kendall Green Courageous, Charming, and Centered are often used to describe the one and only Kendall Allen Green. Kendall is also a member of Word of Life Christian Church and a 9th grader at Grand Blanc High School. He is know for his can do attitude and the endearing smile that is always plastered on his face.
Kendall is the youngest child of Kelvin and Arlene Green, and little brother to Kendrick. Although he might be the youngest in the family, Kendall is not afraid to dream big and has aspirations of attending North Carolina A&T and becoming a lawyer. He takes his school work seriously and says his favorite class has been the introductory to physical science. Kendall is thankful for his parents and says they are consistent supporters and wonderful role models. He is also grateful for his third grade teacher Mrs. Conk as she encouraged him to make wise choices at school and helped to instill the
importance of always doing your best. In additional to his studies, Kendall has a competitive spirit and a true fondness for the games of basketball and football. Kendall is proving to be not your average player and is excelling particularly well on the football field. As a matter of fact, he plays both ways on the field and this past season earned a defensive award and the title of hardest hitter. When things get tough on the football field, basketball court, or in the classroom, Kendall remembers what his parents have told him, “Son, your gift will always will make room for you!”. Kendall is an active member of HYPE Nation and loves his church family. He says, “Word of Life is a great place to come, learn about God, and spend time with kids his own age.” Please keep Kendall in your prayers as he works diligently to stay motivated and looks forward to his bright future.
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Dr. Tim Elmore shares 7 marks of maturity that can be used as a measuring stick to help our kids move past the tollbooth of adolescence towards mature adulthood. This list is not exhaustive, but it’s a great place to start an ongoing dialogue with your children: 1. A mature person is able to keep longterm commitments. One key signal of maturity is the ability to delay gratification. Part of this means a student is able to keep commitments even when they’re no longer new, novel, or they don’t feel like it. 2. A mature person is unshaken by flattery or criticism. As people mature, sooner or later they understand that nothing is as good as it seems and nothing is as bad as it seems. Mature people can receive compliments or criticism without letting it ruin them or give them a distorted view of themselves. They are secure in their identity. 3. A mature person possesses a spirit of humility. Humility parallels maturity. Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. Mature people aren’t consumed with drawing attention to themselves, and they accept the fact that they don’t know everything. They see how others have contributed to their success and can even sincerely give honor to a Creator who gave them their talent and potential. 4. A mature person’s decisions are based on character, not feeling. Mature people – youth or adults – live by values. They have principles that guide their decisions and are able to progress beyond merely reacting to life’s options. They live proactively. Although they recognize their emotions as important, their character is master over their emotions.
5. A mature person expresses gratitude consistently. I have found that the more I mature, the more grateful I am for both big and little things in my life. Immature children presume they deserve everything good that happens to them. Mature people see the big picture and realize how good they have it, compared to most of the world’s population. 6. A mature person knows how to prioritize others before themselves. It has been said, “A mature person is one whose agenda revolves around others, not self.” Certainly this can be taken to an extreme, but the ability to get past one’s own desires and consider the needs of others is a powerful mark of maturity. 7. A mature person seeks wisdom before acting. Finally, mature people are teachable. They don’t presume they have all the answers. The wiser they get, in fact, the more they realize they need more wisdom. They’re not ashamed of seeking counsel from more experienced people, from dependable friends, or from God, in prayer. Only the wise seek wisdom. Is your life marked by these seven characteristics? What about your children’s lives? How are you going to set the example of maturity for your children?
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Jesus came to earth, To show us how to live, How to put others first, How to love and how to give. ThenHe set about His work, That God sent Him to do; He took our punishment on Himself; He made us clean and new. He could have saved Himself, Calling angels from above, But He chose to pay our price for sin; He paid it out of love. Our Lord died on Good Friday, But the cross did not destroy His resurrection on Easter morn That fills our hearts with joy. Now we know our earthly death, Like His, is just a rest. We’ll be forever with Him In heaven, where life is best. So we live our lives for Jesus, Think of Him in all we do. Thank you Savior; Thank you Lord. Help us love like you! -Joanna Fuchs
Easter Joy
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April 2015 LifeChronicles | The Measure of Maturity
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At Word of Life we recognize not one area but diversity of spiritual development principles are essential for growth. We can’t think that evangelism, bible study, service ministries alone will ignite spiritual growth. No, it requires a comprehensive approach and it is essential that we measure our progress to ensure there is continuous spiritual improvement. Rick Warren describes in the excerpt below that many Christian ministries are hesitant to measure progress because they have bought into one of six myths. Maturity Myth #1: Spiritual growth is automatic once you are born again. Evidently a lot of churches believe this myth, because they have no organized plan for following-up new believers and no comprehensive strategy for developing members to maturity. They assume that Christians will automatically grow to maturity if they attend church services. Yet, the truth is that spiritual growth is intentional. It requires a commitment to grow. A person must want to grow, decide to grow, and make an effort to grow. Maturity Myth #2: Spiritual growth is mystical and maturity is attainable by only a select few. The truth is that spiritual growth is very practical. Any believer can grow to maturity if he or she will develop the habits necessary for spiritual growth. Paul often compared training for the Christian life to the way athletes prepare themselves and stay in shape. We need to take the mystery out of spiritual growth by breaking the components down into practical, everyday habits. Maturity Myth #3: Spiritual maturity can occur instantly if you just find the right key. Many sincere Christians spend their entire
lives earnestly searching for an experience, a conference, a revival, a book, a tape, or a single truth that will instantly transform them into a mature believer. Their search is futile. The truth is that spiritual growth is a gradual process of development. There are no shortcuts to maturity. Maturity Myth #4: Spiritual maturity is measured by what you know. Many churches evaluate spiritual maturity solely on the basis of how well you can identify Bible characters, interpret Bible passages, quote Bible verses, and explain biblical theology. While knowledge of the Bible is foundational to spiritual maturity, it isn’t the total measurement of it. The truth is that maturity is demonstrated more by behavior than by beliefs. The Christian life isn’t just a matter of creeds and convictions; it includes conduct and character. Maturity Myth #5: Spiritual growth is a personal and private matter. This is an American aberration of the truth. The idolatry of individualism in our culture has influenced even the way we think about spiritual growth. So much of the teaching on spiritual formation is self-centered and self-focused without any reference to our relationship to other Christians. This is completely unbiblical and ignores much of the New Testament. The truth is that Christians need relationships to grow. We don’t grow in isolation from others. We develop in the context of fellowship. Maturity Myth #6: All you need is Bible study to grow. Many evangelical churches have been built on this myth. Some call them Classroom churches. The truth is that it takes a variety of experiences with God to produce true spiritual maturity. In addition to Bible study, it takes worship experiences, ministry experiences, fellowship experiences, and evangelism experiences. In other words, spiritual growth occurs by participating in all five purposes of the church! Mature Christians do more than study the Christian life - they experience it! So if you want to grow spiritually, “Don’t Believe the Hype on Christian Maturity”!
April 2015 LifeChronicles | The Measure of Maturity
Don’t Believe the Hype about Christian Maturity!
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any Christians assume that spiritual maturity happens automatically, it is important to have a plan as it relates to spiritual maturity. A comprehensive purpose developed plan must be established and adhered to in order to observe progressive spiritual movement. The desire for each believer should be to experience a deeper level of Christian maturity.
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