Today, we have many ways of defining success in life. Some define it as being a sports hero, others as being wealthy, others as being popular and well liked, and still others as being happy. How does God define success? He defines it as being spiritually mature!
How do we become spiritually mature? There's only one way, and it's called discipleship. However, statistics show that discipleship is in a state of crisis today. Many Christians are not growing in Christ and are stuck in the process of reaching spiritual maturity. A Barna study reveals that almost nine out of ten senior pastors of Protestant churches assert that spiritual immaturity is one of the most serious issues facing the church.
Sadly, what discipleship meant in the time of Christ and what it means today is vastly different. Moreover, the importance Christ and the Apostles gave to discipleship is also stunningly different than the importance many Christians and churches today give it.
Unlike the disciples who had much of Scripture memorized, a whopping 81% of Christians today don't read their Bibles regularly. Unlike Christ's disciples who were "Fishers of Men," 61% of believers today have not shared their faith in the past six months. And sadly, unlike Christ and the Apostles who made discipleship the central focus of their ministries, 81% of pastors today have no regular discipleship programs in their churches. Discipleship is being neglected today, and the consequences are crippling many Christians and churches. This book study hopes to change that!
Discipleship is a command for all believers and is our highest calling. This study guide provides biblical help for fulfilling this calling and seeks to discover what God says about genuine growth in Christ. It's both an informative and "how-to" study guide that offers practical help for overcoming the barriers that stand in the way of attaining spiritual maturity.
This study guide is taken from the book Biblical Discipleship: Essential Components for Attaining Spiritual Maturity. In order to get a larger perspective on discipleship and spiritual maturity, you are encouraged to read it as well.