Personal knowledge of the bible is essential but we must reject the tendency to believe that it equals maturity. Over time if we learn and know God’s word and we just keep it all in we will become like a stagnant pool. Instead we must seek to be a river whereby truth is consistently coming in and going out. Have you ever met a Christian who knew a lot but invested little in others? At times, I have been one and I have seen two things happen in this kind of scenario. One is that we become very well versed in a particular doctrine or system and do not connect it to life. As a result, there is a tendency to get very arrogant, love our pets (personal knowledge) more than we love others, and then only want to be around a very inclusive group that believe like us. Secondly, it is very easy to become stagnant. You can waste away, lose your passion for the great commission, and cease to glorify God.
I have been reading a book entitled “The Trellis and the Vine” and in chapter 7 the author notes 4 stages of growth (Outreach, Follow-up, Growth, and Training). I wanted you to have an opportunity to share an excerpt on the training stage.
Christian maturity is not individualistic and self-focused—as if we have reach the pinnacle of Christlike godliness when we have a one hour quiet time each day. To grow like Christ is to grow in love and desire to serve and minister to others. We are using the word training to describe the growth of all Christians in conviction, character and competency, so that in love they might minister to others by prayerfully bringing the word of God to them—whether to non-Christians in outreach, new Christians in follow-up, or all other Christians in daily growth. If every Christian is a potential vine-worker, then ‘training’ is that stage of Christian growth in which people are equipped and mobilized and resourced and encouraged to do that work. It is that stage in which their growth in conviction (beliefs), character (godliness) and competencies (skills/abilities) leads them to minister effectively to others.
Pray that we as a church would grow in our knowledge and practice of the word of God.
Pray that we would want people to know the whole counsel of God.
Pray that our understanding would be tempered with love.
Pray that we would never rot and fade away due to our lack of sharing with others.