PERSONALIZED SPIRITUAL PERSONALIZED SPIRITUAL GROWTH PLANGROWTH PLAN

Habits of the SoulHabits of the Soul

Habits of the SoulHabits of the Soul

-Prayer/Comunion With God-Regularity in Prayer Life-Healthy Diet-Sabbath Worship Gathering-Confession and Searching-Watching-Serving on the Front Line-Serving on the Front Line

Andy Stanley and Bill Willits, Creating Community (Colorado

Springs, CO: Multnomah Books, 2004), 61-62. Over the years I have noticed that some Over the years I have noticed that some people seem to equate spiritual growth people seem to equate spiritual growth

with the accomplishment of a process or with the accomplishment of a process or plan. They seem to believe that mature plan. They seem to believe that mature

Christ-followers are those who have Christ-followers are those who have endured the equivalent of spiritual boot endured the equivalent of spiritual boot

camp. If you have successfully undergonecamp. If you have successfully undergone

a regimen of classes, seminars, and a regimen of classes, seminars, and prescribed activities, you are prescribed activities, you are

perceived as mature. If you finish the perceived as mature. If you finish the list, you have arrived. You are list, you have arrived. You are

discipled. Project complete. This discipled. Project complete. This perspective assumes that spiritual perspective assumes that spiritual maturity comes at a point in time – maturity comes at a point in time –

namely, when the process or namely, when the process or

curriculum has been completed.curriculum has been completed.

Andy Stanley and Bill Willits, Creating Community (Colorado

Springs, CO: Multnomah Books, 2004), 61-62.

1 Timothy 4:8 for 1 Timothy 4:8 for bodily discipline is bodily discipline is only of little profit, only of little profit, but but godlinessgodliness is is profitable for all profitable for all things, since it holds things, since it holds promise for the promise for the present life and present life and also also for the for the life life to come.to come.

1 Timothy 4:8 for 1 Timothy 4:8 for bodily discipline is bodily discipline is only of little profit, only of little profit, but but godlinessgodliness is is profitable for all profitable for all things, since it holds things, since it holds promise for the promise for the present life and present life and also also for the for the life life to come.to come.

See Hebrews 12:1-2

Upward: Connect with

God

Beside: Connect with

Church

Downward: Connect with

Lost

Beside: Connect with

Family

Upward: Connect with God

Beside: Connect with

Church

Downward: Connect with

Lost

Beside: Connect with

Family

Luke 14:26-33 states, Luke 14:26-33 states, If anyone comes to Me, If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his and does not hate his own father and mother own father and mother and wife and children and wife and children and brothers and and brothers and sisters, yes, and even sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot his own life, he cannot be My disciple. be My disciple. Whoever does not Whoever does not carry his own cross carry his own cross and come after Meand come after Me

Luke 14:26-33 states, Luke 14:26-33 states, If anyone comes to Me, If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his and does not hate his own father and mother own father and mother and wife and children and wife and children and brothers and and brothers and sisters, yes, and even sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot his own life, he cannot be My disciple. be My disciple. Whoever does not Whoever does not carry his own cross carry his own cross and come after Meand come after Me

cannot be My disciple. cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, For which one of you, when he wants to build when he wants to build a tower, does not first a tower, does not first sit down and calculate sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he the cost, to see if he has enough to has enough to complete it? complete it? Otherwise, when he Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, has laid a foundation, and is not able to and is not able to finish, all who observefinish, all who observe

cannot be My disciple. cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, For which one of you, when he wants to build when he wants to build a tower, does not first a tower, does not first sit down and calculate sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he the cost, to see if he has enough to has enough to complete it? complete it? Otherwise, when he Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, has laid a foundation, and is not able to and is not able to finish, all who observefinish, all who observe

it begin to ridicule him, it begin to ridicule him, saying, saying, ““This man began This man began to build and was not able to build and was not able to finish.to finish.”” Or what king, Or what king, when he sets out to meet when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will another king in battle, will not first sit down and take not first sit down and take counsel whether he is counsel whether he is strong enough with ten strong enough with ten thousand men to thousand men to encounter the one encounter the one coming against him withcoming against him with

it begin to ridicule him, it begin to ridicule him, saying, saying, ““This man began This man began to build and was not able to build and was not able to finish.to finish.”” Or what king, Or what king, when he sets out to meet when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will another king in battle, will not first sit down and take not first sit down and take counsel whether he is counsel whether he is strong enough with ten strong enough with ten thousand men to thousand men to encounter the one encounter the one coming against him withcoming against him with

twenty thousand? Or twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is else, while the other is still far away, he sends still far away, he sends a delegation and asks a delegation and asks terms of peace. So terms of peace. So therefore, no one of therefore, no one of you can be My disciple you can be My disciple who does not give up who does not give up all his own all his own possessions.possessions.

twenty thousand? Or twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is else, while the other is still far away, he sends still far away, he sends a delegation and asks a delegation and asks terms of peace. So terms of peace. So therefore, no one of therefore, no one of you can be My disciple you can be My disciple who does not give up who does not give up all his own all his own possessions.possessions.

Realizing that spiritual growth does not happen by accident, I believe

that God is leading me to formulate a plan for next year in order to grow as a disciple. No two plans will be

identical. Each disciple has various spiritual goals and differing areas of growth. Plans should be personally

reviewed weekly and updated at least yearly.

1. Describe in a paragraph how you envision your daily

spiritual exercises. Things might include: prayer, fasting,

journaling, meditation, Scripture memorization,

spiritual songs, family worship, time allocation, etc.

Upward: Connect with

God

Beside: Connect

with Church

Downward: Connect with

Lost

Beside: Connect with

Family

Weekly Plan: Write down how you envision growing during a typical

week. Plans might include: attending worship service,

attending Sabbath school class, sabbathing, participating in service, small groups, additional disciplines, fasting, planning for simplicity and

balance, etc.

Accountability Plan: Who will call/meet with me each week to ask

if I am following my plan for Spiritual Growth?

““A new commandment A new commandment I give to you, that you I give to you, that you love one another, even love one another, even as I have loved you, as I have loved you, that you also love one that you also love one another. another. By this all By this all men will know that you men will know that you are My disciplesare My disciples, if you , if you have love for one have love for one another (John 13:34-another (John 13:34-35, italics mine).35, italics mine).

““A new commandment A new commandment I give to you, that you I give to you, that you love one another, even love one another, even as I have loved you, as I have loved you, that you also love one that you also love one another. another. By this all By this all men will know that you men will know that you are My disciplesare My disciples, if you , if you have love for one have love for one another (John 13:34-another (John 13:34-35, italics mine).35, italics mine).

That they all may be That they all may be one; as thou, Father, one; as thou, Father, art art in me, and I in thee, that in me, and I in thee, that they also may be they also may be one in one in usus: that the world may : that the world may believe that thou hast believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I which thou gavest me I have given them; that have given them; that they may be one, even they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, as we are one: I in them,

That they all may be That they all may be one; as thou, Father, one; as thou, Father, art art in me, and I in thee, that in me, and I in thee, that they also may be they also may be one in one in usus: that the world may : that the world may believe that thou hast believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I which thou gavest me I have given them; that have given them; that they may be one, even they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, as we are one: I in them,

and thou in me, that and thou in me, that they may be made they may be made perfect in one; and perfect in one; and that the world may that the world may know that thou hast know that thou hast sent me, and hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou loved them, as thou hast loved me (John hast loved me (John 17:21-23, KJV, italics 17:21-23, KJV, italics mine).mine).

and thou in me, that and thou in me, that they may be made they may be made perfect in one; and perfect in one; and that the world may that the world may know that thou hast know that thou hast sent me, and hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou loved them, as thou hast loved me (John hast loved me (John 17:21-23, KJV, italics 17:21-23, KJV, italics mine).mine).

Upward: Connect with

God

Beside: Connect with

Church

Downward: Connect with Lost

Beside: Connect with

Family

Matthew 4:19 Jesus Matthew 4:19 Jesus says to his disciples, says to his disciples, "Follow Me, and I will "Follow Me, and I will make you make you fishers of fishers of menmen”” (italics mine). (italics mine). The Great Commission The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 of Matthew 28:18-20 explains to believers explains to believers what they are to be what they are to be about.about.

Matthew 4:19 Jesus Matthew 4:19 Jesus says to his disciples, says to his disciples, "Follow Me, and I will "Follow Me, and I will make you make you fishers of fishers of menmen”” (italics mine). (italics mine). The Great Commission The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 of Matthew 28:18-20 explains to believers explains to believers what they are to be what they are to be about.about.

What weekly small group or ministry team am I planning to be a

part of?

Upward: Connect with

God

Beside: Connect with

Church

Downward: Connect with

Lost

Beside: Connect

with Family

1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

3. Monthly/Quarterly Plan: Describe any monthly or quarterly plans for

spiritual growth. Ideas might include: spiritual retreats,

appointments with a spiritual mentor, classes, time with family

4. Yearly Plans: Describe your yearly plans for spiritual growth. Plans might include: leadership

development, personal counseling, courses of study, lifestyle

simplification planning, reviewing your life core values, vision, mission and goals planning,

spiritual pilgrimages, mission trips, seminars, etc.

Upward: Connect with God

Beside: Connect

with Church

Downward: Connect with Lost

Beside: Connect

with Family

What spiritual goals do I have for this year? (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Timely) Include items 1-4. Plans might include: reading

goals, Scripture memorization, breakthrough of sinful strongholds,

new habits, etc.

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