Deep and Wide
As a pastoral staff, we are currently reading through Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley. Here are a few thoughts on discipleship from Stanley: We don't believe classes create mature believers. Classes create smart believers. So we have never approached spiritual formation as a cognitive exercise. We have a much more holistic approach. we determined that faith is what grows in a growing relationship. Specifically, a person's confidence in God. Confidence that God is who he says he is and that he will do what he has promised to do. . .As a person's confidence in God grows, he or she matures. It's unfortunate that someone can grow up hearing sermons and Sunday school lessons, yet never be captivated by the Scriptures. But, unfortunately, that seems to be the rule rather than the exception. There is a direct correlation between a person's private devotional life and his or her personal faith. If you capture someone's heart, you will eventually get his hand...