Spiritual Growth and the Scriptures
Ask many Christians of different ages and spiritual maturity levels what they believe is the best way to grow as a Christian, and the most common answer you’ll get is “pray and read the Bible.” And that’s a good answer. A maturing Christian continually grows in faith, hope, and love for God and others (1 Corinthians 13:13; Matthew 22:36-40). Prayer and Scripture reading are foundational to the spiritual growth of all believers. In the book Move: What 1,000 Churches Reveal About Spiritual Growth, authors Hawkins and Parkinson describe research conducted on 250,000 people at 1,000 churches. The study looked at 50 different factors that impact spiritual growth (defined as loving God and loving others). Their findings? Nothing has a greater impact on spiritual growth than reflection on Scripture. . . . If churches could do only one thing to help people at all levels of spiritual maturity grow in their relationship with Christ, their choice is clear. They would inspire, encourage, and equip their people to read the Bible—specifically, to reflect on Scripture for meaning in their lives. . . . The Bible is the most powerful catalyst for spiritual growth. The Bible’s power to advance spiritual growth is unrivalled by anything else we’ve discovered.
So we invite you to engage scripture in your daily devotion to God. There are many resources you can use to enhance your time in God’s Word. Here are but a few resources that can help you deepen your study.
You Version – https://www.youversion.com/
The Humanity of Jesus – FaithGateway
