After you have made a decision for Christ, it is your responsibility to continue developing in spiritual maturity, learning to obey Christ and become more like him in your thoughts, feelings, and actions. This is God's will for every believer.
Below, you’ll find a table with some beginner, intermediate, and advanced next steps to help you grow in your discipleship. While you may need to challenge yourself to step up to the task, you also need to be realistic in your expectations, otherwise you might become discouraged and give up.
So consider starting off with a crawl step—a target you can easily hit in the next thirty days. Then you can move on to a walk step—a tangible goal that will stretch you over the next sixty to ninety days. Finally, choose a run step—something that will require a leap of faith, but through the power of the Holy Spirit will bring you to a whole new level of spiritual maturity.
When you have selected the step(s) you want to take, we encourage you to share your decision with a trusted friend who can help you stay the course by praying for you and holding you accountable. Don’t try to do this alone. Isolation can lead to procrastination. But a loving friend can encourage you if you’re feeling discouraged and help you up if you fall down.
Below those next steps, you’ll find some resources like books, studies, and bonus suggestions to help you dig deeper.
| GROWTH AREA | CRAWL | WALK | RUN |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am quick to confess anything in my character that does not look like Christ. | Evaluate your character. | Have a friend complete the Spiritual Health Assessment on your behalf. Discuss the results. | Find a spiritual partner and establish a transparent relationship of accountability. |
| A review of how I use my finances shows that I think more about God and others than I do about myself. | Give something to the church or someone in need. | Give the first 10% of your income to your church on a regular basis. | Give from your abundance above the first 10%. |
| I allow God’s Word to guide my thoughts and change my actions. | Read one Bible verse a day. | Read the Bible straight through like a story or novel. See the “Suggestions” list below for more information on how to do this. | Make a regular habit of studying the Bible in depth. You may want to get some tools to help you or take a class at your church. |
| I am able to praise God during difficult times and see them as opportunities to grow. | During a crisis, thank God for all He has done for you and how He will help you grow through this trial. Share what you are learning with a friend or mentor. | Journal about your circumstances to see how God is working in and through them. Spend some time reminding yourself of His work by re-reading what you have written. | Minister to others through the pain you have experienced by joining ministries at church that specifically focus on meeting the needs of those who are struggling where you have struggled. |
| I find I am making better choices to do what is right when I am tempted to do wrong. | Examine the areas of your life where you struggle with temptation. What are those areas of struggle and what should you start doing to avoid them? | Develop a plan for handling specific temptation in your life. Find a spiritual partner to help you. | Make confession and repentance a regular part of your time with God. Name the things you have done and commit yourself to making the right choices in the future. |
| I have found that prayer has changed how I view and interact with the world. | Pray a one sentence prayer from time to time to bring God into your circumstances. | Spend some time praying through structured prayers on a daily basis (see the “ACTS Model” or “The Lord’s Prayer” in the “Suggestions” section below). | Make spontaneous prayers a regular part of your day (see “Flash Prayers” in the “Suggestions” section below). |
| I am consistent in pursuing spiritual habits that are helping me model my life after Jesus. | Develop the spiritual habit of praying. After waking up, take a moment to offer a prayer to God. | Take a class focused on developing healthy habits at church. | Commit to practicing regular spiritual habits on a daily basis such as quiet time, prayer, etc. Have a spiritual friend help you evaluate which habits you need to implement. |