Growth and Healing as Basic Church Functions

As you looked at this heading you may have questions. Growth and Healing are rarely a focus in sermons, web pages, blogs and books. I look for those kinds of articles and books because I want to sharpen my knowledge and skills. Unfortunately, I am usually frustrated by a lack of success.

Not long ago I was reading a blog by a wonderfully insightful Pastor/Missionary and saw that he had a list of "Important Books" on the blog. I know his ministry believes in and prays for healing so I though, "Great, I can find some good materials here. I was disappointed and sad because he reaches thousands of believer and leaders so he could be a great resource for them.

In my frustration I wrote a comment on his blog asking for him to add some good resources for education, training, pastoral care, soul care, inner healing, discipleship and so forth. He wrote back that he knew none and asked me to send him the titles of a few good books.

It hit me hard that there must be only a few people who are writing on these topics because they are not seen as important in the church. When I mention this issue I am focusing more on the positives of Christian growth than healing. I believe it is important for churches to sponsor classes, personal discipleship, materials, sermons and guest speakers on the topics of Prevention, Personal Growth, Peer Support and Ministry first and foremost. Healing can follow later but can only be carried out in a congregation with a high percentage of Mature Christians.

So far I have not taken up his request but I may now that I am writing about Growth and Healing in regards to Soul Care. We are upgrading our Sweeten Life web site so it is time to list the books I think are valuable in this regard. Randy Clark, who has a very powerful international healing ministry, asked me to write four eight week classes on Inner Healing or Soul Care. The first two are finished and stated with Level I. Courses in January. You can go to his web page and sign up.

The books and materials for my courses as well as those for general interest are also on sale in the online Sweeten Life book store. In the future we will focus on e books and e materials exclusively. They are less expensive than paper and available to download world wide. I recently updated my Monograph on the theology of healing and growth called, "The Healing Release of the Holy Spirit". It is available for $5.00 at Sweeten Life. It will challenge you to the core of your understanding of basic theology of sin, sanctification and psychopathology as well as how to reconcile Calvin with Wesley, Roman Catholics and Robert Schuller. You will also learn why Justification is not enough for salvation.

If you have any books or papers you think are good for teaching about Christian Growth send the name to me and I will check it out.

Spiritual Disciplines for Todays People

I was an adult living in Cincinnati when I first heard the term, "Spiritual Disciplines". In my church we did not think about the disciplines that might help us grow up into maturity in Christ. In fact, there was very little emphasis on growth in maturity. We tended to think of it more as growing in our ability to resist sinning.

Over the past several decades I have attended seminars gone on spiritual retreats, sponsored spiritual retreats, fasted, wrote down my dreams and done various other things to learn how to use some simple disciplines to grow up into God. I am still a novice at this stuff but I probably know more than most Christians.

That is why I am leading a time of learning and practicing various spiritual disciplines. I have found several approaches to be extremely helpful to me personally and some of them are quite easy to learn and apply.

Come to the Life Way Counseling Center in Blue Ash on Monday, August 8 and learn about "Touching the hem of His garment". See the enclosed brochure and contact us today so you can sign up along with other spiritually hungry friends.

Who Are You, Thomas Merton?

The story goes like this. An old Russian wandering Monk came across a secret army base far out in the woods. He was surprised to hear the very young soldier to bark loudly:

Soldier: "Halt or I will shoot!"
Monk: "What do you want?"
Soldier: "Who are you? What are you doing?Where are you going?"
Monk: "Young man, how much do they pay you to ask these questions?"
Soldier: "Thirty Kopecks a month, sir."
Monk: "I will pay you fifty to follow me and ask me those questions every day."

Do you know who you are; what you are doing; and where you are going? These could be crucial to your spiritual growth. Thomas Merton was a Roman Catholic Monk that lived and wrote in the Gethsemane Center in Kentucky. His books about spiritual growth became very popular in the Sixties and Seventies. He said this about who he was.


“Finally I am coming to the conclusion that my highest ambition is to be what I already am. That I will never fulfill my obligation to surpass myself unless I first accept myself, and if I accept myself fully in the right way, I will already have surpassed myself.”

Thomas Merton, Journal, October 2, 1958

The Process of Discipleship and Spiritual Growth

Saul of Tarsus was knocked off his horse by the Lord Jesus Christ while riding to Damascus, Syria from Jerusalem to persecute followers of Christ. (Acts 9:3-4) That was some three or four years after the resurrection and during a time of severe persecution of the new Christians in Israel. Along the way, Saul had proven his zeal for God by helping find, arrest and even kill those who had been converted from Judaism to follow "The Way". He was the Ben Ladin of his era. (Acts 9:1-2)

How long after Saul was hit by the power of the resurrected Lord did he move from anger, rage and persecution to ardent follower, evangelist and Apostle for "the Way"?

Today like many seminars I have taught over the years, I asked that question. Here are some of the suggested answers.

1. As soon as his eyes were opened and he was baptized. (Acts 9:17-18)
2. Three years after he was converted.
3. After he studied under, what's his name (Barnabas).

What do you say? Read the book of acts from Chapter 9 onwards to see how long it took for Saul to grow enough to become useful in the Kingdom of God. Write Saul's Spiritual Growth Time Line and meditate on what events God used to facilitate his growth.

How about your own Spiritual Growth Time Line? What events have helped you grow? We all of them positive in nature?

Write and let me know of your spiritual growth experiences. For example, I came to Christ as a ten year old boy but "backslid" during some times of youthful rebellion towards my folks. Then, ten years later, at age twenty I had a life changing experience with the Holy Spirit on a 1957 Ford with 230 horses that impacted me deeply.

I would love to hear your story.