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5/13/09 by Jonathan Brink Categories :
Spiritual Formation

Defining Spiritual Maturity

Recently the Barna Group published a survey asking both pastors and parishioners how each defines a “healthy, spiritually mature follower of Jesus.”  And the results were fairly sad.  The Christian Post covered the story and some of the results.

“Some defined it as having a relationship with Jesus (21 percent), following rules and being obedient (15 percent), living a moral lifestyle (14 percent), possessing concern about others (13 percent), being involved in spiritual disciplines (13 percent), applying the Bible (12 percent), being spiritual or having belief (8 percent), sharing their faith with others (6 percent), and being involved in church activities (5 percent).”

What is noticeably missing is the practice of love. It’s interesting that we have gotten so far away from the simplicity of following Jesus, who commanded us to love and trust.  It always came down to the fruit, which revealed maturity in our lives.

It feels like we are trying to make hard, what is made to be simple.  It’s not easy, but it is simple.

David Kinnaman, who led the study went on to say,

“As people begin to realize that the concepts and practices of spiritual maturity have been underdeveloped, the Christian community is likely to enter a time of renewed emphasis on discipleship, soul care, the tensions of truth and grace, the so-called ‘fruits’ of the spiritual life, and the practices of spiritual disciplines.”

I think David gets it.  We have to go back to the fruit.  As human beings designed in the image of God we are created for love and trust, to be in relationship, and to be creative in those pursuits.  Maybe it’s as simple as Jesus’ own words.

John 13:34-35 - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”


Comments

Paul Sheneman 5/13/09

Is love simple?

I tend to think that “love” is an unhelpful term at times in our culture because we have lumped such a large range of experiences of that reality into one word. I suppose that “cruciform love” might allow for a more precise description but then it would make “love” more complicated and difficult.

Jonathan Brink 5/13/09

Paul, I do think love is simple. The problem and burden is not in the word but in the responsibility of removing the baggage we’ve picked up with the word. Jesus said, love. So are we to avoid that love if we’ve gotten it wrong? I think it’s better to figure out what Jesus really meant rather than to avoid the word.

In Thrive, we define love as any action that validates, holds or restores someone’s dignity. This, we hold, is the core of love. It addresses the fundamental problem of the curse in the Garden.

But I don’t think it’s easy. Love is only possible when we have first been loved by God.

Paul Sheneman 5/13/09

Thanks for your insights.

I don’t want to ignore anything that Jesus did or said. But I also want to be honest about the complexity that comes with understanding him in light of my culture and my broken thinking.

I find your definition of “love” interesting. How do you all at Thrive understand “dignity”?

Jonathan Brink 5/13/09

Paul, dignity is our inherent value and worth established in Genesis by God. It is based in God’s words, It is very good, and is validated in the cross.

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