Discipleship We believe that discipleship is man's activity and involvement in the life of another person which moves him or her forward in his or her journey toward spiritual maturity. We believe that all believers should be involved and growing in a disciplee/discipler relationship. We believe that discipleship should happen intentionally. Our goal in discipleship is not only to move people toward spiritual maturity but also to bring them to the point where they can disciple someone else and therefore reproduce themselves. Sanctification We believe that sanctification is God's activity in moving a person toward spiritual maturity. Sanctification will happen because of one's union with Christ. Since justification by faith unites us to Christ who is our sanctifier, justification and sanctification cannot be separated. Sanctification is rooted, not in humanity and their achievement of holiness, but in what God has done in Christ, and for us in union with Him. Sanctification is therefore the consistent practical outworking of what it means to be a new creation and united with Christ. Sanctification is not a mystical experience in which holiness is ours without effort. God sanctifies us by engaging our minds, wills, emotions and actions. We are involved in the process. That is why biblical teaching on sanctification appears in both the indicative ("I the Lord sanctify you") and the imperative ("sanctify yourselves this day"). (Ideas and quotes taken from Sinclair Ferguson in Christian Spirituality, pages 47-75) Spiritual Maturity Spiritual maturity on an external level is the consistent application of appropriate biblical principles to life's circumstances. At a heart level, spiritual maturity is defined by one's inner desires and affections. Spiritual maturity is internally marked by the inclination of the heart being consistently centered on God as revealed in Christ. A spiritually minded person is one whose will, as well as his intellect and affection, is set on God. We believe spiritual maturity can be measured by character, perspective, conviction, knowledge and skill in the area of one's gifting. We believe spiritual maturity is also characterized by integrity with personal sin issues, continuing spiritual growth, dependence upon God, and interdependent relationships with other Christians. We believe that God's will for every believer is spiritual maturity. The ultimate goal for maturity is to become like Jesus. We believe spiritual maturity is intentional; it requires commitment and effort to grow. We believe spiritual maturity comes through a variety of spiritual experiences with God. As an example, spiritual maturity will not come only through Bible study but also through loving relationships with other believers, using one's gifts to build the body, service, worship, etc. Spiritual maturity is not an accumulation of knowledge. One can have knowledge without being spiritual but can't be spiritual without knowledge. Spiritual maturity is demonstrated more by behaviors than by beliefs. We believe spiritual maturity is not only a private matter but also a community matter. It takes relationships to grow. The quality of your relationship to Christ can be seen in the quality of your relationships with other believers. We believe spiritual maturity comes through a variety of spiritual experiences with God. As an example, spiritual maturity will not come only through Bible study but also through loving relationships with other believers, using one's gifts to build the body, service, worship, etc. (Ideas for this understanding of spiritual maturity have been taken from, The Purpose Driven Church (331-340), and ISBE (2845))