Welcome to the9ways – A Workable Plan For Spiritual Growth
the9ways is the spiritual formation path taught by our pastor, Dr. David B. Artman. Spiritual growth is the focus of First Christian Church, and the9ways serves as the path of spiritual growth and formation for members of First Christian Church.
the9ways are nine ways to grow in Christ. They are prayer, study, worship, fellowship, service, giving, showing compassion, sharing your faith, and spiritual honesty. Each of these nine ways are fundamental ways to grow in our relationship with God as we exercise our faith in Christ. the9ways initially came about in response to repeated requests from Christians seeking a practical, reliable, and workable method to mature in Christ. the9ways are not a fool proof check-list of spiritual practices since they can all be used in self-righteous, self-promoting ways. However, if the9ways are practiced faithfully and with the right spirit they will lead to spiritual growth, health, and maturity. To find out more about each of the9ways see the pages on this web-site devoted to each of the practices. If you are ready to start training for maturity see the page titled "The 9Ways Challenge."
The journey towards maturity in Christ is not an optional part of God's will for the believer. The presence of the Holy Spirit plus the perseverance of the believer results in steady, healthy growth towards maturity. The apostle Paul emphasized the importance of maturity when he taught the Christians in Ephesus that, "Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13). For more Biblical references on this subject go to the page titled "The Call To Mature".
Sadly, however, many Christians do not mature. Instead they enter into a state of prolonged spiritual immaturity which becomes very difficult to change. The persistently immature believer may not lose their salvation, but they will get bogged down in their spiritual life, and suffer because of it. If a believer is persistently immature they can expect to experience some or all of the following: anxiety, worry, fear, sleeplessness, fatigue, despondency, hopelessness, guilt, frustration, disease, low self image, disorientation, confusion, gloom, boredom. lack of passion. timidity, and humiliation. The persistently immature believer misses the sense of God's closeness, becomes spiritually stagnant, suffers decreased spiritual power, gives up the experience of miracles, forfeits blessings, surrenders ministry opportunities, is trapped by addictions, succumbs to temptations, is deprived of joy, misses out on important relationships, and displeases the Lord. Although it is hard and costly to grow up in Christ, it is harder and more costly to not grow up in Christ.
Prolonged spiritual immaturity also has eternal consequences. Christians receive salvation through faith in Christ and what he did for us; however, what we do after we place our faith in Christ becomes the basis for how we will be rewarded in eternity. Speaking of the importance of building well on the foundation of Christ, Paul taught, "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it its, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved -- even though only as one escaping through the flames." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15 ) Paul also advised the Christians in Corinth that, "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive what is due them for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10) Believers who squander their spiritual potential stand to miss out on a true experience of God on earth and also to forfeit their reward in heaven. To find out more about why failing to mature is so costly see the page titled "The Cost of Immaturity."