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I recently listened to a teaching by Reggie Joiner of Orange Leaders on the topic of spiritual growth. This is an important subject for those of us that are ministering to the next generation. It really encouraged me to be more strategic about creating environments that cultivate spiritual growth. We can assume because people are showing up that they are growing. Here is a brief summary of his talk entitled the “Catalyst for Spiritual Growth”.

1. Life-Changing Truth – Teaching applied in context
2. Spiritual Disciplines – Prayer, reading Scripture, giving, fasting
3. Personal Ministry – We gain by giving
4. Significant Relationships – Teachers, coaches, mentors, leaders, church leaders
5. Pivotal Circumstances – Key decisions, discoveries, and experiences

Check out the entire teaching here.

Why am I here? What is my purpose? Today I finished a book that addresses these questions. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren has been sitting on my bookshelf calling my name and I finally read it. I’m sure you’ve heard of it because it is has been on the New York Times Best Seller list for one of the longest periods in history.

Here are some things that I walked away with:

• It’s not about you.
• If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God.
• Without a purpose, life is motion without meaning, activity without direction, and events without reason.
• There are no unspiritual abilities, just misused ones. Start using yours for God’s pleasure.
• You cannot fulfill God’s purposes for your life while focusing on your own plans.
• Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege, and being known and loved is God’s greatest pleasure.
• You are as close to God as you choose to be.
• God’s ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development.
• God is far more interested in what you are than in what you do.
• Your commitments can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way, they will define you.
• Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
• Don’t waste your pain; use it to help others.
• There are no shortcuts to maturity. Spiritual growth, like physical growth, takes time.

So if you happen to have this book sitting on your bookshelf and haven’t read it I hope you do. You won’t regret it. The only regret I have about this book is not reading it sooner.

I’m done with eating. I’m so over food. Well, at least for the next 7 days I am. Tomorrow we are beginning a week of prayer and fasting at People’s Church. I would be lying if I didn’t confess that it’s going to be difficult for me, but at the same time I am excited about what’s going to happen. I’m excited about what God is going to do in my life and in the lives of others. One of my goal words for 2010 is discipline and I know that during this week of fasting I will definitely be developing some discipline.

My focus during this week is simply to put myself in a better position to hear from God. To hear what He would have to say to me. I don’t have an agenda to gain some “thing”, but rather experience a closer relationship with my creator.

The cool thing is that God wants to speak to each of us uniquely, but often times we don’t put ourselves in a position to hear. Is there something that you can fast this week in order to draw closer to God?