Spiritual Growth
We want to help inspire you to live the life God dreams for you as we spread His love in ever-widening circles. Following the way of Jesus starts with a decision. Growing more like Him takes (1) intentionality, (2) is communal, (3) requires our engagement, (4) is ultimately accomplished by the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, (5) is for the glory of God, for our benefit and for the service of others. To do this, our pastoral team develops a specific plan to help people follow the way of Jesus, which includes a new spiritual growth theme each Trimester, a Bible reading plan, a recommended reading, and opportunities to commit to community and weekly worship.
TRIMESTER 1 | 2024
SPIRITUAL GROWTH THEME: FLOURISHING
"Flourishing" can be understood as a state of thriving, prosperity, and overall well-being. The imagery in Psalm 1:3 of a tree planted by streams of water conveys the idea of stability, nourishment, and continuous growth. A person who delights in the teachings of the Lord is compared to such a tree, suggesting a life that bears fruit in due season and remains vibrant and resilient, not withering away. During this trimester, Pastor Terry will teach us how we can flourish in various aspects of life, guided by a close relationship with God and adherence to His principles.
SERIES 1: LAUNCHES JAN. 7TH
Pastor Terry will kick off the theme of flourishing on Sunday, January 7, as we will learn how to delight in God's wisdom, stay rooted in faith, embrace growth and align our actions with values to live a flourishing and purposeful life.
SERIES 2: LAUNCHES FEB. 18TH
Thriving in our vocation entails regarding work as a form of worship, imbuing each task with purpose and dedication. We should actively pursue continuous learning, refine our skills, promote collaboration, and approach challenges with a positive mindset. In this series, we will examine Scripture to discover God's original intent for how we're meant to allocate our time, reshaping how we view and engage in our work in a way that has impactful results.
SERIES 3: LAUNCHES APRIL 7TH
Embark on a transformative journey to flourish by digging deep into our discipleship. Forge a path of self-discovery, unearthing strengths and convictions. Delve into the richness of spiritual growth, cultivating a resilient foundation. As we navigate challenges, let the journey to dig deeper become a transformative experience, uncovering hidden potential and fostering a life that not only thrives personally but also positively impacts the world around you.
Orienting our entire way of life around the way of Jesus is the catalyst for our human flourishing. Some routines that have proven to be primarily essential for our spiritual growth are our formed habits around the Spiritual Practices, like scripture reading, engagement in weekly community within a small group, and gathering together weekly as a church to worship God.
Each Trimester, we curate a theme-specific Spiritual Growth Plan to help you flourish in each of these key experiences!
Grow in your life with God.
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Spiritual Practices are to spiritual formation what exercise is to strength training - they are a way to grow into power to be transformed into a new kind of person. These practices don't transform us, God does by the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, however; they do create the time and space for God to do the inner work of deep transformation. Practices are best lived out in the context of community and individually. There are many practices of Jesus, like prayer, fasting, Sabbath, etc. Below are some resources available to you to help you grow as a follower of Jesus.
LISTENING TO GOD THROUGH SCRIPTURE
Lectio Divina encourages us to become receptive to the divine Word in order to form us into the image of Christ. If you desire to incorporate more Scripture into your prayer life and pay closer attention to the movements of God, Lectio Divina might be a place to start.
RULE OF LIFE
The Spiritual Practices are a building block to what is called a Rule of Life, which is a schedule and a set of practices and relational rhythms that center our life around following Jesus. We all live by a rule of life, the question is -- do we know what that is and where it is directing our lives?
This trimester we encourage you to take some time in your current state of life, whether single, married, career-person, stay-at-home mom or dad, etc., and gather with your community to develop your own Rule of Life.
Click below to download our Rule of Life Guide as a template to developing your own. Or consider using this Rule of Life Builder.
RECOMMENDED READING
Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing - Andy Crouch
Flourishing people are strong and weak. Two common temptations lure us away from abundant living―withdrawing into safety or grasping for power. Regardless of your stage or role in life, whether or not you have a position of leadership, there is a way to love and risk so that we all, even the most vulnerable, can flourish.
You can pick up a copy of Strong and Weak in the Resource Lounge at the West Orange Campus on Sundays or from any online retailer.
Participate in life together.
LIFE GROUPS - Launch week of Jan 7th 2024
Life Groups are the way we gather during the week to connect in meaningful ways in a smaller group environment. We eat together, pray for one another, and share life together. It is in these ordinary rhythms of life that we grow in our faith together. Life Groups meet both online and in-person and are centered on either learning, activities or the Sunday teaching, or a provided curriculum.
If you want to explore more about what it means to practice the way of Jesus or just learn more about the individual Spiritual Practices with your LIFE Group, we encourage you to engage in the Practicing The Way small group curriculum by visiting PracticingTheWay.org. There you'll find resources, video teachings, and Companion Guides for your group to engage with.
GATHER ON SUNDAYS
Hebrews 10:25 "We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some are in the habit of doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other..." Sunday worship experiences are the primary way we gather as a church to worship together, learn from the teaching, pray for one another, and grow in our faith. We encourage you to commit to attending one of our services at either our West Orange Campus or Online Campus.
QUICK DATES:
January 7-12: Week of Prayer & Fasting
January 12: Believers Meeting - Soup & Bread with Prayer & Praise
January 20: +Life Local Newark Y Birthday Club
January 21: Communion Sunday
January 28: LIFE Groups Launch
February 14: Ash Wednesday
February 18: KPort Kids Family Movie Night
March 2: Listening Through Lent
March 23: +Life Local Newark Y Birthday Club
March 29: Good Friday
March 31: Easter Sunday
April 2: Leadership Course Begins
April 19: Broadway Night
April 28: Baptism Sunday