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 | 2025
This Trimester, our Spiritual Growth Theme is Magnanimity. We’ll take big steps to start off 2025 as we learn to live a great-hearted life. Each teaching series will provide practical and unique wisdom on living generously, humbly, and gracefully, no matter your circumstances. Here is what to expect over the next few months:
​
Series 1: Magnanimous: Big Heart - Big Life
Launches Sunday, January 12
Discover how to approach each day with a big heart, even when facing challenges. This 5-week series will explore and provide practical steps to living a truly great life — one inspired by the transformative power of growing into the fullness of Christ.
​
Series 2: The Who’s Next Project
Launches Sunday, February 16
The Who’s Next Project will encourage each of us to embrace a magnanimous mindset as we consider the future generations of The Life Christian Church. This series will reflect on the legacy of faith being created at TLCC and the unique roles each of us is called to play in this legacy as we step into an exciting new chapter of TLCC’s story.
​
Series 3: The Lord Give You Peace: 28 Days of Shalom
Launches Sunday, March 9
Encounter the rich depths of God’s shalom as we discover and explore the heart of God’s true peace and holistic well-being. This series, based on Pastor Terry’s new book God’s Peace and Well-Being The Lord Give You Peace: A 28-Day Journey To Thrive In God’s Shalom, will lay out a clear path to help you stop struggling against anxiety, fear, and shame, and instead experience the Lord’s productive flourishing and happy fulfillment in your life, relationships, and community and lives— blessing us so that we may bless others.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH PLAN
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. Use this page to learn more, or engage in each of these practices, resources and opportunities for community and service.
​
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.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL / RECOMMENDED READING
This trimester, our spiritual growth journey includes three impactful devotional practices to
deepen our faith and connection with God:
Series 1: Christian Mindfulness: Strengthen your spiritual formation using the Reflect: Christian Mindfulness App, featuring Biblical meditations and guided prayers. A Prayer &
Fasting Guide is available for the Week of Prayer and Fasting.
Series 2: TLCC Devotionals: Enrich your daily walk with meaningfully devotionals crafted by our TLCC Pastoral and Writing Team.
Series 3: Pastor Terry’s New Book: Engage with The Lord Give You Peace as both a devotional guide and recommended reading to explore God’s peace. Copies are available in the Resource Lounge (West Orange Campus) on Sundays or online. Series starts March 9.
Participate in life together.
BOOK CLUBS
This Trimester, we are going to have a special way of engaging in community through Book Clubs. During our third series, The Lord Give You Peace, we will have many Book Club
opportunities available for you, so you can work toward peace through reading the
book alongside community. If you are interested in joining or leading a Book Club in March, visit TLCC.org/Groups or click Live In Community.
LIFE TEAMS
Discover all the meaningful ways you can care for others, develop new skills or use your gifts by serving on a team. There are many opportunities for you to serve on Sundays and throughout the week. LIFE Teams are small groups of people that serve a vital function of TLCC through the utilization of their unique gifts, passions, and mission, all while in a family environment.
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:
Sun-Fri, Jan. 12-17 – Week of Prayer & Fasting
Fri, Jan. 17 - Soup & Bread with Prayer & Prayer / Lectio Divina
Mon, Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Sat, Feb. 15 - Christine’s Kitchen
Sun, Feb. 16 - The Who’s Next Project Series Launch
Fri, Feb. 21 - The Life Christian Church en Español Noche de Amistad (Night Of Friendship)
Sat, Mar. 1 - Newark YMCA Birthday Club
Weds, Mar. 5 - Ash Wednesday
Sun, Mar. 9 - The Lord Give You Peace Series Launch / Communion
Sun, Mar. 9 - The Life Christian Church en Español Official Launch
Sat, Apr. 12 - Christine’s Kitchen
Sun, Apr. 13 - Palm Sunday
Fri, Apr. 18 - Good Friday / Communion
Sun, Apr. 20 - Easter Sunday / KPort Kids’ Eggstravaganza
Thurs, May 1 - National Day of Prayer
Sun, May 4 - Baptism Sunday
Sat, May 10 - +Life Local Saturday Of Service
Sun, May 11 - Mother’s Day