maturity – John Markum

How to treat a new follower of Christ

Posted on July 25, 2011 by johnmarkum

I find it interesting that many church people would cross mountain and sea to bring their friend or loved one to Christ. But afterwards many of these same people expect them to change over night. It just doesn’t happen that way. Here are a few things that every newer follower of Christ needs from the people in their life that are suppose to be more mature in the Lord:

Extra Grace: We’re suppose to be gracious to one another anyway, but especially to the person who has recently crossed the line of faith, we should understand that they need people to give them the benefit of the doubt and love them through some things. This often means patience as they identify themselves in the church family.
Accountability: Giving them more grace does not mean they get away with inappropriate behavior or sin. What it does mean, is that we help them see where they need growth, relate personally to their difficulties when possible, and encourage them that we’re all becoming more like Christ together.
Meaningful Friendships: The saying, “Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care” applies to everyone. Personally, I choose to take my criticism from the people who love me. So newer followers of Jesus need people who genuinely care about them as a person and not just as a “prospect” to their church.
Opportunities to Grow: We all need new challenges to take us to higher levels. This is certainly true of a new believer. A baby wants to learn to roll over, then crawl, then walk, then run, then climb. New believers don’t want to sit in a crib forever either. They want a faith that is real, and we should encourage that. Help them find places to serve, share, learn, relate, and use their faith in practical ways.
Freedom: All of us need the ability to be who and what God created us for individually. There is plenty of room for us to be different and yet unified. Our goal is unity, not uniformity. There is a difference. We can all be ourselves in plenty of areas. We should encourage new believers to discover their uniqueness in Christ. This also means providing the safety for them to ask honest questions and get honest answers.

Whether you are a newer follower of Jesus or a veteran, we all have room to grow. And to the seasoned follower of Jesus, you’re missing a huge part of your own spiritual growth if you’re not willing to love a new brother or sister in Christ into your church family. Be like Jesus and be inclusive!

Blessings,

John

You know you are mature enough to get married if…

Posted on July 20, 2011 by johnmarkum

You have a job and pay your own bills. Don’t make excuses. Just get a job!
You can put someone else’s needs before your own.
You are honest with yourself regarding the areas you need improvement.
(Guys) You are capable of leading a wife/family in the right direction.
(Ladies) You are humble enough to follow a man’s leadership without being a doormat.
You have a specific, high degree of certainty of what you want to do in life, and a realistic plan on how to get there.
You’re not trying to run from anything by getting married (i.e. your parents, job, ex, etc.)
You realize that you will not do everything perfect and neither will your spouse. In other words, you’re honest about your faults, and forgiving of your spouse’s.
You can communicate your emotions (guys) without being emotional (ladies).
You see compromises on non-moral issues as a win-win, because you got some of what you wanted, and made your better-half happy as well. Everything doesn’t have to be your way.

Signs that you ARE getting it

Posted on May 16, 2011 by johnmarkum

At the end of last week I shared a list of signs that you might not be getting it when it comes to your walk with Christ. I encourage you to check that out here. But today I wanted to share some of the signs that you are getting it:

You are excited about bringing people you know to your church, and pray for them to receive Christ.
When you hear the Word on your own or in church, you ask yourself, “What does this mean for me?”
You feel guilty when, for one day, you miss out on your prayer time.
You can’t be satisfied with status quo.
You genuinely feel as though giving your tithe is an act of worship. (If you don’t have a relationship with Christ, we don’t want your money. Honest.)
You willingly forgive others who hurt you.
You humbly seek forgiveness when you hurt others.
Your moral standard is not based on a set of rules that you should keep, but in a relationship that you should honor.
You seek to obey God in your actions, regardless the cost of others’ approval.
You are whole-heartedly sold out to the work of God in your church.
You acknowledge that faith requires action.

Notice that none of this had to do with how much Scripture you could quote or how many services you attended this week. That’s because getting it, is a heart issue. And your actions will always follow your heart. When my heart is right with God, I want to hear from Him more in His Word, be in His house, and act like Him to the people I come in contact with.

Blessings,

John