Exploring stage of Holy Friendship.

I am searching for real connection and belonging in community.

Committing stage of Holy Friendship.

I have sensed Jesus calling me his friend. I want to be a part of a community that can help me follow Jesus.

Growing stage of Holy Friendship.

I am becoming more deeply known through honest and vulnerable sharing of my life with others. I know others beyond their names. I sometimes invite others into friendship with my church community.

Maturing stage of Holy Friendship.

I actively seek close and mutual friendship with people who are different than me: who don’t look, live, vote, or think like me. My friendships hold me accountable and help me grow in ways I couldn’t alone. I invite others to experience the friendship of Jesus with me.

Exploring stage of Story

I am curious about why people believe in Jesus, what the Bible says, and what purpose the Bible serves.

Committing stage of Story

I have decided to follow Jesus and am learning about who he is, how he lived, and how to follow his way. I have a story of God’s transformation or movement in my life, but don’t know how to share it

Growing stage of Story

I study the Old and New Testaments alone and with others. I am learning the major themes of scripture and connecting scripture to my everyday life. I practice sharing my God story with others in worship and in small groups.

Maturing stage of Story

I see how your story fits into the larger Story of God and I regularly notice the themes of scripture in the world. I actively share my God stories with others inside and outside of my faith community. I lead others to read, study, and find their place in God’s Story.

Exploring stage of Worship

I wonder if there is more meaning to this world beyond what I already see and know. I attend Sunday worship sporadically or when invited

Committing stage of Worship

I have committed to regularly gathering with other followers of Jesus to worship as the body of Christ. I attend Sunday worship to be encouraged by the sermon, prayers, fellowship, and music.

Growing stage of Worship

I attend Sunday worship to praise God, to play my part in the body of Christ, and to hear God speak to me. Worship matters to my daily life and my ability to follow Christ each day. I experience challenge alongside encouragement through worship

Maturing stage of Worship

I worship God daily - not just on Sundays - and in good and bad times. I attend Sunday worship to praise God and to help others do the same. Worship is about my offering to God more than having my needs met. I invite others to come and see Jesus through worship.

Exploring stage of Ordering Time and Money

I try to spend my time and money helping people when I can, but I spend most of it on myself and my family.

Committing stage of Ordering Time and Money

I am generous with my time and money when people ask me to help out, believing that’s what Jesus would do.

Growing stage of Ordering Time and Money

I actively evaluate how I am spending my time and money, and sometimes have to make hard decisions. I begin discerning tithing (giving 10%).

Maturing stage of Ordering Time and Money

I use of time and resources reflects my worship of God above all else. I use them to further God’s Kingdom of justice and peace.

Exploring stage of Spiritual Practice

I wonder if there is a way to feel close to God and I wonder what prayer does.

Committing stage of Spiritual Practice

I believe I have experienced God’s presence. I am trying out various spiritual practices. I pray for myself and for others, asking God to meet needs as I am aware of them

Growing stage of Spiritual Practice

I can name times that I have experienced the presence of God. I am committing to regular spiritual practices. My prayers are more of a conversation with God, and include speaking and listening.

Maturing stage of Spiritual Practice

I ask for and rely on God’s direction on a daily basis. Spiritual practices help me to order my life. I teach others about spiritual practices to help them notice God’s presence, too. In prayer, I submit my will to God’s will for me and for the world.

Exploring stage of Sent

I wonder if God has a plan for my life and what it is.

Committing stage of Sent

I feel good when I help others and feel like I should start doing more of it as a follower of Jesus. I volunteer for some service projects now and then. I still wonder what exactly God wants me to do with my life.

Growing stage of Sent

I am beginning to live my life as a disciple of Jesus in service to others. I begin listening for the needs and hopes of my communities, and begin to view service as a partnership more than as fixing problems.

Maturing stage of Sent

I ask God daily how I can further God’s Kingdom today, believing that I can participate in God’s mission. I cross boundaries, wherever the Spirit leads. I encounter - and have been changed by - Jesus’ presence in others and seek to partner with the Spirit’s work in their lives.

Exploring stage of Call

Putting my identity in people, money, appearance, or achievement doesn’t seem to be cutting it anymore. I am trying to discover who I actually am.

Committing stage of Call

I start to hear and believe that I am a child of God and that God loves me. I have witnessed God’s transformation of others, and want to experience it myself.

Growing stage of Call

I am growing in self-awareness of my gifts and weaknesses. I celebrate my gifts, often turn to God for forgiveness and healing, and work for reconciliation in my relationships. I experience freedom from some things that once trapped me

Maturing stage of Call

I am grounded in my identity as a beloved child of God. I sense the Spirit empowering my service as it aligns with my gifts and passions. I am open to God’s healing of my deepest and most hidden wounds, even if it will require courageous work.