I have been reading and getting insights from Janet Hagberg's books, The Critical Journey and Real Power. She does a masterful job of teaching about the spiritual stages of growth Christians move through as we mature in life and in Christ.
The first three stages are all focused on outward indications of spiritual life and the last three are on the inner life. I must admit that few churches, seminaries, magazines and seminars have much to say about the last three stages. Almost everyone wants us to be, "Forever Young".
There are almost no models of maturity among Protestants. This is deadly for pastors, churches and all people who want to continue to grow in the life of the Spirit.
When our model for ministry is taken solely from the earliest stages of Christianity, Salvation, Discipleship and Ministry Success the only ways we can be "successful" is to start all over in evangelism and building bigger buildings. That is one of the main reasons so many pastors are burned out.
I saw in the paper yesterday that a 62 year old woman in England had a baby. Most people are shocked at such a ridiculous thing. She had to get pregnant with the help of fertility treatments because God made her to be a grandmother not a mother.
Yet, almost every seminar and book on church leadership urges old men and women to try to have babies. It is not natural and they have to get fertility treatments. They should be grandparenting by now but no one teaches them how. It is a tragedy.
More later on that topic.
posted by Gary Sweeten @ Sunday, July 09, 2006
<< Home