intentional faith development
is a lifelong journey!
The Journey
We are all on a journey. The path may look different for each of us but the destination for a Christian is a transformed life in Jesus Christ. Each path contains mile markers and guideposts to help us along the way. The Intentional Faith Development System outlined here is intended as a guide to help you take the next step on your journey. Our prayer is that you encounter Jesus as you travel the path, sometimes alone and at other times with fellow sojourners.
EXPLORE
Exploration is a time of curiosity when we ask questions. Who is God? What is the Church all about? Why should I read the Bible? Where can I find purpose? How will growing my faith improve my life? But questioning isn't enough we need to put into actions those things we are discovering along the way.
EXERCISE
Exercising is a time of building our spiritual muscles. We engage in activities that will strengthen us and give us endurance for the path ahead. As we gain momentum we become intentional in setting aside our own personal wants and needs for the love of God and neighbor.
EXTEND
Extending what we have learned on our journey to those who are exploring and exercising is our call as Christians to Disciple. We lead by example. We have been transformed through our experiences with Jesus and we long to share those experiences with our neighbors and the world.
The United Methodist Church membership vows to support the church through Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service and Witness can serve as guides to grow and develop our faith.
Prayers
Prayer is a spiritual discipline which can draw us closer to God. Through prayer we intercede on behalf of others who need the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Take time to consider your prayer life. Ask yourself; How often do I pray? What do I pray about? What is God saying to me and am I listening? What is God asking me to do and am I willing to respond?
Presence
Being a follower of Jesus means being in community with other followers of Jesus. We can be religious or spiritual without the presence of other people in our lives, but we cannot be growing disciples of Jesus Christ without the encouragement, guidance, wisdom, and accountability of other disciples. Christianity is not a solo adventure! In the scriptures, the life of faith is persistently communal. Biblically speaking, solitary salvation is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Being saved does not mean holding a solitary ticket for a solo flight to heaven; rather, it means becoming an important part in the body of Christ. In community we learn to love God and love others and learn how to participate in God’s transformation of the world-both now and forever. (James A. Harnish, A Disciple’s Path Deepening Your Relationship with Christ and the Church, Nashville, Abingdon Press 2012)
Gifts
It has been said if you want to know what you value most take a look at your checkbook and calendar. God calls us to be good stewards of the ‘Gifts’ he gives us such as money, time and talents. If you were to take an account of your time, talents and expenditures of money, what do the results reveal about what you value most in life? How does God factor into the equation?
Service
“You call me Teacher and Lord – and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” John 13:13-15
Servanthood is the means by which the love of God becomes a tangible reality in our lives and through which we become active participants in God’s transformation of the world.
We have been commissioned to use our gifts to continue the servant ministry of Jesus. Each disciple has a role in the body of Christ. Every disciple is called, gifted, and needed in the ministry of the church – you have been called to serve.
(James A. Harnish, A Disciple’s Path Deepening Your Relationship with Christ and the Church, Nashville, Abingdon Press 2012)
Witness
Prayer is a spiritual discipline which can draw you closer to God. through prayer we intercede on behalf of others who need the power of the Holy Spirit. Take time to consider you prayer life over the next month. Ask yourself; How often do I pray? What do I pray about? How is God calling me to draw closer to him in prayer? What is God saying to me and am I listening? What is God asking me to do and am I willing to respond?