Free For All Friday, by Michael Eldridge

While I’m sitting at Christy’s desk these few weeks there will be several ways I’ll creatively try to pull you more intimately into some conversations. One of these ways I’ll be calling “Free-For-All Friday” and it’ll take place, well, each Friday. Free-For-All Friday is about any questions we can address. I’ll commit to offer a first response to questions you might pose and, hopefully, my response will spur your response. Starting today for next week, then, if you have questions from your faith and journey with Jesus then please contact Christy with them. We’ll look forward to seeing what kind of chat we can have.

Let me end our first week together by asking you a question.

What catalysts can you pinpoint as what God has used to grow your faith in him?

I’m referring to dynamics in life for you as a follower of Jesus Christ—dynamics that either you’ve personally welcomed, actively structured into your daily walk, or perhaps passively experienced. Here’s a better look at what I’m asking. Recently I’ve been reading a book called Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend.  Author and pastor Andy Stanley spends these pages praising the Lord for fruit born within his context in Atlanta and actually puts pen to paper to illustrate how and why they have sought to create the environment they have. There is far more about North Point Community Church’s model  for helping people into growing relationship with Jesus than I’d dare try addressing here, but worth this attempt is a list of five catalysts Stanley and his ministry team identified as faith builders in life. As they interviewed and discipled people within their context, the following dynamics emerged time and again in story after story as those God used to save and grow them in faith.

·         Practical teaching (biblical truth presented for active application)

·         Private disciplines (revolving around your devotional and giving life)

·         Personal ministry (within opportunities to serve in connection to your church or           community)

·         Providential relationships (that God has ordained to undergird your Christian worldview)

·         Pivotal circumstances (that have put your faith to the test and caused reinforcement or      growth in belief)

All of these, whether we realize it or not at times, contribute to whether or not our faith is growing. I’m asking, you then, whether you can pinpoint how God has used these and possibly other catalysts to grow your trust relationship with Christ. Would you be willing to share stories or examples of ways you’ve experienced God within them?

Considering these faith catalysts gives much-needed food for thought to today’s local churches and leaders. Stanley is quick and consistent in pointing out the fact that God is already growing Christians in our churches according to these dynamics. Is he doing this in spite of how we structure church life, though, or are we actively seeking to create environments in which we meet him in this work and, thus, see an explosion of fruitfulness by his hand? I highly recommend this read and look forward to reading your stories.