Every person is born with a predisposition toward independence from God. That disposition tends to strengthen as the child grows into an adult.
Galatians 5:17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. (NLT)
When a person accepts His free gift of salvation, then God begins a process of inward transformation (sanctification). The pace and depth of that transformational process is affected by many factors, but can be accelerated by the openness of the new Christian.
Romans 12:1-2 …, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
The intent of discipleship (mentoring / “spiritual parenting”/ spiritual coaching) is to help the new believer to understand what God is doing in their life, in order to significantly influence and accelerate that process.
Colossians 1:28-29 (Paul wrote) We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I labor for this, striving with His strength that works powerfully in me.
George Barna (of the Barna Group) in his book Maximum Faith: Live Like Jesus* details the results of a long-term research project, describing a ten-stop journey that produces robust life transformation and why most people struggle to pass the half-way mark. He observed that people are pretty random – not intentional – about their efforts to experience God-driven transformation. (Barna.com)
(Copyright 2011, published in association with the literary agency of Fedd and Company, Inc. 606 Flemingo Blvd, Austin, TX 78734, a joint publication of Metaformation Inc., Ventura, California; Strategenius Group LLC, New York, New York; and WHC Publishing, Glendora, California.)
In the chart below, we have adapted and summarized the “Ten Stops” data from Chapter 2
Watch the video below where Jeannette Meitz from DTI reviews the 10 Steps of Transformation to become more like Jesus, with excellent comments and insights.
LET'S "DIG" DEEPER INTO THE “TEN STOPS” OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
At their General Conference 2019 (Free Methodist Church), Bishop Keith Cowart said this about these 10 Steps of Transformation. "This study tells us that we are struggling mightily with discipleship. Many churches are actually 'lowering the bar' -- telling people it won't cost them to follow Jesus. But that's not what Jesus said!" In Matthew 16:25, Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Bishop Cowart continued, "Discipleship must be focused on life transformation, not just joining a church." He also pointed out that Jesus did not say just to 'teach them', but 'teach them to obey'. (NIV)
Barna says that these stops (or steps or waypoints) in our journey to wholeness can be used as a reasonable guide to help us stay focused on our growth and transformation to become more like Jesus and become spiritually mature. They are not necessarily linear, but more of an “ebb and flow” of steps forward and steps backward. And since each stop or step has an accompanying “price tag”, people sometimes go completely backwards and camp out there, rather than endure hardship or other suffering. They get comfortable in a less-demanding stop and settle for less than God’s best for them.
We also may allow God to transform us in several areas, Barna says, without letting Him completely transform all areas.
While there is so much wonderful content in George Barna’s book (and we recommend you read it and be challenged by the research findings), we want to focus on HOW can we help Christians progress on their journey to the Vital Spirituality section and not park or plateau at any one waypoint?
Note that the last three stops / steps / waypoints make up ONLY 2% OF ALL AMERICANS! That is very sad indeed. But that is why Discipler Training International has developed A Tool For Personal Discipleship (available free to download in .pdf or as an App for mobile devices on our website).
If all new believers residing in “Initial Salvation” (the 33%) could each be spiritually mentored by a more mature believer who is farther along in their “Spiritual Vitality” (the 11%), the church would have a greater impact! How does this happen? Through the transformation process, God will help them be willing to invest time and energy into other believers. (Spiritually mentor them!)
This chart shows where the DTI lessons in (A Tool For Personal Discipleship) most probably apply to help move Christians “to the right” along their spiritual journey towards “Sacrificial love of others.”
It is the believers who are in the last two “steps” who will be witnessing to the Pre-Christians (56%) and discipling / spiritually mentoring the new believers (33%), so that more and more Christians are being transformed creating an ongoing cycle of reproduction where disciples are making disciples who make disciples, as Paul instructs his mentee Timothy:
2 Timothy 2:2 And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
