Small Groups Info

Growing in Faith: Seven Steps

Here is a list of seven steps you can follow to grow your faith this year. Select one
and get started. Write it down and work on one and then move on to the next.

See how much you’ll grow in faith as a result!

Get in the Daily Bible Reading Habit

Ready to grow in faith this year? The first recommendation is to get in the habit of daily Bible reading. There are many free Bible study apps you can use to help you get in the habit of daily Bible reading such as YouVersion, LifeApplicationBible, BlueLetterBible, etc.

One of the fun things you can do is listen while the Bible is read to you, or follow along as it reads. Here are some simple first steps:

  • Decide what the ideal quiet time looks like for you
    • Best time of day, same location, where you will start
  • Stay focused during your quiet times
    • Though your mind may wander, gently bring it back
  • Hold yourself accountable
    • Start with 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week and watch it grow
  • Experience real spiritual growth
    • The more you read, the more you learn, the more you apply, the more you grow!

Surround Yourself with Other Believers

When you decide you’re ready to get serious about growing your faith, you’ll want to surround yourself with others who feel the same way. This doesn’t mean that all your friends must be growing Christians. But if you want to grow your faith, surrounding yourself with strong Christians is helpful. It will encourage you, inspire you, and redirect you as needed. Being around them will change what you consider “normal” and where your focus is. This makes learning how to grow your faith easier!

Start Eliminating Bad Habits

We all have things we wished we did not do or say often. These habits may be slowing down your spiritual growth. You might struggle with anger or impatience. You may compare yourself to others, or you are too controlling, or you don’t respect your spouse, parents, children like you should. Furthermore, you may also have questions about how God could love you like He does. Or you may struggle with knowing “Who I Am in Christ.” Perhaps there are some experiences or thoughts that you need to release and accept God’s love and forgiveness for.

Create Small Habits That Will Help You Grow in Faith

Small habits can make a real, positive, impact on your spiritual life. You can start these today. Here are some ideas:

  • Listening to Christian radio in the car
  • Using Scripture Cards throughout your home where you’ll see them often
  • Making a double batch of food or dessert and share the 2nd half with someone in need
  • Placing a Christian book in your bag so you can read it when you have a few minutes at a traffic light, or are in a line, or in place of TV. Small things can make a large difference when you are trying to grow and change some less than helpful choices.

Learn All You Can About Your Faith

It’s amazing how much you can know about the Bible, faith, Jesus and our faith heritage.
If you only get your Bible knowledge from your worship time at church, you’re missing out!
Join a small group and start to dig in.

Pray Bigger, Bolder Prayers

A question for you: If you kept a log of all of your prayers over the past two weeks, what would it say about your faith and your priorities?

  • Who do you pray for most often? The world… or just yourself and your family?
  • How often do you pray? Daily, weekly, monthly … or in a crisis?
  • How persistent are your prayers? Do you pray once or twice and then forget … or are there things you’ve prayed for for a long time?
  • How big are your prayers? Do you typically pray for big things like revival, changed hearts or healing… or small things like helping you make it through the day?

There is nothing wrong with any of these prayers. We should pray for all things — big and small. Learning how to pray more effectively is an important part of learning how to grow your faith. The stronger your prayer life, the stronger your faith will be as well!

Share Your Life with People Unlike You

There’s a risk we run into as Christians. We run the risk of living in a bubble. A little bubble where we all think the same, we all live the same, and our ideas are never challenged. That can be a pretty dangerous place to be. Yes, you need to learn how to grow your faith — but you should also help others grow their faith as well. That means loving them and being a tangible example of God’s love for all people.

Surround yourself with other Christians, and with Christian music and culture. Go to church and Christian concerts. But don’t forget to share your life with people who aren’t followers of Jesus, too.

Jesus was around people with little or no faith all the time. We should expand our bubble, too, if we’re serious about growing in faith.

Challenge

Do you want to learn how to grow in faith this year?
What is one thing you can do to start growing in faith today?