Learn how you can grow in your love through five stages of spiritual maturity.
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John 12:24 NLT
Jesus was the first seed to plant His life. We are the new seeds He produced. If we plant the seed of our lives to reach and disciple others, like spiritual moms and dads raising up children, then even more seeds will be produced. But it is costly, and unless we give our lives in this way, we remain a single seed instead of multiplying for His kingdom.
Five Stages of Spiritual Maturity
Lost
In this stage we are greatly loved and valuable to Jesus. Lost is not a derogatory term and shows we are being searched for, though it clearly denotes being without faith in Christ and not yet God’s child. Jesus said He, “came to seek and to save the lost” Luke 19:10 NIV. During the time Jesus is seeking us out we could be hostile and far from Him, or we could be close to a relationship with Him, or somewhere in the middle. We have not yet repented and turned our life over to Him, receiving His offer of eternal life and complete forgiveness of all our sins. Our spirits are empty without Christ, spiritually dead, and the Holy Spirit is not living in us. We are following our own way rather than God’s. God does not want anyone to remain in this spiritual condition and is actively pursuing us.
Infant
When we come into relationship with Jesus, we are referred to in John chapter 3 as “born again.” As one who is newly born spiritually, we are spiritual infants. The Holy Spirit now lives in us and gives birth to our spirit, we are spiritually alive. Our sins are completely washed away and forgiven, and we feel new hope, wonder, and purpose. We may not know much and are hungry to grow, yet are susceptible to deception and need fed from Scripture. The devil is our enemy bent on keeping us immature and unable to do much good. Though we have a new spiritual nature, we still have our old nature at work in us tempting us to give in to sin. The enemy will work through that old nature, other people, the world and its systems and values, and evil spiritual forces. But God provides us with His power and protection through the Holy Spirit to overcome the enemy and grow in our new faith. In addition, He uses spiritually mature fathers and mothers and a healthy church family to help us get firmly established and strong in our new faith.
Child
As spiritual children, we are getting established in basic habits and convictions in our faith. We are growing in our place and involvement in God’s family. We are committed to feeding ourselves spiritually, which grows us out of infancy. Our primary source of spiritual food is learning how to read the Bible reflectively, considering how it applies to our life and putting what we read into practice. Like a child learning to put on their clothes, we grow by clothing ourselves spiritually with things like love, godly character, and obedience to Christ, living as if He Himself were living our lives. We exercise our faith through prayer, listening to God, and asking requests of Him. Our Heavenly Father is becoming more known and real to us as we encounter Him in worship and fellowship, sharing with others about what he has done in our lives. This is a stage with lots of learning and growing in our faith, where Jesus is becoming the central figure and focus of our lives.
Young Adult
As a spiritual young adult, we have walked with Jesus in significant ways. We see Jesus’ life of sacrificial service and our hearts are stirred to give of ourselves and use our gifts to minister to others in the family of God and in the world around us. 1 John 2:14 says three things about spiritual young adults. We are strong, the word of God lives in us, and we have overcome the evil one. Being full of God’s word, thoroughly reading and studying, we are daily living them out and are strong in our faith, sacrificial in our love, and solid in our convictions. We are not just strong in a few memorized Scriptures, but the whole counsel of God’s word permeates us with truth, love, and power. This brings a high degree of victory over the evil one as we walk in authority and a solid worship and prayer life.
Parent
As a spiritual parent we take the love, wisdom, and spiritual growth God has given us to help others who are lost or spiritually young to grow closer to Jesus. We love, serve, and share the good news of Jesus with lost people to help them come to new birth in Christ. Just as natural parents work to understand their children’s needs and help them grow, spiritual parents do the same to help others grow spiritually. We intercede in prayer and serve them. We comfort and encourage them while nourishing them in the truth of God’s word, urging them to follow Jesus. We are not drawing others to ourselves and our convictions, but to Jesus and His word. We are gripped by the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20 to go and make disciples.
What stage best describes where you are at spiritually?
What Others Are Saying
“Full-Grown Love is a master class in discipleship. I have had the privilege of seeing Chad’s life up close. His faithfulness, skill, and passion for making disciples is remarkable. Read this book. Apply it to your life. It is as if a master chef has finally written down his recipes for everyone to experience. Use these principles of discipleship in your own life and watch your world change in the most beautiful way.”
– Daniel Grothe, Associate Senior Pastor, New Life Church,
Colorado Springs, Author of Chasing Wisdom, and The Power of Place
“In the twenty years I have known Chad, his ministry has been marked by three things: his faithfulness to the Word of God, his love for the church, and his passion for making disciples. This book is the overflow of all three. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.”
– Dan Smith (one of Chad’s spiritual fathers)
“Full Grown Love is a powerful and compelling book! It is a message that has been birthed from decades of prayer, study, and ministry experience. Not only did this message strengthen and inspire me, but I’m watching it produce tremendous fruit with the men of our church.”
– Gabe Jenkins, Men’s Pastor of New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Author of Deep Waters
“Chad Jeffreys work with Full Grown Love is important and timely. The Great Commission is a profound privilege the Lord entrusts to His followers. Few believers today are well equipped to make disciples. Full Grown Love will help remedy that! Chad’s stories will stick with you long after you’ve finished this book. Both from the heart and full of wisdom from Scripture, read expecting to grow as a disciple-maker and to help others do the same.”
– Darren Lindblom, US Deputy Director, Navigators First Responder Ministry
“Chad and Wendy Jeffreys are some of my favorite people. Saints who know God and have walked with him for many years. In these pages you’ll find wisdom and practical strategies for growing up into the Full Grown Love of a true disciple from someone who has earned the right to speak it.”
– Andrew Arndt, Lead Pastor, New Life East, Colorado Springs, Author of All Flame, and Streams in the Wasteland
“Full Grown Love makes the case! Making disciples of Jesus Christ is too important for the life of the church among the nations to be left to chance. In this volume, Chad Jeffreys, my co-laborer and friend, speaks to us from real life experiences in prescribing a Christ-centered motivation and five-stage approach to disciple making that is borne of love, deeply relational, and decidedly intentional. A much needed emphasis.”
– Jim Mock, The Navigators (one of Chad’s spiritual fathers)
“’Go, and make disciples…’ From many years of personal experience and rigorous study of scripture, Chad Jeffreys has created a thoughtful, practical guide to help discover a lifestyle of encouraging others towards a mature, reproducing, love-filled, walk of faith with Jesus. From Biblical foundation to practical implementation, Full Grown Love is ideal for both personal growth and small group studies.”
– Chuck and Linda Block (Chad and Wendy’s first spiritual parents)
“This book is a map through the spiritual frontier. It shows from God’s Word my present point of spiritual growth, it reveals the obstacles blocking my progress to the next stage and it details practical guidance on the path to a full-grown, fruitful life in Christ. This is an essential travel guide to every believer who would seriously follow Jesus on the path of discipleship to a fruitful, full-grown life of Christ like love.”
– Michael J. Schmid, The Navigators, Military Ministry
“Like many who will read this work, my goal is to help men and women of all ages have a clear, bible-based view of their current state. And, beyond that, to have practical benchmarks to guide and gauge their movement into deeper maturity in Christ. The fruit of this teaching is borne out in Chad’s own life and through his efforts I look to see more fruit in my own life and among those I have the pleasure of serving.”
– G. Grove, Foursquare Mission Pastor
Meet The Author
Chad Jeffreys
Chad has served in pastoral ministry over the last twenty plus years in senior pastor and staff pastor roles, and three years in collegiate ministry with the Navigators where he first learned of the five stages. In addition to ministry roles and many discipling relationships, he has worked over 30 years in IT careers. Chad and his wife Wendy live in Colorado Springs, and they love spending time with their four grown children and their spouses, and several grandchildren. Chad and Wendy are seeking God to love and serve others in the awakening, equipping, and activating of laity and church ministry leaders into deeper discipleship and disciple-making in their families, churches, neighborhoods, and workplaces.
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