Are we growing as Christians and as a church? This is a good question and one we should constantly be challenging ourselves with. I was recently reading an excellent blog from Tim Chester, a pastor and writer who I find very helpful. This is what he says as he considers the sort of questions we should be asking ourselves to ascertain if we are growing spiritually.

1. God: Are you God-centred?
Do people often extol the goodness and greatness of God to one another in normal conversation? Is prayer a regular feature of your life together? Do people pray as and when issues arise and not just in ‘prayer meetings’? When you pray, do most people in the community contribute? Is it sometimes difficult to contribute to times of community prayer because everyone wants to pray? Do your prayer requests focus on God and his glory rather than upon you and your comfort?

2. Love: Are you other-centred?

Are you sharing your lives together? Do people see one another between scheduled meetings? Do most people eat with other members of the community at least twice a week? Are people helping one another in practical ways like doing chores for one another? Do people feel a sense of responsibility to and for one another? Do people use the language of ‘we’ rather than ‘you’ (‘We should …’ rather than ‘You should …’)? Do people share their time and money? Are people willing to discuss their time and money? Do people open their homes to one another? Do people make decisions with regard to the community and in consultation with the community?

3. The Bible: Are you word-centred?

Is there a hunger for God’s word and an excitement when it is taught? Is the word often discussed outside scheduled Bible studies? Are people meeting up to read the Bible together? Is there a process of learning together? Is there evidence of the word changing individual lives and the life of the community as a whole? Do people speak the truth in love when others face pastoral issues? Do people repent of their negative behaviour and emotions (like anxiety, complaining, fear of others, self-justification, bitterness, anger, selfishness) and look to the truth about God (that God is in control, God is good, God is gracious, God is to be feared more than people) rather than blaming their circumstances? Are people rebuking one another with the truth?

4. Grace: Are you grace-centred?

Are people open about their sin and struggles rather than there being a culture of pretending? Is community life messy rather than sanitised and respectable? Are broken people attracted to your community? Is conflict open rather than suppressed? Is forgiveness and reconciliation actively pursued? Do you constantly return to the cross in your conversation, prayers and praise?

5. Mission: Are you mission-centred?

Do you have regular contact with unbelievers? Are unbelievers involved in the life of the community? Do unbelievers see your love for one another? Does your community life raise questions in the minds of unbelievers? Are you having opportunities for gospel conversations? Are you taking those opportunities? Are evangelistic opportunities celebrated by the community and made a matter for prayer? Are you crossing cultural boundaries? Do you have relationships with marginalised people? Are you trusting in God’s sovereignty rather than trying to do his work of conversation or worrying about ‘results’?

The word ‘you’ above is normally plural – i.e. you as a community. But I think the questions could also be used to explore an individual’s participation in community by taking the ‘you’ as singular.

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