In the coaching profession, the players will reflect their coach. They will act just like him. I remember some coaches that were always whining and complaining, and sure enough, their players would be just the same. I believe the Pastor of a church is in the same position.
Do you feel like you are growing in all areas of your life? Do you feel like you are the same year after year? Are you growing in some areas but not others? When the year is over, have you progressed in your finances, your health, or in your walk with the Lord?

If you are not growing or progressing, you are not maturing and this is something the Lord wants us to do. All of us need to keep maturing in all areas of our life, whether it is personally, for the ministry, or simply having a closer relationship with the Lord.

What's Your Record?
I recently came from the world of coaching. In that profession, if you finish the year the same, or with only a little progress, you are fired! I think there would be a lot of fired Christians if the Lord used the same system.

We, as Champions for Christ, need to put aside our immature ways and start acting, talking, reasoning and living like mature Christians. Until we do, we will not grow or mature. Don't we all desire to progress in our lives?

What does the Bible teach about maturing?

In 1 Corinthians 13:11, Paul tells us, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." The Greek meaning for the word "child" in this passage is "infant or immature Christian."

In other words, Paul said "When I was an immature Christian, I talked like an immature Christian, I thought like an immature Christian and I reasoned like an immature Christian. But now that I have matured, now that I have grown, I have put off my immature Christian ways and have grown in every area of my life."

Sure, everyone starts out as an infant, but you must grow up! You must mature! Don't stay the same year after year! If you do, instead of being fired like a coach, you will be fired upon by the devil. An immature Christian can't handle the pressures of the enemy day after day.

Think of an infant trying to defend itself out in the world. It would be impossible. The infant would surely die. So will you if you don't start growing up and maturing in every area of your life!

Growing With One Another
If you are a minister or a pastor, this especially means you! Your church should not be the same at this time next year. It should grow! It should grow in all areas, such as attendance and finances. Your people should be growing spiritually, in prayer, and be getting into the Lord's presence more then they did last year.

In the coaching profession, the players will reflect their coach. They will act just like him. I remember some coaches that were always whining and complaining, and sure enough, their players would be just the same. I believe the Pastor of a church is in the same position. If the Pastor is not growing, his flock is not going to grow either.

I am a traveling minister and all traveling ministers must grow as well! We need to grow so that the anointing can grow, so people's needs can be met and the power of God can manifest like it is suppose to! I know from personal experience that at times when I wasn't growing, the anointing in my meetings was not as strong, and there were less healings and salvations.

I remember one time I was in Portland, Oregon and visited Mount Tabor—that's the place where John G. Lake used to pray and where he had a vision which he describes in his book as "The Portland Vision." After prayer there, I went back to my hotel room and the Lord spoke to me about how the church is not growing like He desires it to.

It does not please the Lord when we are the same year after year! The Lord told me that you have to endure to mature.

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