How to Lead Your Kids to Spiritual Maturity

Yesterday I was thumbing through an old book that I read over fifteen years ago called Rediscovering Church, by Bill Hybels.  The book is about the story and vision of Willow Creek Community Church.  While I don't agree with everything in the book, the Willow story is fascinating and inspiring.  

In the first half of the book, Bill's wife, Lynne, recounts the story of how Willow Creek started and grew to become one of the largest and most influential churches in the country.  In the second half of the book, Bill explains the philosophy of the church.

Hybels explains that the mission of the church is to turn irreligious people into fully-devoted followers of Jesus.  That's the mission of every church.  That's also the mission of every Christian parent.  He then explains their strategy for accomplishing this task -- by leading people to become what they call "Five G" Christians.  This can also be applied to parents.  To lead your children to become fully-devoted to Jesus Christ, help them to become Five G Christians.  

1) Grace.  Your child understands the gospel of God's grace and has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  They have made the decision to repent and trust in Christ as God's payment for their sins.  They have gone public with this decision in Baptism. 

2) Growth.  Your child is committed to spiritual growth.  They desire to become like Christ, and to fully glorify God in every arena of their lives.  Their desire for growth is seen in their commitment to spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible-reading.  

3) Group.  They understand the importance of church membership, and they participate in a small group where they are known, cared for, and held accountable by other committed Christians.  

4) Gifts.  They believe they are called and gifted to serve in the church, and they volunteer regularly in a church ministry.  

5) Good stewardship.  They believe that everything they have belongs to God.  They are faithful give a tithe of their income to the local church, and they cheerfully give when they encounter worthy causes.  

Bill Hybels wrote, "These are five specific qualities that describe a Christian who is progressing toward full devotion to Jesus.  The Five Gs aren’t a finish line or a rigid checklist to be achieved through legalistic efforts.  They’re more like a baseline of maturity that indicates a person has appropriated God’s grace and is cooperating as the Holy Spirit conforms him or her, over time, into the image of Christ."

The Five Gs are a helpful way to assess the spiritual health of your child, as well as a useful tool for leading your child to take their next steps as a Christian.