Vision Statement
Building The Kingdom of God By the Word of God. Proverbs 29:18
Mission Statement
Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo I am with you always even to the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:19-20
Strategy
In order to be truly successful, you must not only know where you want to go, but how you want to get there. In other words, you must not only have a goal, but a plan to reach that goal. Strategy comes before success, both in the dictionary and in life. Jesus had a strategy, a divine strategy, for reaching the world. His life and ministry on this earth was part of that strategy. Luke 10:1-20
* All members attend Sunday school, bible study and seminars
* Create and sustain a regular personal prayer life
* All members give tithes and offerings
* Practice what we preach
Prayer
Our prayer is that the Lord will use Saint Peter in a powerful way to save those who are lost; give answers to those who are seeking, encourage and edify the people of God around the city, and further the awareness and ministry of the local church.
Memerbship Development
It is the mission of Membership Development to assimilate every New Member of Saint Peter into building their relationship with God and his/her Saint Peter Family through igniting the Saint Peter Member into becoming an active empowered Disciple of Jesus so that they are a blessing to the Body of Christ.
The Concept of Growth
One of the clear teachings and objectives of the New Testament for believers is that of spiritual growth. When we are saved, no matter how old we are physically, we are born into the family of God as babes (little children) in Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 3:1f; 1 John 2:13 [children, babes]). Obviously, one of the fundamental needs of a child is proper nourishment and training to promote healthy growth. Thus, there is the strong emphasis in Scripture on spiritual growth for believers in all stages of maturity (see also 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18; Phil. 3:12f). The plain fact is, a failure to grow up spiritually is considered abnormal and deserving of rebuke or censure since growth is also a matter of choice.
Who is responsible for our spiritual growth? The Bible teaches us that a failure to grow is a matter of neglect for which two parties are responsible—the spiritual parents (church leaders and those who lead people to the Lord) and the individual believer himself. The following passages demonstrate this:
(1) Spiritual growth is a prime responsibility for church leaders and other mature believers. The New Testament emphasis in the epistles on teaching and sound doctrine and caring for believers (see verses below) illustrates this along with the very idea of the role and function of elders who are to shepherd the flock (Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Thess. 2:1-12; 1 John 2:12f; 1 Tim. 4:6, 11, 13; 1 Pet. 5:1f).
(2) Spiritual growth is also a responsibility for the individual himself. The following verses teach us that God holds us all responsible for our own spiritual growth to some degree. This includes the responsibility to follow the teaching and example of sound and godly leadership (cf. Heb. 13:7, 17; 1 Thess. 5:12f; 1 Cor. 3:1f; Heb. 5:11-6:1f).
The Growth Concept of the ABCs
Since we all begin as babes in Christ, we must begin with the basics, the ABCs of the Word. This idea is solidly brought out in Hebrews 5:11-6:1. The author of Hebrew had advanced truth that he wanted to communicate to his readers about the Lord Jesus, but he knew they could not grasp it because of their spiritual sluggishness and indifference. This sluggishness and indifference had also contributed to the continuation of their spiritual immaturity, the other reason for their inability to go on in growth.
They had evidently been taught the basics (note the word “again” in verse 12), but they had failed, for whatever reason, to properly learn and go beyond what the author calls the “elementary principles” (NASB), “beginning elements” (NET Bible), “elementary truths” (NIV) of the oracles of God or God’s Word. Just as in first grade, the ABCs are the building blocks, the foundation on which other knowledge is grasped and related to, so all Christians need to know the basics of the Word if they are going to be able to move on to spiritual maturity and productive Christian lives as those who can also teach others (vs. 12a).
In Hebrews 6:1, the author continues his exhortation. Once the basic principles concerning Christ are grasped, the author wanted these believers to grow toward greater and greater spiritual maturity through steady spiritual growth. They were to continue to discern between living truths of what we have in Christ and lifeless forms, the shadows of the Old Testament such as were found in Judaism in the washings, baptisms, and rituals. Note that in verse 3 the writer identifies himself with his readers and expresses his own need to continue to grow. None of us ever arrive, so to speak. We all need to continue to grow.
In the context of this passage, several ABCs are mentioned (6:1-2). Among these are “repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.” One of the fundamental problems in the church today, as always, is legalism or the problem of dead works—man working in his own steam to be accepted or to gain favor with God, and even to experience his own sense of significance.
People need and desire three basic things, which we can also identify with the letters, ABC: (1) Acceptance (we have been accepted by God by grace through faith in Christ), (2) Belongingness (as regenerated members of the family of God, we belong to God and to one another), and (3) Competence (through God’s enablement, we can do whatever God calls us to do—He gives us the Holy Spirit, our enabler, and spiritual abilities). But man’s bent and Satan’s delusion is to get people to seek these either apart from God’s answer in Christ, or just partially through Christ and partially by adding something (works).
The point is, if our understanding of God’s grace and faith in the work of God for us in Christ (grace) is lacking, we will miss the abundant life that is ours to experience in Christ. Christians must have their lives founded firmly on the truth of faith alone in Christ alone, and this is true not only for salvation from sin’s penalty, but also for sanctification, spiritual change and the experience of the Christ-exchanged life—a work of the Spirit in which we cooperate by faith.
Nature and Growth of Members
Every Christian should be growth oriented. Growth is a natural part of our being. None of us are the same size we were when we were born and many of us are not the same size we were last year. Thus, growth has taken place. Just as growth is a natural phenomenon in the physical sense, so it should be in the spiritual sense.
From the first moment we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, we receive the Holy Spirit, who performs within us the regeneration of the new birth. The “new baby” by the Spirit of God is the means by which we grow. The Spirit teaches us all things. However, if we do not apply those precepts and principles to our lives, those that are conducive to increasing our understanding and acceptance of the Word, then the possibility and probability of growth is severely limited. The result of no growth is spiritual stagnation.
What can increase growth and defeat spiritual stagnation? A few growth factors are ---
1. A persistent prayer life
2. Fellowship with other believers
3. Obedience to God’s Word
4. A serious search of the Scriptures
5. Sharing your faith with others.
The implementation of these five principles on a consistent basis will undoubtedly produce a vibrant, vital Christian experience. Scripture References: 2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:15; John 3:1-8
The Mandate for Maturity
Jesus is our supreme example for Christian maturity and growth. According to Matthew Henry in his exegesis on Jesus’s growth, “… as he grew in stature, he increased in wisdom. As he grew, the image of God began to shine brighter and brighter in him.” So it must be with every believer in Christ.
God’s goal for the followers of Christ is for us to become more and more like him. We are admonished in the Word to be “perfect” as our Father is “perfect”. Perfect in its translation sense does not necessarily mean without sun, but rather mature and complete in the likeness of God. For anyone who has God’s goal and purpose in their life and mind, it becomes his/her goal to make sin more the exception rather than the rule. Scripture References: Ephesians 4:13; Matthew 5:48; 1 John 3:2; Luke 2:52
Guidelines for Maturity
There are certain things we do daily as human beings that enable us to grow and prosper. Everyday we must eat properly, dress appropriately and many of us exercise in order to remain physically fit. In our spiritual life, there are some things we should do to ensure our continued growth and positive development of our Christian maturity.
In order not to remain a babe in Christ, we are called upon to make deeper commitments to the Master in various areas of our lives. One of these commitments is the daily meditation and study of his Word. A serious search of the Scriptures as well as an intense effort to incorporate their meaning in our lives will yield increased strength and understanding. Another commitment is communicating daily with God through prayer, thereby allowing a spiritual dialogue to develop. Then, we must permit the Holy Spirit to empower us fully, let it take control of our lives and lead and guide is in al areas. Scripture References: 2 Timothy 1:3-7, 2:3-7, 15
Obedience is one true sign of maturity in the Christian life. Without obedience, we cannot grow into the fruitful, productive witness the Lordship of Jesus Christ becomes evident in the life of a believer is that stage we reach when we recognize that Christ in us is leading and guiding us by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s not so much in how much we pray, or how much we read the Scriptures, nor how frequently we attend church services, but rather in how we live.
The Lord is calling for a people who will honor him through their living, i.e.
• how they respond to other people,
• how they set their priorities in life, and
• how they regard his Word as it relates to their lives.
Obedience is the key to a mature, Christian life. Scripture References: Colossians 3:4; Corinthians 3:16-17; Exodus 3:1-10
