Trying to grow spiritually without hearing the truth about yourself from somebody else is like trying to do brain surgery on yourself without a mirror. As a believer, I desperately need you, and you desperately need me. Paul says there is only one way to spiritually grow up: speaking the truth, but I must do it with humility and brokenness. I must do it with deep abiding love for my brother.

The world today tells us that all that we have is ours because we earned it and that we get to use it to do whatever we want. God has other plans for our time, skills, talent, possessions and wealth, all things that He has provided us as a blessing from Him. They are not ours to hoard, but ours to share...we are blessed by God that we might bless others in turn.

Sometimes adults make foolish decisions, but we don't have to respond with more foolishness. Joe outlines how David took a mature approach in responding to his own foolish decision, and set the example for us to do the same.

Adolescents tend to get a bad rap...but as Joe points out, the Bible has a thing or two to say to us about some ways we would do well to learn from them.

Joe talks about the stage of growth in faith most likened to childhood...and the key differences between childishness and childlikeness.

Joe shares how the Christian's faith journey starts with a period of birth and infancy, in part two of this series. He points out that, as Eugene Peterson has said, spiritual maturity is "long obedience in the same direction", and this is where that journey begins.

Over several months of prayer and study, God revealed to Joe a new vision for our church. It has been confirmed by our elders, and we are very excited about where God is leading us. Just as God gave Abram, Jacob, Saul and others a new name to mark their new calling, so God has given us a new name...we are to become Restoration Church Mukilteo. While the details of this transformation are being carefully and prayerfully laid out by Pastor Joe and the Elders and Vision Team, the framework is in place and you do not want to miss out on hearing what God is calling us to!