Our third question is:
3. How is your progress?
The Christian life is to be one of progress, growth and continual improvement – both in our relationship with God, our character, our relationships with other people, and ministry effectiveness (see 1 Timothy 4:11-15).
Progress is the end result of an intentional effort to develop yourself and your gifts. It doesn’t just happen through years of service or length of time in a ministry.
So, how do you grow as a person? Here are a few ways:
- Reading – the Bible and other writers. What do you want to know or learn about or improve in? Buy a book from someone who is an expert in that area. Do whatever it takes to gain wisdom. See my blog posts on The Art of Reading and Some Recommended Reading.
- Teaching – listen to leaders and experienced people [podcasts, CDs, Advanced Tracks, audio books, book summaries, etc]. Make your car a driving university. Formal training – get on a track of personal development and consider doing a course related to your career and/or ministry.
- Mentors – find people with knowledge and resources that you don’t have.
- Experience – the actual act of using our gifts and talents is part of the learning process. We learn most by doing.
When it comes to your skills and ability as a person, are you improving, plateaued or in decline? If you’re doing nothing, you’re in decline, because the world around us is changing rapidly.
What will you do to grow in the second half of this year? Make it a priority. Don’t get so busy producing that you don’t have enough time to improve yourself.
How is your progress?