By Minister Sonnie Robinson (August 2025)

Over the past few months, our Pastor’s ministry focus has been on spiritual growth and leadership. This series of articles will help us continue to gain information and take a deeper look at our own hearts, as we come to the close of 2025.

Spiritual growth is the ongoing process of becoming more like Jesus in our character, mindset, and actions. It’s not just about doing more, knowing more, or feeling more—it’s about being transformed from the inside out.  2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us that “We are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory…” and this transformation isn’t a one-time event; it’s a lifelong journey that happens as we:  Deepen our faith, Obey God’s Word more fully, Grow in love, humility, and truth, and Bear the fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives.

This kind of growth isn’t accidental or automatic. It’s intentional — and it’s essential. It’s fueled by grace, guided by the Spirit, and nurtured through rhythms of prayer, Scripture, confession, and real community.

That’s why it matters! Because we don’t just carry a message — we’re called to personify it. It matters because the strength of our leadership will never rise above the strength of our walk with Jesus. But more than that, we’re here to remember something essential:  Our spiritual maturity is not just a private matter. It’s the foundation of everything we do. It shapes how we lead, how we love, how we listen, and how we represent Christ in both our words and actions. We simply can’t lead others into deeper waters if we’re stuck wading in the shallows ourselves.  We can’t call others to transformation if we’ve settled into spiritual autopilot.

Let’s face it, some of us have been in ministry for years — preaching, discipling, organizing, and leading faithfully.  But even with all that experience, we can still come to a quiet moment and realize there’s a gap:  A growing distance between what we do for God and how closely we’re actually walking with Him.  That tension — that gap — is a signal. It’s not condemnation, it’s an invitation, and this is where the journey of spiritual growth begins: with honesty, humility, and a hunger to go deeper.  Part 2- next month!

Blessings!