Guideline For Growing

General Guidelines

This section seeks to outline the “why” behind these activities and provide some ideas to get you started if you’ve never tried them before.

Listen To The Sermon.

Sermons are one of the primary ways we turn our hearts to God in order to hear His invitation to us as a community of faith. If you weren’t able to gather online or onsite, or for review, you can listen by subscribing to the GBC Sermon Podcast or going to our here on our website.

One practice that is valuable when listening to sermons is to take notes along the way. This helps our concentration while we listen and our recall afterwards. Before you listen to the sermon (and this is true on Sundays too!) ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the invitation He has for you.

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Meditate On The Text(s)

Meditation is a term that brings all sorts of images to mind but at its heart meditation is about deeply and imaginatively engaging with a portion of Scripture. There are many meditation techniques and all of them take some time to learn. This is especially true in our day and age when we tend to read for information – quickly scanning pages and pages of information – rather than reading for deep engagement. To put it simply, you’ll probably find meditation quite a challenge!

Take one of the texts we have listed and read it out loud if you can – so you can hear the text – and slowly; more slowly than you might usually read. As you read, allow the Spirit to draw your attention to certain aspects of the text and use them as a basis for prayer.

Another technique is to ask questions of the text. The classic five Ws are a good place to start: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Remember the questions are meant to assist your focus on the text but you may find that you are reminded of other parts of Scripture as you go. Follow these “rabbit holes” but don’t neglect the passage you are meditating on.

Meditate On The Text(s)

Meditation is a term that brings all sorts of images to mind but at its heart meditation is about deeply and imaginatively engaging with a portion of Scripture. There are many meditation techniques and all of them take some time to learn. This is especially true in our day and age when we tend to read for information – quickly scanning pages and pages of information – rather than reading for deep engagement. To put it simply, you’ll probably find meditation quite a challenge!

Take one of the texts we have listed and read it out loud if you can – so you can hear the text – and slowly; more slowly than you might usually read. As you read, allow the Spirit to draw your attention to certain aspects of the text and use them as a basis for prayer.

Another technique is to ask questions of the text. The classic five Ws are a good place to start: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Remember the questions are meant to assist your focus on the text but you may find that you are reminded of other parts of Scripture as you go. Follow these “rabbit holes” but don’t neglect the passage you are meditating on.

Journaling

This is exactly what it sounds like. It’s simply a record of what you feel the Holy Spirit might by saying to you in each text. This might be a combo-practice; something you do as you meditate on a passage or as you pray. We have suggested a number of questions based on each letter to the churches to get you started. A good practice is to pick a time to re-read your journal and see if there are any themes that the Holy Spirit has woven through your journaling.

Prayer

Prayer is essentially a dialogue with God. It’s one way that we learn His ways as we speak to him about what is on our hearts. There are any number of ways to pray and it’s worth experimenting with various models. In the following menu we have provided a theme to make the basis of your prayer time; simply talk to God about the theme. This is another way for us to slow down and allow the text to sink into our hearts.

Another idea is to pray the passage. For example, in Revelation 2:1 you might begin by thanking Jesus that he is among the churches rather than distant and that he speaks to us. In verse 2 you might pray through your deeds, hard work, and perseverance and/or ask the Holy Spirit to bring those things to mind that Jesus has “seen” and “approves” of.

Don’t forget to allow the Holy Spirit time to “speak” too. This might be an impression on your heart or mind, a picture or image, or even a sense of a literal voice (often internal). You may want to jot down what you feel the Spirit is saying to you in a journal.

Prayer

Prayer is essentially a dialogue with God. It’s one way that we learn His ways as we speak to him about what is on our hearts. There are any number of ways to pray and it’s worth experimenting with various models. In the following menu we have provided a theme to make the basis of your prayer time; simply talk to God about the theme. This is another way for us to slow down and allow the text to sink into our hearts.

Another idea is to pray the passage. For example, in Revelation 2:1 you might begin by thanking Jesus that he is among the churches rather than distant and that he speaks to us. In verse 2 you might pray through your deeds, hard work, and perseverance and/or ask the Holy Spirit to bring those things to mind that Jesus has “seen” and “approves” of.

Don’t forget to allow the Holy Spirit time to “speak” too. This might be an impression on your heart or mind, a picture or image, or even a sense of a literal voice (often internal). You may want to jot down what you feel the Spirit is saying to you in a journal.

Creative Activity

We have been created in the image of the creative God and exercising our creativity is one way we reflect the glory of God. We have provided some simple activities (generally one per week) that encourage us to act imaginatively and creatively.

Text To Internalise

To memorise something is to internalise it. This is more than “rote” learning, but an opportunity to “hide God’s word in our heart” (Psalm 119:11). This is important because “from the heart comes…” (Mark 7:20-23). What we put in our heart comes out in our words and deeds. Seek to learn this verse (or these verses) by memory (and don’t forget to review from time to time).

Text To Internalise

To memorise something is to internalise it. This is more than “rote” learning, but an opportunity to “hide God’s word in our heart” (Psalm 119:11). This is important because “from the heart comes…” (Mark 7:20-23). What we put in our heart comes out in our words and deeds. Seek to learn this verse (or these verses) by memory (and don’t forget to review from time to time).

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