Ask Yourself

Ten growth questions leaders need to be asking themselves.

Holiness

Am I progressively moving away from sin?

But just as He Who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (Peter 1:15)

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)

God's Word

Is God's Word food to me and am I spending time in it?

When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name, O Lord God Almighty. (Jeremiah 15:16)

Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Deuteronomy 8:3b)

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Worship

Am I worshipping as a lifestyle, both privately and corporately?

Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only. (Matthew 4:10)

O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and glory. (Psalm 63:1,2)

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. (John 4:23)

Sharing Faith

Am I sharing my faith regularly?

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. (Philemon 6)

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. (2 Corinthians 5:20a)

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)

Stretching Faith

Am I stretching my faith regularly, stepping out of my comfort zone to a place where I depend on God?

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

We live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20,21)

Prayer

Am I daily talking and listening to God in prayer?

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18)

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16b)

Pray continually. (I Thessalonians 5:17)

Solitude

Have I been alone with God enough to hear his voice?

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. (Mark 1:35)

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:16)

When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6)

Serving

Am I serving with the abilities God has given me?

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. (I Peter 4:10)

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

Spiritual Progress

Am I farther along in my relationship with God than I was a year ago?

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Peter 3:18)

We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me. (Colossians 1:28, 29)

It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Accountability

Have I made myself accountable to another trustworthy Christian for my spiritual maintenance and growth?

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give account. (Hebrews 13:17a)

I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge, and competent to instruct one another. (Romans 15:14)

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