On Spiritual Maturity Part 2
Mastery of the basics is the foundation of real maturity.
Mastery of the Basics
Over the last twenty years, I’ve come to believe that spiritually mature believers are those who patiently and consistently pursue mastery over the fundamentals of the faith. For most of us, these represent a lifetime’s worth of growth.
Spiritual maturity is not about acquiring information; instead, it is marked by the transformation that comes from the information we already possess.
A Distinct Character and Lifestyle
It’s telling that the requirements for elders in 1 Timothy and Titus are mostly unassuming traits: hospitality, discipline, respectability, stewardship, and reputation, alongside fruits of the Spirit like self-control and patience.
Almost none of these are knowledge-based. Instead, they emphasize character and lifestyle. Scripture makes it clear: those who bear responsibility in the church must be known for who they are, not just what they know.
Spiritual maturity is best measured through the character we display and the life we lead.
When was the last time you heard someone say that hospitality is essential to spiritual maturity?
Ultimately, the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—is not theoretical. These qualities are demonstrated in how we live among others.
The Word as Foundational
Spiritual maturity begins with the basics: memorizing Scripture and allowing it to take deep root in our souls.
Mature disciples can listen to any sermon—even one they've heard before—and allow the Spirit to speak through it. If the Word of God is preached, that’s enough. Failing to “get something” out of a message or time of worship is not the preacher’s fault—it’s a reflection of the listener’s posture.
All spiritual maturity flows from the Word of God embedding itself in our hearts. The skill of reading the word in personal study, or hearing it preached (even poorly), or talking about scripture in community, is the foundational building block of virtually every other component of spiritual maturity.
Patient Endurance
Maturity is marked by the decision to keep walking with Jesus in community—even when it’s hard. The call to follow Christ and make disciples is inseparable from our call to belong to a local church. As Lesslie Newbigin wrote, “Neither truth nor love can be communicated except as they are embodied in a community which reasons and loves.”
If Scripture is the foundation of spiritual maturity, then patience, endurance, and humble submission in the context of a local church are the walls. There is no spiritual maturity without covenantal family.
This is easy to grasp conceptually, but difficult to live. Relationships are often messy. The only way to cultivate this kind of maturity is through an intentional, long-term investment.
In my experience, those who leave their covenant community in search of greener pastures often end up spiritually malnourished. They miss out on the deep formation that only comes when a community knows them well enough to speak truth with credibility.
Don’t underestimate the power of perseverance in a particular place, with a particular people, to shape spiritual maturity.
Multiplied Fruit in Disciple-Making
Mature believers multiply. As Jesus said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). If we want to assess spiritual maturity, we must look at the lives of the people we’ve influenced. Ultimately, our disciples will follow who we are and what we do, not what we say. In this way, our disciples represent a kind of spiritual mirror to ourselves.
This was part of why I wrote Everyone Sent, where I dedicate several chapters to defining maturity in disciple-making—combining knowledge, identity, lifestyle, and interpersonal skill into a holistic vision of mature discipleship.
Conclusion
For all these reasons, I believe the responsibility for developing spiritually mature disciples lies squarely with the local church.
Spiritual maturity requires deep relationships and shared rhythms—space and time where people can truly see us and walk with us toward greater maturity in Christ.