Establish Growth As A Process

GROWTH AS A PROCESS

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. kyfingers@aol.com

TEXT:

Mark 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake,

immediately they are offended.

Jude 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

I. WHAT IS GROWTH?

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

A. GROW:

The process of growing

To spring up, to develop to maturity.

To increase in size by assimilation of material.

B. Is growth a priority goal in our families?

C. IS GOOD GROWTH ACCIDENTAL OR PLANNED?

D. PROCESS:

Unfolding of an activity.

Course of action that leads to progression

To progress, advance A SERIES OF ACIONS CONDUCTING

TO AN END.

II. NOT ALL GROWTH IS HEALTHY!

Mark 11:20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

A. Malignant Cancer Tumors have unlimited growth potential.

B. Cancer is a parasite -- it feeds up the host.

C. The cancer will expand and invade and metastasize and spread destruction and eventually death.

D. WE NEED GOOD HEALTHY GROWTH!

E. Growth within itself is not necessarily healthy and good.

III. HAVE WE MADE PLANS FOR GROWTH?

IS GROWTH A PERSONAL GOAL?

WHAT ARE WE DOING TO BRING ABOUT GROWTH?

A. There are more people in the cemetery today than there was a year ago?

IS THAT HEALTHY, BENEFICAL GROWTH?

B. We need more than mere pounds? That is just getting FAT!

More than height? That is awkward.

More than mere ears and eyes? WE NEED MORE LOVE!

C. People are not planning to fail, they are failing to plan, and Thus we become trapped in this perpetual babyhood state.

D. We have leadership that acts immature and demanding.

We must establish growth and learning as personal and corporate goals.

IV. PERPETUAL BABYHOOD?

A. We have in the United States a condition that we shall call — PERPETUAL BABYHOOD.

B. I am not just throwing this BABY BLANKET over the church, it covers many of our educational systems, business organizations, government officials, and sports clubs.

V. WHY DO WE GO TO SCHOOL?

WHAT HAPPENED TO LEARNING AS THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF SCHOOL?

WE CATER TO CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF OUR ELITEST SOCIETY GROUPS.

A. Super good athletes get to bypass the educational part of school to be the STARS THAT BRING TROPHIES to school programs.

B. Have you ever heard of a basketball player graduating high school and he can not read or write?

But he has a scoring record?

C. Have you ever heard of STAR ATHLETES being at drunken and sex parties and accused of rape? They claim their innocence?

I say: WHAT WERE THEY DOING THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

D. Big school athletic programs pass money, cars, and women to sign the stars to play and bring national attention to the school for winning championships?

WHAT ABOUT A GOOD EDUCATION?

E. In many big name schools the sports programs use the players’ eligibility to play, and up to 70% do not have a degree after four years?

Teachers learn to pass the players so the school can win?

VI. I WONDER IF WE CAN SEE GROWTH AS A PROCESS?

WILL WE SETTLE FOR MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL MIDGETS?

A. WE HAVE PEOPLE IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE MANIPULATING THE SYSTEM TO BYPASS GROWTH AND LEARNING AND STAY PERPETUALLY IN BABYHOOD?

B. What are we teaching? What are we growing?

C. WE MUST PROMOTE GROWTH:

WE MUST GROW STRONG MINDS---

WE NEED TO GROW STRONG HEARTS---

WE NEED TO GROW STRONG WILLS AND DETERMINATION---

WE MUST GROW A STRONG SPIRIT---

D. WE ACCEPT NO EFFORT PYGMIES AS A NORM?

Does it ever get to be an embarrassment to change the diapers on adult students because they are so lazy they don’t have to apply any effort?

VII. WHAT ABOUT THE CHURCH?

1 Cor. 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

VIII. FAILURE TO THRIVE:

A. THRIVE: