When the Spirit of Christ enters us, his character begins to flow in us, and we bear fruit. Here are 5 qualities of Christ-like followers that reflect the image of God. Put a star beside the one you feel is most present in your life. 1. Joy. Christian writer and professor Eugene Peterson observed in A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: "There are Christians who never crack a smile and who can't abide a joke. But I don't meet very many of them. The stereotype is a big lie created, presumably, by the Devil. One of the delightful discoveries along the way of Christian discipleship is how much enjoyment there is, how much laughter you hear, how much sheer fun you find." 2. Gratitude. God's Word makes clear that we aren't just to be thankful but also to say we're thankful, to sing it, to demonstrate it. There are times to weep. But authentic Christians model a thankful spirit in the day-in, day-out routine of life. Every sunrise, every meal (even in coffee shops), every car ride, every encounter with another human being is an occasion for gratitude. 3. Enthusiasm. I greatly admired this trait in my father. Almost every morning, he'd clench his fist and say, "Boy, am I enthused!" It may not be a bona fide fruit of the Spirit, but I think enthusiasm is an important graft into the orchard. For vital Christians, enthusiastic applies to their faith. 4. Wonder. British writer G. K. Chesterton said, "The world will never starve for want of wonders, but only a want of wonder." The alive Christians I love take little for granted. They've erased from life's curriculum the lesson of boredom over God's masterpiece. God, to them, inspires wonder. 5. Kindness. In "Edification/Demolition," an essay in Ragman, Walter Wangerin recalls his encounter with two people who helped him at a time of need and reminds us how far just one drop of kindness goes: "Every time you meet another human being you have the opportunity. It's a chance at holiness. For you will do one of two things, then. Either you will build him up, or you will tear him down." —Sonny Salsbury Discuss 1. Name some individuals in our church who manifest the above characteristics. 2. What specific things demonstrate to visitors that our church reflects the image of God? 3. To you, which of the above qualities is most important? Which is the most difficult to display?    Reaching Out to HomosexualsLearn how your church can care for and interact with homosexuals.  Managing ChangeMake the right changes at the right time—and for the right reasons. Ingredients of a Great Student Group Leadership and focus are necessary to help student groups contribute to the church. An Introduction to Turbo Groups Here are the basic principles behind a key tool for multiplication.
|            | |||||||||||||||||||
share this page
