This was a question posed on a paper from a student in my Hebrews class. The passage was Heb. 5:11-14.
What a great question.
We could blame pastors or the church. That’s the easy target. And it’s not an invalid target.
That’s why we do this blog. We WANT pastors to step up. GROW the people you lead. Don’t just grow the numbers, grow the people. Quit giving them cotton candy every week!
But if we do challenge people, there is the very real possibility they go on down the road to the next church. Such is life.
The question is still real and it shouldn’t be just for pastors. It needs to be for every individual believer.
I can refuse to grow up by:
1. Only listening to one type of “voice” in my life.
I could listen only to “health and wealth” preachers, or only Reformed preachers, or only John Hagee type preachers. I can decide what I think is “mature” and keep only those voices in my life.
2. Only reading those passages of the Bible I understand.
3. Refusing to pray effectively… and then forgetting to pray at all.
4. Refusing to have friends who ask me tough questions.
We can stay immature in so many ways. We need these tough evaluations in our lives from time to time to get our spiritual pulse checked.
gosh, I am trying the best I can… lol.