7. Maturing Disciples - Steps
The Mission of Maturing Disciples
Maturity Step 1 – Belong
Almost everyone knows someone who used to go to church. Many people have left the church and become spiritually homeless — these are the dechurched. Some have completely shut out the idea of ever belonging to a church again. Others roam the spiritual streets, moving from church to church or attending sporadically, searching for a place to belong.
Between these two groups are many who have a “gym membership” view of Christianity — people who once signed up but stopped showing up. They may not “go to church,” but they still believe.
Those who join HOME Church are usually not looking for the best Sunday service; they are looking for genuine Christian community. They’re looking for people they can trust — people who can restore their confidence in what “church” can be. Many at HOME once felt disenfranchised or hurt by church, but they’ve taken the brave step to try again. For some, joining HOME was their “one last try” before giving up on church altogether.
That’s why HOME prioritises the non-church experience of being the Church. We want to introduce people not only to our services or Bible studies, but to ourselves. At HOME, the people are the experience. Getting to know our members is getting to know our church.
We want newcomers to experience God through His people just as much as through our gatherings. Belonging is key — because most people haven’t left God; they’ve left the church. If we want them to reconnect, we must reintroduce them to the church community.
The people of HOME are the most important aspect of HOME Church. We don’t want others drawn merely to our services, but to our people — to real relationships that last.
That’s why meals matter. Sharing food allows us to share life. Over a meal, we open our hearts and learn each other’s stories — something no Sunday service alone can achieve.
Many newcomers spend six to twelve months simply attending meals, celebrations (like Easter and Christmas), and casual gatherings before ever setting foot in a Sunday service. This journey is intentional. We want people to know us before they join us.
A milestone of belonging is when someone begins to host others or initiate meals and coffees with others in the church.
Maturity Step 2 – Believe
Many Christians are bored with Christianity. If it were as enjoyable as sport, as fulfilling as family, or as captivating as entertainment, perhaps fewer would walk away. Somewhere along the way, faith became dull — and though we might not admit it, many have quietly decided that God Himself seems boring.
But those who leave “boring Christianity” shouldn’t be judged — perhaps they’re right to leave a lifeless version of it. Why remain in something that feels joyless when you can still appreciate God’s gifts (family, nature, creativity) privately from home?
The problem isn’t that Christianity is boring — it’s that many have only seen a boring version of it. What if Jesus truly is as alive and compelling as He appears in the Gospels? What if the Holy Spirit’s work didn’t end in Acts 28, but continues today through His Church?
At HOME Church, we believe following Jesus is the greatest adventure a person can live. If we do it well, not only will we be part of something great — God Himself will draw us into greatness.
The currency of God’s Kingdom is faith, not money. Those who exercise faith are the richest in the Kingdom. We at HOME want to grow in faith — to be spiritually wealthy. Ours is a community where faith is ignited through preaching and testimony, and activated through prayer and good works prepared for us by God.
As people walk with the HOME community, they begin exercising faith through prayer, meditation on Scripture, and decision-making grounded in God’s promises. As they do, they begin to see God’s will at work in their lives — gaining testimonies that ignite faith in others. Faith multiplies faith, and together we become rich toward God.
A milestone of believing is to be baptised by full immersion.
Maturity Step 3 – Build
Some things simply can’t be done alone. You can’t scratch your own back or cut your own hair — and you can’t build yourself in isolation. God designed us to need one another. He gave each person gifts and abilities so that through mutual service, everyone might have what they need.
Growth happens best in community. Even when we learn from books, we are learning from the mind of another. We didn’t teach ourselves to walk, talk, read, or lead — someone took time to guide us. In the same way, we need people to help us grow, and others who need our help to grow too.
It is God’s will that we build one another up. Community is essential — not optional — for spiritual formation.
We also need people to disciple and love. Jesus chose twelve disciples; likewise, we are called to choose people to love, encourage, and build up. We were made to serve others just as we need to be served.
As we grow in Christ, it becomes natural to want to help others. Each of us is uniquely designed to uniquely bless others. We build each other up so that the whole body is built up in love (Ephesians 4:16).
Those maturing in faith grow confident in their journey and surround themselves with others who share their commitment. Even at early stages, believers begin encouraging others — offering insights, questions, and testimonies that strengthen the community.
Relationships can be difficult — but isolation is deadly. Iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17) produces sparks, but it’s also how strength is forged. When we bind ourselves to others, we are shaped, refined, and strengthened according to God’s design.
Maturity Step 4 – Bless
If life is only about accumulation, faith eventually fades. Comfort breeds complacency, and complacency kills conviction. Prosperity has robbed the Kingdom of many saints and slowed the Gospel’s advance. As riches increase, our resolve must strengthen to resist the love of money and invest instead in eternal treasure.
We need to convert earthly currency into eternal value through good works. God’s blessings often include material provision — and that means true disciples use their time, money, and abilities to bless others.
We can’t bless others through prayer alone. Love requires action. Money, when surrendered to God, becomes a powerful tool of love. Christians who master money use it to serve others; those who don’t risk being mastered by it.
God promises we’ll never run dry when we give generously. So we look to the needs within and beyond the church — to our families, neighbours, workplaces, and schools — asking how we might partner with the Holy Spirit in what He wants to do there.
We actively seek opportunities to serve — locally and abroad. We don’t serve to save others but to partner with God as He works through us. And in doing so, we find that we receive more than we give. We discover what Jesus meant when He said that from those who believe, “rivers of living water will flow” (John 7:38), and we experience our own cup overflowing (Psalm 23:5).