As the New Year draws near and new year’s resolutions resurface,
I thought I’d help you out with a few tips that can help you explore your
spirituality on a deeper level in 2018. Today is my 20th birthday
and this is my gift to you. These tips are relevant whether you just started
your walk with Christ or whether you’re a seasoned Christian. I have practiced
(and still practice) most of these methods and some I will start using soon.
So, we’re in this together. The tips are broken down into four categories:
reading the Bible, fellowshipping in community, prayer, and living in His
presence. Without further ado, here are 20 realistic ways to grow in your faith:
Reading
the Bible
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and
of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12
1. Make a Bible Verse Jar
This is one that I’ve tried and loved! At the beginning of
the year when I wanted to read the Bible more intentionally, I decided to write
a Bible verse a day on a small piece of paper using the YouVersion Verse of the Day feature. I placed the verses in a
beautifully decorated jar so that when I needed some encouragement or truth, I
could reach into the jar and pull out a random verse. The way that I would
improve this one is to either fill up the jar with Bible verses before the new
year (or before each month) so that you can have the scriptures ready to draw
each day, or put Bible verses that stick out to you when you’re reading or studying
the Bible into the jar and then review them at the end of the week or month.
2. Start a Bible Plan or Devotional
I think Bible plans are the best way to get deeper into the
Bible if you aren’t familiar with Bible study yet. I use the YouVersion app for my Bible plans and devotionals. There a lot of other apps and
books that you can find online that have awesome plans and devotionals. A Bible
plan is a themed and structured way to read the Bible. The app will send you a
reminder every day so you don’t forget. Devotionals are similar to Bible plans
but tend to have more guidance. The author will usually give you a backstory and
then a lesson from that day’s reading that you can apply to your daily life.
3. Join a Bible Study
I had never been to a Bible study until I came to college
and this changed the way that I read and study the Bible. It’s good to learn
how to study the Bible because there is so much more beneath the surface than
you can imagine. God’s Word isn’t just a boring, ancient book. It’s a suspenseful,
exciting, tragic, hopeful story that needs your full attention when being read.
Joining a Bible study will not only be fun because you’ll get to meet people,
but will also be beneficial because you will learn how to unpack each word to
get the full meaning of the Bible. I understand that it’s hard to commit to a
Bible study if it’s not readily accessible to you, which leads me to my next
point.
4. Start/Lead a Bible Study
Yes, I know, daunting! For some people, this is way out of their comfort zone. I want to
remind you that following Jesus is an uncomfortable way to live. We are not
called to stay in our comfort zone, but rather to step out in faith in
situations that we aren’t used to, so that we can tell the world about his
love. Now, leading a Bible study requires some kind of experience or training.
There are plenty of helpful online courses that you can use. You can also talk
to your pastors and leaders at church and ask them to train you. I actually had
the honor of leading an athletes Bible study this semester and it forced me to
be familiar with what I was teaching. It doesn’t have to be fancy or official.
It can be you, your friends, some snacks, and some Bibles.
5. Learn Verses by Heart
Yes, memory verses. Nostalgic. I’m taking you back to Sunday
School. I used to hate memory verses because I have a hard time memorizing
things, but I think this is one of the most effective ways to get to know what’s
in the Bible. You can use an app (there’s one of the App store called Bible Memory Verses), an online course, and
you can even make games out of them. If you want to take it to the next level,
each month you can challenge yourself to learn one big chunk of scripture. For
example, I love the Book of James, so a few years ago, I dared myself to
memorizing the whole of James 3. It was a fun and fulfilling challenge. Memorizing
scripture allows you to consciously think about things in a Biblical manner
because you have those words engrained in your mind. When you’re feeling
unworthy, you know John 3:16 or Ephesians 2:8. When you’re feeling anxious, you
know Philippians 4:6 etc.
Community
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and
good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but
encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. –
Hebrews 10:24-25
1. Go to Church
I think this is the easiest one for a lot of us because it’s
a cultural thing. I remember being dragged to church every Sunday by my mum.
Most times I didn’t want to go because I didn’t understand why it was so
important. I didn’t even understand who Jesus was! But now that I am older (20
years old, to be exact), I have more of an appreciation for and an
understanding of church. The act of worshiping and praising God in community is
extremely powerful. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus says, “For where two or three
gather in my name, there am I with them.” When we are at church we are deliberately
allowing the Holy Spirit to meet us there and to fill the room. If you haven’t
found a church that you like, I encourage you to keep searching. When you find
it, go to church as often as you can, but don’t just go on Sundays.
2. Get Plugged into Your Church
Church isn’t just a Sunday thing. Yes, the Sunday gathering
is important, but your fellowship with your church family doesn’t have to stop
there. A lot of churches meet throughout the week. My church in Zimbabwe holds
ladies’ and men’s meetings on Wednesdays and Thursdays. My church in Baltimore
has meetings specifically for college students on Thursdays. Some churches have
young adult gatherings. These
specialized meetings are a great way to meet people who can help you in your
walk with Christ. If you’re looking for someone to partner with in your
spiritual journey, someone who can keep you accountable and who you can talk to
about Jesus, you might just find that person at church.
3. Serve Your Church
Once you’ve found a church (or started going every Sunday
when possible) and started attending weekly meetings, serve your church in one
way or another. This can be leading Sunday School, ushering, helping with the
tea and biscuits, welcoming people, or being on the worship team. We are called
to serve Christ and there are so many ways we can do that at our churches. A
lot of churches need to people to do those things and you are probably the
perfect candidate. If you’re in school, don’t make that an excuse. Make time to
serve the Body of Christ. If you can’t do it during the term/semester, no
problem. Do it during the holiday.
4. Start your Own Ministry
By ministry I mean a platform through which you can share
the message of Jesus. Starting a ministry can be disconcerting, but as I said
before, we are not called to stay within the confines of our comfort zone. This
ministry can be small or it can be big. It can be a Bible study as I suggested
earlier, a blog (like mine), a worship band, a podcast, a YouTube channel, a
Jesus-centered art club, or even a youth ministry. There are so many different
ways to minister to people and as per the great commission (Mark 16:15), this
is our calling. You don’t have to do it alone. Do it with a friend so that the
tasks are shared and it seems less intimidating. I can honestly say that I love
my blog and when people tell me that my posts blessed them in one way or another,
it warms my heart and motivates me to keep going (Glory to God for that!). You
could change someone’s life by allowing God to use you.
5. Pray for Someone
Sometimes I find it hard to pray for myself because I feel
like I don’t have anything to pray about. If you feel the same way, try praying
for someone else instead. I am guilty of saying to people “I’ll be praying for
you” and not actually praying for them, which is a shame. Prayer is a
life-changing act and doing it for someone else could change their life
tremendously. For some people, you are the only source of prayer they have.
When someone tells you their going through something, you can offer to prayer
for them right there (once again, uncomfortable), or you can write it down and
pray for them later. Spend time lifting that person up in prayer, thanking God
for them and asking Him to heal them if they need it.
Prayer
Pray without ceasing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
1. Start a Prayer Journal
I’ve always struggled to pray verbally for long periods of
time because I get distracted very easily. So, I decided to start praying on
paper. I started a prayer journal and every Sunday, I would spend about an
hour, writing down a prayer to God. I found it much easier to concentrate while
writing than when speaking. I turn on some Jesus music, dim the lights, get cozy,
and start writing. Even if you aren’t fond of writing, I find that it’s so
encouraging to go through your journal and see the prayers that God has
answered! Your prayers don’t have to be long, they can be one sentence. You can
also draw or paint your prayers. God gave you those artistic abilities so you
should use them to glorify Him.
2. Use Pre-Written Prayers
This one was hard for me to come to terms with. I remember
doing liturgical prayer one morning and not feeling it. This one is not for
everyone, but I think it can be nice to just open a book and say that prayer if
you have no words to say. If you don’t want to read someone else’s pre-written
prayers, write your own. A good idea is to write two prayers for each day of
the week (one for the morning and one for the evening) and read those prayers
aloud every day. This is a good way to get into the habit of praying daily.
3. Start a Prayer Wall
This one I haven’t tried but I am excited to explore. A
prayer wall is just a wall where you put up requests that you have for God.
They can be pretty and aesthetic (hand crafted) or really simple (sticky
notes). It’s up to you. What I love about this one is that it’s a fun project
that you can do with those around you or on your own. I find crafting
therapeutic, especially when there’s some Jesus music in the background! On the
wall, you can put things that you want to remember to pray about or people for whom
you want to pray. You can put Bible verses that will guide you in prayer. You
can get as creative as you want. This will be helpful because you will see it
every time you walk into that room, so you won’t forget to pray.
4. Create a Prayer Group
This semester I was a part of a group that would have prayer
meetings at 8am every week for three weeks. I’m a morning person so this wasn’t
too hard for me, but committing to walking across campus to the chapel every
morning was extremely challenging. Once again, our faith is a challenge. I found that when I went to these prayer meetings,
I went about my day more encouraged and feeling more in touch with God. Your
meetings don’t have to be early in the morning and they don’t have to be daily.
Cater them to your needs. We were praying for a project that we were doing on
campus, but you can pray for whatever you want. Allow God to lead you in this endeavor
because your prayer could really change someone. Praying in a group of however
many means that there is that much more power!
5. Talk to God Everyday
A lot of us (including myself) see God as a God of the
bigger picture. We think He only cares about the “big” things: war, sin,
relationships, finances, sickness etc. Those are the things we are most likely
to take to Him in prayer. It took me a while to understand that God cares about
your laptop too. He cares that it’s not working and you need it for school. He
cares that you have a crush on that boy and don’t know what to do. He cares
that you’re nervous about your dentist appointment. Prayer is more than just
about asking God for stuff. It’s about talking to God and letting Him into your
life. He doesn’t force Himself on you. If you don’t open the door for Him, He
won’t enter. He wants you to let Him in because He loves you and He cares. That
said, make it a point to tell God something that you would tell your friend. “Father,
guess what happened to me today…” It’s a relationship.
Living
in His Presence
From one man he made all the nations, that they should
inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and
the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him
and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one
of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own
poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ – Acts 17:26-28
1. Watch/Listen to the Word on the Go
One of the things that got me through a terrible summer was
listening to Christian podcasts while walking to work. There are so many
amazing people out there who are using their time to spread the name of Jesus (I
will write a post about all my favorite Christian content creators soon).
Having that knowledge and truth in your ear while you’re performing day to day
tasks is enriching. Watching videos about Christianity is also extremely helpful.
You get to know God’s heart through what he has done for other people and it’s
encouraging to know that you’re not the only one going through hard times. Although
this can seem passive, your brain holds onto a lot of what you hear/see, so you
are not wasting your time.
2. Listen to Christian Music
If you know me you know that I am the Christian music plug!
I am pretty certain that I know songs from every genre of Christian music and I
can hook you up. Okay, but seriously, I love listening to music that glorifies
the name of Jesus. There is something about it that feeds my soul. Throughout
the day, when I need a boost, I’ll turn on some Christian rap (Lecrae, KB, Trip
Lee, Andy Mineo, Derek Minor, Wordsplayed, Social Club Misfits) and at night,
when I’m having my quiet time, I’ll throw on some Christian indie (Seeker &
Servant, Rivers & Robots, The Royal Royal, Jonathan Ogden). This is a good
way to allow yourself to connect to God in everything that you do. Besides the
fact that the music is about Jesus, it’s great because it’s well-written,
well-sung, and well-produced. A lot of people think Christian music is boring,
but it’s not. Like I said, I’m your plug!
3. Attend Church Online
We can’t always go to church on Sunday. During the semester,
I sometimes had tennis matches on Sundays so I was unable to go to church. I
won’t lie, sometimes I didn’t go just because, which is bad. Thankfully, there
are plenty of sermons that you can watch live online on Sunday. These should
not be a replacement for your physical church because that is more important.
But when you are unable to go to church, you can turn on your laptop and tune
into a live church service. My favorite is Elevation Church, which I’m sure a
lot of you know. I love their worship songs and I love their sermons. They broadcast
a service at three or four different times on Sundays. You have no excuse now!
4. Read Faith-Based Books
This is something that I want to do more. I hardly read (I
know, that’s bad), but I’ve started reading more and I want to make sure that
what I’m reading is enhancing my life. Faith-based books are a good way to
learn about God through other people’s perspectives. Of course, you shouldn’t
only learn about God’s heart through this method (because the Bible is the resource
for that), but in addition to reading the Bible and praying, reading Christian
books allows you to explore your faith in a different way. You might even
consider starting a book club so that you can read and discuss the book with
friends.
5. Commit to Daily God-Time
Finally, something that is a mash-up of almost all of the
tips above, daily God-time is the way
to grow closer to God. We are in a relationship with God. Relationships require
time, effort, energy, and commitment. This means that we should be spending
time with God often. If you talk to your friend every day for ten minutes, and
God is above your friend on your priority list, then you should spend thirty
minutes every day with God. Our society is constantly reminding us to have some
“me-time” when what we really need is God-time. I like having quiet time in the
morning or in the evening for about an hour. My God-time differs every day, but
it usually involves prayer, Bible study, a devotional, Jesus music, and
journaling. What you do during that time is between you and God. Find what
works for you.
I hope these 20 ways will help you grow in your faith in
2018 and in years to come. This year, some of these practices have allowed me
to grow as a person and as servant of Christ. For some of them, such as
starting a ministry, you really have to pray about it first and ask God if that’s
what you should do. If you have any more ideas, need any help, or have any
questions, feel free to email me at mandilempofu@gmail.com.
I read every email! Thank you for all your support and for helping me grow this
year. I hope you had a blessed 2017, my friend, and I will see you in 2018.
God truly loves you.
With love,
Mandile.
Shout-out to Jesus for always having my back.
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