The Process 1.1

Becoming a Berean Some believers come to faith and are instantly granted a voracious desire to read scripture. And they do, page after page, book after book. But, for most of them, the desire eventually fades and they join the majority of believers in the day-to-day struggle of reading scripture. So, what gives? Why is it so much of a challenge to maintain a consistent habit of scripture reading and research? One of the challenges is our church culture; our church culture is not a Berean culture. Many of our churches are ‘seeker friendly,’ which means that they are focused on the pre-Christian. Thus, sermons often focus on simple truths, which mature Christians are well-acquainted with, and repetitive admonitions to read our bibles, pray, and tell others about Jesus. All well-intentioned and very biblical but lacking in one respect: the process of growth and transformation. So, how do you grow and mature in your faith and walk? What are the necessary components? I would suggest that the three most important elements are education (both by man and by God), discipleship (and, by that, I mean biblical discipleship), and community.