STAND FIRM: What is Spiritual Maturity? A Definition vital to Standing Firm

      I wasn’t planning to write this article. I was all geared up to continue the series on how Islamic immigration and terrorism connect with the end of the age, but a podcast interview I had last Thursday completely shifted my focus. The conversation was so mind-blowing that I had to share it with you.

      If you’ve been following Stand Firm Ministries on Facebook or YouTube, you know I blend the prophecy and preparedness I write about here with parenting and preparing the next generation. I release a new episode of the Stand Firm Parents podcast each week, which can also be found on Lifeword’s channels.

      Last Thursday, I had the chance to interview Michel Hendricks and Dr. Jim Wilder, authors of the fascinating book The Other Half of Church. That podcast episode won’t air for another six weeks, but our discussion left me rethinking everything about spiritual growth and maturity.

      I came across their book while working on church planting in Pea Ridge. It explores how brain science intersects with discipleship and spiritual growth. That might sound strange initially, but think about the fact that God designed our brains. If we can better understand how they work, it can shed light on how we grow spiritually.

      Michel Hendricks is a pastor of spiritual formation who found himself frustrated with the challenges of helping others grow spiritually. He connected with Dr. Jim Wilder, a psychologist and pastor who has spent decades linking neuroscience with biblical principles of growth. Wilder calls himself a “neurotheologian,” and after an hour with each of them, I understood why. Their insights were incredible.

      We discussed both The Other Half of Church and Dr. Wilder’s latest book series on maturity. Often, we think of spiritual growth and maturity as interchangeable, and Scripture does this too. One of the most memorable passages tying spiritual growth to maturity is found in I Corinthians 3:

      “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly — mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly...” (I Cor. 3:1-3, NIV).

      Dr. Wilder’s work builds on brain science to identify what’s needed for maturity at every stage of life, both physically and spiritually. When I asked him about the goal of spiritual maturity, his response surprised me.

      Before I share it, take a moment to think: What would you say is the goal of human maturity? Not just physical maturity, but overall — what’s the end goal? I’ll admit, I’d never thought about it that way before. Wilder’s point was that our society struggles with maturity because we don’t even have a clear picture of what we’re growing into. The same could be said of spiritual maturity. We might have a goal, but it often feels abstract and hard to grasp.

      Here’s how Wilder defined maturity — learning to live as “oneself” in any situation. Taking it a step further, it’s being true to your values while showing love, even in the hardest circumstances. The ultimate example of this is Jesus standing before Pontius Pilate — betrayed, falsely accused and facing a brutal death. Yet, He remained true to His values, composed and full of grace and love. That might feel like an extreme example, but the goal becomes more tangible when we think about staying composed and living out our values during unexpected challenges or personal struggles.

      Wilder’s perspective on spiritual maturity takes this a step further. It’s about staying in relationship with God no matter the situation. It’s living in obedience and faith, even in the direst circumstances. Think of Jesus drinking the cup of suffering, Abraham taking Isaac up the hill or Moses speaking to the rock instead of striking it.

      I’m sure there are more components we could put in the mix of defining maturity and spiritual maturity, but I believe this is extremely helpful. Another way to look at it is that spiritual maturity is standing firm.

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Jake McCandlessJake McCandless

Jake McCandless authors a weekly column titled, Stand Firm and Live Epic, through which he seeks to encourage the modern church to not just survive, but thrive in current times. He also addresses many end-times topics.

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