Wallace SC&W
Rev. Stephen C. Wallace
SPIRITUAL MATURITY
Implementing Spiritual Disciplines
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”
2 Peter 3:18
Impact/Making a Difference:
1. Where have you made the greatest difference with a person or situation? Was your impact
positive or negative? What was that difference? _________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Where are you currently impacting people and situations? Is your impact positive or negative?
Is the impact you make intentionally done? ______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. What situation(s) or issue(s) are thinking about getting involved in (e.g. children’s issues,
poverty, homelessness, aging, violence, crime, the environment)? ____________________
Is there something you feel you are to offer/give but haven’t? Where does the prompting to
offer this come from? Is it the right prompting? ___________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
If it is from the right prompting, why haven’t you done it? ___________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. Are there any hesitations or barriers to you “getting involved” or working to make a difference?
What?
____ Fear of Failure
____ Concern about time demands
____ Lack of knowledge or understanding
____ Lack of confidence
____ Not wanting to be “put out” or inconvenienced
____ Other: ____________________________________________________________
5. What % of your resource (money, property, stocks, etc.) do you use to make a
positive impact in life?
___ Nothing
___ 1-4%
___ 5-9%
___ 10%
___ 11+%
6. What % of your time do you use to make a difference (building relationships,
Praying of others, worship, serving, learning, etc.)? (times below assumes
112 hours/week--- 8 hours sleep/night is not included in figures)
___ Nothing
___ 1-4% (1-47 minutes/day or up to 5.5 hours/wk)
___ 5-9% (48-95 minutes/day or 5.6-11 hours/wk)
___ 10% (96 minutes/day or 11.2 hours/week)
___ 11+% (105+ minutes/day or 12.3+ hours/week)
What do you include as time offered for/shared with God and why? __________________
____________________________________________________________________
7. What response do you have to the Bible’s call to give 10% (tithe)? Why?
___ Disgust: _____________________________________________________________
___ Feel like I should but don’t know how I can: ________________________________
___ Feel like it doesn’t matter what I give: _____________________________________
___ Feel excited about offering this to God: ____________________________________
___ Feel grateful for all I have and want to show it: ______________________________
___ Want to give this and more: _____________________________________________
___ Other: ______________________________________________________________
8. What do you think about giving an ‘offering’ (more than 10%) to make a positive impact?
___ It is too much
___ I wish I could but I can’t
___ I celebrate doing it
___ I’ll do it when a need hits me
___ Other ________________________________________________________
9. What ‘talents’ do you have to offer?
___ Skills (i.e. areas taught or trained in) __________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___ Knowledge (i.e. formal education, informal learning) _____________________
__________________________________________________________
___ Experiences (e.g. what have you gone through or done that can help others)
__________________________________________________________
___ Abilities (e.g. natural strengths or talents) _____________________________
__________________________________________________________
10. What do you feel about giving? (check all that apply)
___ Joy
___ Obligation/Duty
___ Fear (if you don’t)
___ Opportunity
___ Conflicted
___ Guilty
___ Other: ______________________________________________________
11. What do you believe is the ‘good news’ we have to share about God?
___ We can be forgiven and do what we want
___ We can be forgiven and have great blessings
___ We can be forgiven and serve God
___ With Christ’s help we can be good enough to go to heaven
___ We can receive grace & reveal more of our God created beauty
___ We can receive grace & find fulfillment
___ I can have an intimate connection with god
___ Other ________________________________________________________
12. How have you tried to show God to others? (check all that apply)
___ I have lived a good example
___ I have prayed for another to know Christ more deeply
___ I talked with a family member/friend about Jesus
___ I talked with an acquaintance about Jesus
___ I talked with a stranger about Jesus
___ I have given a Bible to someone
___ I have loved those around me
___ I did some kind actions
___ I helped provide a ministry to show them Christ’s love
___ I prayed for opportunities to show Christ to others
___ I have been intentionally building a relationship with others
___ I have brought someone to Church
___ Other _______________________________________________
13. What keeps you from telling others of God’s blessings? (check all that apply)
___ Fear of looking like a fanatic
___ Not knowing what to say
___ Not knowing who to talk to about Christ
___ I believe that faith is a private and personal issue
___ Not wanting to be pushy or to judge other’s beliefs
___ Afraid of being asked questions I don’t know how to answer
___ Uncertain that Christ really makes that big of difference
___ Fear of loosing friends
___ Fear of being harmed, labeled, rejected or ridiculed
___ Other _______________________________________________
14. Do you feel you are being asked to share God’s great message? With whom? How?
___ With someone at work ___________________________________________
___ With someone at home ___________________________________________
___ With a friend, family member, acquaintance ___________________________
___ With strangers (e.g. on a mission trip) ________________________________
___ In a restaurant or store ____________________________________________
___ I don’t feel like I am to show Christ to others
Wallace SC&W
Rev. Stephen C. Wallace
***************************************************
The Next Step: How to Grow in your Spiritual Maturity
(specific suggestion to questions in the inventory are labeled Q +
the number of the question)
Impact/Making a Difference:
Q.1 – If the difference you made was positive then CELEBRATE IT! Remember and cherish it.
Q.2 – If your impact was negative list the things you will do to change what you are doing so that
you have a positive impact. If it is a positive difference, how will you continue it or even build on
it? __________________________________________________________________________
Q.3 –What will you do to find out about this area of interest (e.g. read about it, talk to someone
involved in it, search about it on the web, do a trial participation in it)? Identify steps to offer
this gift. ____________________________________________________________________
Q.4 – If you have hesitation about getting in the ballgame identify the hesitation, search for its
source (why it is an issue for you), and deal with the issues? __________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Q.5 -Identify where your spending goes and the priorities that spending reveals about you.
Pay down your debt (work with professional help agencies like Consumer Credit Counseling
Services, www.cccsstl.org, if needed) to free up finances for giving.
God asks us to give a minimum of 10% (a tithe) to make a difference. If you aren’t presently doing
that will you start, or will you start moving toward tithing. (If needed do a ‘trial tithe’
for 4-6 months to see how you are blessed by this commitment-Malachi 3:10)
If you already give 10% (tithe) is their still more you want to do for these situations? Are
there other needs tugging on your heart. If so consider giving beyond 10% and see if that
would be a joy for you. ____________________________________________________
Q.6 –Are there things you are ‘giving’ to but not seeing them as important enough to “count”
(e.g. time spent with kids, time caring for your family, time listening to a friend)?
Why don’t they count? ______________________________________________________
How can you make more of your life a gift to God (difference making)? Identify time wasters
in your life and what you can do to free up that time: _______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Do you want to increase time spent in making a difference? Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________
If you do want to increase your impact how will you do that? _______________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Q.7/8 –Do you have resentment toward working with/giving to God to make an impact? Why?
Is there an issue of fear or anxiety linked to giving? Reflect upon and list any negative feelings
you have toward giving and list ways for you to deal with these. Do you need help from anyone
to deal with these issues, to generate possibilities, or to provide encouragement? Search for the
joy of thankfulness by listing ways that you are making a difference in the lives of people,
listing ways that your life has been blessed, etc.
Q.9 –Ask a couple of friends to give you feedback on what talents, skills, education or experiences
you have to offer that would help others. How can you ‘give joy’ along with the gift of
money/things/talents/knowledge? __________________________________________________
Q.10 -Identify your motive for giving and make sure it is in line with a heart that is grateful for all of
God’s blessings and love, and a desire to respond to God’s blessing by doing as the Lord asks.
If it is not in line, then begin working to remove the barriers (e.g. If it is done for recognition then reflect
upon why you need that recognition and how you can find it in better ways. Ponder how you can find
what you need in God’s valuing of you rather than in the approval of others. If it is for power/control
then reflect upon whether you are letting Christ be Lord and how you need to let him lead. If it is done
because of guilt then reflect upon the love God has for you and the forgiveness and freedom that come
through Christ).
Q.11 -Write out a 3-7 sentence description of what Jesus means to you.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Share your description with trusted and astute friends and ask for their feedback. It would be
especially helpful if you could have a non-Christian share thoughts with you about it.
(who could you ask to do this: _______________________________________________)
Q.12 –Evaluate whether your actions and word both clearly reflect Christ. Is there something that
needs to happen in one or both to be a consistent light for Christ?
Q.13 –Evaluate the concerns you have about sharing your faith and reflect upon potential ways to
overcome them (e.g. find ways that fit your personality to talk about Christ. Write out your
message along with the fears you have of sharing it). Pray for God’s direction in finding the
words to speak. Ask a Christian more experienced in sharing the faith to tell you about his/her
experiences and see what you can learn.
Q.14 –Pick one or more of the people you have identified as wanting to talk to about Jesus. If you’re
ready then make a plan for your conversation and set a target time. If you are not ready, why or why not?
Make a list of what would it take to get you ready? What will you do about these barriers?
Who do you need to share your faith with? How can you do that?
1. __________________________ how/when ________________________________________
2. __________________________ how/when ________________________________________
3. __________________________ how/when ________________________________________
4. __________________________ how/when ________________________________________
