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
Worship:
1. How do you define ‘worship’? _________________________
2. How frequently do you spend time worshipping God?
___ Constantly
___ Daily
___ Weekly
___ Every so often
___ Rarely
___ Never
3. How frequently do you attend worship with others?
___ Weekly or more
___ Few times /Month
___ Once every couple of Months
___ A couple of times/Year
___ Rarely
___ Never
4. How frequently do you feel like you have truly worshipped?
___ Constantly
___ Weekly
___ Few times /Month
___ Once every couple of Months
___ A couple of times/Year
___ Rarely
___ Never
5. What most impacts whether you feel like you have worshipped?
___ Personal Situation
___ Quality of a worship service
___ Time personally preparing to be with God
___ Distractions (noise, etc.)
___ Choosing to focus on God
___ Tools used to help me connect with God
(music, visuals, symbols, etc.)
___ Other: _______________________________________
6. Prioritize which parts of worship are most powerful for you? Why?
___ Prayer: ______________________________________
___ Music: ______________________________________
___ Communion: __________________________________
___ Scripture Reading: ______________________________
___ Message: _____________________________________
___ Stewardship/Offering: ____________________________
___ A specific ritual: ________________________________
___ Alter Call: ____________________________________
___ Other: _______________________________________
7. What 2 facets of worship are least powerful for you? Why?
___ Prayer: ______________________________________
___ Music: ______________________________________
___ Communion: __________________________________
___ Scripture Reading: ______________________________
___ Message: _____________________________________
___ Stewardship/Offering: ____________________________
___ A specific ritual: ________________________________
___ Other: _______________________________________
8. What is your focus when you worship (place a %)?
___ Interaction/sharing in Community
___ Personal Reflection
___ I am frequently focused on distractions (rustling papers,
thought of work/home, etc)
___ On making a connection with God
___ On getting it done
___ Other: ________________________________________
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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)
Q.1/2 –Worship is to be a lifestyle and not just an hour we spend once a
week or so. Watch for pennies and whenever you see one on the ground
or receive one in change look at the imprint “In God we Trust.” As you
see those words ask yourself: “Am I trusting God right now? How do I
need to trust God today?” Then give thanks to God for being so trustworthy.
Find other ways to bring God into your everyday life (when you are in the
car watch for things to give thanks over, when in nature look for things that
show God’s creativity and power, etc.)
Q.4/5 – How might you strengthen your participation as part of the
“Body of Christ” in worship?
___ Singing
___ Noticing the Prayer needs (not just listening but lifting
up/remembering concerns)
___ Noticing the needs of others and responding to them
___ Share Communion with another
___ Attending a Service
___ Other _________________________________________
How do you need to enhance your personal involvement in worship?
___ Focus on personal application of the message
___ Personalize the Prayers (make them your prayer)
___ Prepare yourself before the service to come into God’s presence
___ Use the night before to put things into place and remove
internal and external obstacles to your worshipping (set
alarm clock, set out clothes, confess sins)
___ Other _________________________________________
Reflect on how to take control of being with God. Prepare yourself to be
with God and focus on those thoughts that most powerfully bring you into
connection with God. Deal with distractions by resisting being drawn off
the focus of worshiping God by noises, others, or a wandering mind. Write
notes about what is being said to help keep focused on the message, bring
to mind things in your life that match the issues lifted up in prayer (forgiveness
mentioned-search for where you have hurt others, joy talked about-remember
blessings of your last week, etc.). When your mind does wander don’t beat
yourself up but gently refocus. Remember, worship is about your offering God
yourself and not what others do or don’t do. Your ongoing effort to be with
the Lord brings delight.
Q.6 – Celebrate these but remember these are just tools to reach out to God.
How can you best use these to connect with God?
Q.7 – Look for things about these facets of worship that others find meaningful.
If you don’t understand them learn more about them and their use. See if
there is an aspect of them that you can value and be blessed by.
Q.8 –Spend a service focusing totally on being:
*part of the community (e.g. singing passionately, joining in the
responses, focusing on the group’s needs in times of prayer, etc.)
*then one focused on personal reflection (e.g. read biblical passages
with you specifically in mind, focus prayer on your needs and calling,
listen for how things impact your personal relationship with Christ),
*then one on helping others worship (e.g. notice the needs of others
and how you can help them such as helping them stand, hold a book
for the elderly, supporting a parent with small children, etc.).
