The Four Stages of Spiritual Growth

I John 2:12-14
"I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one."​

Infant Stage: Verse 12

being fed the milk of the Word
When a person receives and believes Jesus as his/her personal Savior and is born again (John 3:3).  They have received the Holy Spirit who lives in them (Ephesians 1:13-14) and have a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17, I John 3:9).  The person's greatest need is to know that they are loved and forgiven (I John 2:12).  They are fed the pure milk of understanding their salvation so as to grow (I Peter 2:2).

At HFC, we help people understand the big picture of what Christ has done for them through the “Salvation Swoop”, which will ground them for Spiritual Growth.

Child Stage: Verse 13C

learns to feed on the Word
When a person gets to know God the Father (John 17:3; I John 2:13c).  They learn the disciplines of prayer, the Word, fellowship, and witnessing on a daily basis with the central priority being a daily quiet time with the Lord.  These are proactive disciplines that give one an enjoyable fellowship with God through Jesus Christ. 

​At HFC, we help people understand and practice the disciplines of activity and the disciplines of abstinence to create new habits of feeding on the Word.

Young Men Stage: Verse 13B & 14 B

learns to feed themselves on the Word
When a person learns by faith to fight the battle of saying no to the flesh through putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6).   Through trials, they learn to gain victory over addictions, strongholds, and habitual sins that weigh people down in defeat.

At HFC, we help people to be thoroughly equipped to overcome the wicked one (I John 2:14) by putting on the character of Christ (Romans 13:14).  Fighting the good "fight of faith" is recognizing that our enemy (I Peter 5:8-9) does not want people to conform to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29).

Father Stage: Verse 13A & 14A

learns to feed others the Word
The Father Stage is when a person begins to make disciples for Christ by reproducing believers and behavior through teaching and example (I Corinthians 11:1, II Timothy 2:2, I Corinthians 4:15).