Teaching Summary: Beyond Belief
The problem isn’t out there. It’s not your spouse, your kids, your job, or your church. What you’re calling “the problem” is your life. And as long as you think your peace depends on someone else changing, you’ll stay stuck in disappointment. If you think: “Once I get out of this situation… then I’ll be happy,” I want to tell you, as your pastor: That’s a lie. Because the problem is not out there—and neither is the solution.
Here’s the good news: If you’re stuck in frustration or emotional exhaustion, you don’t have to stay there. The answer isn’t fixing everyone else or escaping your pain. You don’t grow by rearranging your life. You grow by letting God rearrange your heart. God is less interested in changing your circumstances and more interested in growing you in the middle of them. And while you can’t change another person, with God’s help—you can grow.
Listen to Paul in Ephesians 4:11–13: “So Christ gave the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature—attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Let’s break that down.
First: Jesus gives leaders to the church—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Apostles help us move forward and start new things. Prophets help us hear from God and stay aligned with His heart. Evangelists remind us the gospel is meant to be shared. Pastors care for people and help us love one another well. Teachers ground us in truth and help us live it out.
Second: these leaders equip the people—not to consume, but to serve. Why? So the church may be built up. Jesus gives leaders, leaders equip people, and the people build the church.
Third: this process creates the church God dreams of. And fourth: we grow in unity, knowledge, and maturity—becoming like Christ.
That’s the goal: not just belief, but transformation. God has given Summer Street everything we need to become the church He’s calling us to be.
What is maturity? Spiritual maturity is becoming like Jesus—loving God deeply and living in obedience to Him. It’s marked by character, prayer, Scripture, discernment, and perseverance. Emotional maturity is the ability to recognize and regulate our emotions in a healthy, Christlike way. It’s marked by self-awareness, empathy, healthy boundaries, and courage in conflict.
Let me be clear: You can pray and memorize Scripture, but if you blow up in anger or manipulate people—you’re not mature. And you can be emotionally insightful, but if your life isn’t surrendered to Jesus—you’re not mature. Maturity requires both. Jesus was both spiritually and emotionally mature—fully surrendered to God, fully present with people.
And that’s our model: maturity means walking as Jesus walked. It’s not just believing—it’s becoming.
1 John 2:6 says, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
So how do we grow? Let me give you four marks of a mature follower of Jesus:
1. They know Jesus deeply and follow Him faithfully. They pursue closeness with Christ, repent when they fall, and bring their faith into everyday life.
2. They name and navigate their emotions honestly. They don’t avoid or explode—they reflect, pray, and respond.
3. They engage others with compassion and courage. They speak truth in love, set boundaries, and move toward others with empathy and strength.
4. They practice both prayer and presence. Prayer anchors them in God; presence connects them to others. Maturity holds both together.
Why aren’t we more mature? Because it takes work. It requires learning, unlearning, and relearning. That’s called discipleship. You may be thinking, “I’ve got work to do.” Good. We all do!
But take heart—Philippians 1:6 says, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
