The Secret to Spiritual Growth: Growing in Christ - Jerry Root

What is the foundation for a life of discipleship and maturity in Christ? What prevents Christians from growing in their faith? And how can we cultivate the Christ-like humility required for authentic relationships in our witness? In this talk, we address these questions and more through the following three talks:

1. Honesty and the Love of God
Jesus said the most important thing we can do with our lives is to love God foremost of all. If we are told to love God first and foremost, then it stands to reason that God’s love for us and our love for Him is the most transformative experience in life. How is life transformed by the love of God?

2. Growing in Christ
We define ourselves by means of the love of God. Having been recipients of his love, we are also ambassadors of his love and forgiveness to others. We will explore the areas of life that can possibly prevent maturity in Christ and how God can work through our weaknesses and recycle them into assets of empathy in order to reach others for Christ and His Kingdom.

3. Relationships Built on Authenticity and Humility
It is in light of God’s love that an idea of what it means to be an authentic person begins to emerge. We will learn about growing in the authenticity that is cultivated in the love of God and displayed in humility and honesty.

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Jerry Root is a Professor of Evangelism and Leadership at Wheaton College and serves as the Director of the Evangelism Initiative. Jerry is a graduate of Whittier College and Talbot Graduate School of Theology at Biola University; he received his PhD from the Open University. Jerry is the author or co-author of numerous books on C.S. Lewis, including The Surprising Imagination of C.S. Lewis: An Introduction, with Mark Neal, C.S. Lewis and a Problem of Evil: An Investigation of a Pervasive Theme, and The Soul of C.S. Lewis: A Meditative Journey through Twenty-six of His Best Loved Writings. Jerry is the co-author of The Sacrament of Evangelism and co-editor, with Wayne Martindale, of The Quotable C.S. Lewis. He also teaches graduate courses (MA in Evangelism and Leadership Program) and undergraduate courses (Christian Formation and Ministry Department) at Wheaton College. In addition, Jerry has been a visiting professor at Talbot Graduate School of Theology and Biola University from 1990 to the present. He and his wife, Claudia, have four grown children - all of whom are married - and thirteen grandchildren.

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