Pastor Troy called Christ followers to spiritual maturity during his message on Sunday, December 31, and challenged believers to grow in 2018.

Will you take a risk this year and change? We must embrace the fact that God is trying to work in our lives. And then we must  begin to walk with him.

Here are some key points from Troy’s message:

*We must be intentional about change and growth. If you’re not moving toward God then you’re moving away from him. Do you want to be different? What is going to change for you this year?

*We can get stagnant inside our comfort zone and let fear stop us from stepping up and out. Some people operate in this space and refuse to budge. We must have a drive and desire to want to grow, learn and be different. This year will you take steps to become a better spouse, parent, child, friend, Christ follower?

*When people stop growing it’s a tragedy because we don’t reach our God-given potential.

*The sadness of religion in Green Bay, no matter the denomination, is that people can find themselves stuck and unwilling to take a risk. You can't make people want to change. They have to do that for themselves.

*John Maxwell said 'we have uphill dreams but downhill habits and we have to intentionally turn downhill sliding into uphill climbing.' Today is the day you can choose something very different. You can join God in the work he’s already doing in you.

*Our goal is not to look spiritual or have all the Christian answers, or do the best we can at staying away from bad things. The goal is spiritual maturity, which means we move in a forward progression. (Hebrews 5: 11-13) We play a role in our spiritual development. Once you become a Christian there should be  transformation. Just like a baby progresses from milk to solid food, we must make a similar progression toward maturity.

*1 John 2:6 says we must become more like Jesus. That’s not a call to perform religion but to move toward maturity, which results in the fruits of the spirt: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness. Never forget the ‘why.' Your goal as a Christ follower is not to look good, but to be like Jesus.

*Growing requires that you not be sluggish in the ears. In other words, you must attempt to read and understand the Bible. Growing requires an intellectual drive. You must become an active listener.

*The local church’s job is to equip and build you up. Church shouldn’t become “comfortable.” The church was God’s strategy to reach the world. God’s design for you is to grow and be active in the local church. Your spiritual maturity needs relationships in the local church. Go find a church if GBCC is not yours. Once you find a local church, hammer a stake in the ground and stay there and work through difficulties, no matter who offends you.

*Growing builds on the basics. When we come to Christ the Holy Spirit enters our lives and works through us. We must walk in the Spirit through bible reading, church attendance, prayer, and journaling, among other things.

*Growing requires a constant training and use. In order to stay in shape you have to keep working out and watching your diet. In the same way we must engage in the practices of spiritual training.

*You have 12 goals for each month of the year, 52 decisions for each week, and 365 choices for each day. How will you use your time in 2018? Here are some practical steps that will help you grow: Memorize scripture, start a small group, be honest and vulnerable with others, volunteer at your home church or somewhere else, use your gifts, start a prayer group, invite unchurched people to your place of worship, become a giver of your time and money.

*You are not a victim of where you are at. If you are spiritually stuck, it comes down to you beginning to take some steps.