Surrender. The first stage is the stage of simple awareness, and we recognize that there is a Divine Being that is greater than us and is our creator. We recognize this Supreme Being as our God and spiritual source and surrender our life to this source. Christians have a spiritual portal for surrender called Jesus. We give our lives to Jesus and follow him as our example for spiritual direction, moral compass, and even our friend. We also let go of our old ways of life and try to live a life that better reflects our commitment to the Christian faith and lifestyle. We seek forgiveness for past sins and try to stop living a life that will separate us from our godly spiritual path in life. Develop. We are always in a state of growth and development as Christians. New Christians must learn the verbiage and expectations of the Church and begin a life of spiritual development within the church or group they chose to follow. Instruction in prayer, Bible study, worship, missional outreach, and the ongoing support of the church and people around them will continue to grow. If Christians become lifelong learners, then the development of their spiritual life will continue to flourish. Awareness. As we focus on our spiritual development and growth, we will become spiritually self-aware of our sacred presence on this earth. In the stage of spiritual awareness, we begin to ask the deeper questions of life. Who am I, where do I come from, and why am I here are the three big questions that tend to arise in this stage of spiritual growth. Spiritual awareness often brings a deep desire for spiritual truth. Engagement. We move into the final stage of spiritual development when we see that there is a world that can use our help. I believe the Holy Spirit compels us to seek poverty, injustice, social need, and other human dilemmas. I admire the cloistered groups that spend many hours during the day focusing on their spiritual development but then are led by the Spirit to serve the needs of the people outside their community in the evening. When we embrace the Holy Spirit, we soon find out that the Holy Spirit is also embracing the people around us.
Jesus enriched the lives of his disciples through holy teaching; then, he moved them into the world for missional engagement.