A Reflection on Christian Growth, Discernment, and the American Church
As I look at what’s happening in the world, especially here in America and in the American church, I’ve noticed that many people don’t have the right knowledge and understanding of God, Christ, and what Christianity is really about. It’s not just about going to church or knowing a few Bible stories. There’s a deeper layer—a maturity—that many folks are missing, and it’s important for us to talk about it in plain, everyday terms.
Moving Beyond the Basics: Solid Food for the Mature
The Bible sometimes talks about “milk” and “solid food” when it comes to spiritual growth. Think of a baby who starts with milk and eventually eats solid food as they grow. In the same way, the “solid food” of Christianity is meant for those who are growing up in their faith—it’s not just for the super-religious or church leaders, but for anyone willing to put in the effort to go deeper.
Spiritual maturity doesn’t just happen overnight. It comes from constant practice—making faith part of your daily life, not just a Sunday thing. The more you live it, the more you understand the richer, more challenging truths of Christianity. This maturity helps you see what’s true and what’s false, what’s helpful and what’s harmful, especially when it I comes to religious teachings and life choices.
What Does It Mean to “Train Your Senses”?
The Bible, in Hebrews 5:14, says that mature believers have their “senses trained to discern good and evil.” In simple terms, this means that just as we use our physical senses to understand the world around us, we develop spiritual senses to tell right from wrong. This isn’t automatic—it’s like building a muscle through constant use.
· Rooted in Maturity: Spiritual discernment is for those who want to grow up in their faith, not just stay where they started.
· Constant Practice: It takes daily effort—praying, reading the Bible, making tough choices, and learning from mistakes.
· Distinguishing Good from Evil: The goal is to immediately recognize when something is morally right or wrong, without having to debate it every time.
· Biblical Foundation: Our judgment has to be rooted in God’s Word, not just our feelings or what’s popular.
· Active Application: It’s not enough to know what’s right; we have to live it out, even when it’s hard.
In other words, spiritual maturity means that your faith becomes second nature. You don’t just know about God—you know Him, and you can spot what’s true and good in a world full of confusion and half-truths.
The Problem of “Dull Hearers”
One of the challenges in today’s church is that many people are “dull hearers.” That means they hear the message but don’t really let it sink in or change their lives. Even people who have some faith can be slow to believe and act. When we don’t grow, we miss out on the deeper joys and truths that God has for us.
Christian experience is like developing a taste for the good things of God—His goodness, grace, and love. There’s a satisfaction and peace that comes from really knowing God, but it takes time and openness to let Him work in us.
Lessons from Christ: Sorrow, Prayer, and Facing Death
The Bible reminds us that Jesus Himself, even though He was the Son of God, faced sorrow, pain, and even the fear of death. He prayed with tears, showing us that it’s not unmanly or weak to cry or to feel deeply. Tears and sorrow are a natural part of life, and God uses them to help us grow and to prepare us for the joy that’s coming.
When it comes to death, Jesus shows us that it’s normal to feel afraid. Fear of death isn’t a sin—it’s part of being human. In fact, sometimes God allows us to feel this fear so that we take our lives seriously and prepare for what comes next. It also stops us from making rash choices when life gets hard, reminding us that our lives are valuable and that God’s grace is enough, even in our darkest moments.
The comfort is this: Jesus has already been where we’re going. Whatever we face, He’s faced worse, and He did it so that we could have hope and peace, even in the face of death.
Why Some Christians Stay “Babies” in Faith
Sadly, it’s common for people to be Christians for years and still not know the basics of what they believe. Maybe they never got good teaching, or maybe they got distracted by other things. Sometimes, even those who have been in church a long time can’t explain why they believe what they do, or defend their faith when it’s questioned.
There are “elementary” teachings in Christianity—things like forgiveness, self-denial, prayer, doing good, and loving others. These are the basics that every Christian needs to learn, but many never move past them. Maturity means going deeper, learning more, and letting your relationship with God change every part of your life.
The Call to Grow Up in Faith
In a world full of confusion, and even in churches where people sometimes miss the point, God calls us to grow up—to move from milk to solid food, from basics to maturity. That means practicing our faith, learning from experience, and letting God’s Word shape how we see and live in the world.
Let’s not settle for a shallow faith or a weak understanding of God. Let’s be people who “train our senses,” who are ready for the deeper things of God, and who can tell the difference between what’s good and what’s just popular. In doing so, we’ll find the kind of peace, hope, and strength that can’t be shaken, no matter what’s happening in the world around us.
Minister A Francine Green
February 2026
afrancinegreen.com 