Living New: A Self-Assessment to Help You Grow Spiritually in 2017

by Founding Pastor Rick Duncan

Our mission at CVC is to invite people to new life in Christ. What does new life in Christ look like? How do we know if we are successful?

Here’s what we measure: Are we seeing people grow in the Fruit of New Life? Are our people Living New?

What’s the Fruit of New Life? What does Living New look like?

• Beloved Child
• Self-feeder
• Servant
• Investor
• Discipler
• Missionary

Our goal is that every single person at Cuyahoga Valley Church goes 6 for 6 – that every single person sees himself or herself as a Beloved Child, hungers for God’s Word as a    Self-feeder, volunteers as a Servant in the life of the church, gives finances generously as an Investor to advance the cause of Christ, equips believers within the church as a Discipler of others, and reaches out in word and deed to share the good news as a Missionary.

So, how are you doing? Give yourself a grade on a scale of 1-10.

(Remember, this is not a time to beat yourself up. The gospel is grace not law, love not legalism, freedom not constraint. God is pleased with your effort; He’s not demanding your perfection. See this exercise as an opportunity to draw closer to the One who knows you best and loves you most.)

1. I see myself as a Beloved Child _________________________________ 
2. I hunger for God’s Word as a Self-feeder __________________________ 
3. I volunteer as a Servant in the life of the church _____________________ 
4. I give my finances generously as an Investor to advance the cause of Christ ____ 
5. I equip believers within the church as a Discipler of others _________________ 
6. I reach out in word and deed to share the good news of Jesus as a Missionary ___ 
7. What are your strengths? ________________________________________________________________ 
8. How can you leverage your strengths to grow an area that needs more attention? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
9. Who do you know who shows proficiency in an area that is a growth opportunity for you? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
10. How might it impact you if you simply over coffee or lunch asked that person to share their story of growth with you?  _______________________________________________________________
11. What are one or two seemingly small habits you could develop that might make a big difference in helping you bear more of the fruit of New Life? ___________________________________________________________
12. What might happen in your life if you revisited and reworked the chapter in Living New in those areas where you need the most growth? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Consider making the answers to your questions a part of your spiritual growth plan for 2017.

To reiterate: God is pleased with your effort; He’s not demanding your perfection. May you enjoy Jesus more and more as you grow in Him deeper and deeper.