Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my DISCIPLE must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (NIV)

Matthew 7:21–23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (NIV)

1. The Salvation Stage

2. The Milk Stage

1 Peter 2:2-3 Like newborn INFANTS, long for the pure spiritual MILK, that by it you may GROW UP into salvation 3 If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (ESV)

1 Corinthians 3:1–3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere INFANTS in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are STILL WORLDLY. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? (NIV)

Hebrews 5:13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. (ESV)

3. The Maturing Stage

1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (NIV)

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the MATURE, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (NIV)

4. The Others Stage

Ephesians 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, (ESV)

4A. Mature Christians Get Connected to Other Christians

4B. Mature Christians Get Equipped for Ministry

4C. Mature Christians Serve Others So The Body Can Grow

1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (NIV)

5. The Disciple Making Stage

Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (NIV)

Hebrews 6:1 So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and BECOME MATURE in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. (NLT)

Hebrews 5:12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! (NIV)

Acts 6:7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (ESV)