He'd just returned from his fortieth high school reunion.

Four decades had passed since he'd been back to his hometown.

"well, how was it?" his friend asked.

"It was one of the saddest experiences of my life," he replied.

"Good grief! What happened?"

"Not what happened, but what didn't happen," he answered. "They'd gained weight, married, gotten jobs but hadn't really changed at all!"

Do you know people whose life journeys look like they're riding stationary bikes--lots of sweat, but no progress? Do you sometimes feel that way about your own life?

The Christian life is freedom to move on, to grow, to enter the house of faith, not just hang around the door. God invites us to enter and live in a relationship with Jesus, not just buy into a doctrine or "religion."

The Christian life isn't just achieving some required level of holiness. It's a dynamic life process--a voyage more than a harbor.

"Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" wrote the Apostle Peter (2 Peter 3: 18).

Some well-meaning Christians try to live only by a set of rules and obligations. Then they continue to add the word more. Pray more, read the Bible more, witness more. A list like that creates pressure and little long-term progress.

Christian growth happens best in an atmosphere of grace. In fact, grace plus response equals growth. Grace is God's loving, unconditional acceptance of me. Not "Just as I am when I . . .lose 10 pounds, quit smoking. . .whatever," but just as I am.

"It is by grace you have been saved through faith. . . .it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).

Through grace I know I am accepted into God's family. Through grace I understand that I am a person God made and loves. Healthy Christian growth takes place in that kind of grace-filled, secure identity.

Response is my cooperation with God for whatever He wants to do in my life. And what He wants is to free me so I can grow to be more like Jesus.

But how do I respond to God's grace so this growth will take place?

First, don't sweat it!

Responding to God's grace isn't just trying harder or working up a spiritual sweat. Christian growth is more like the growth of a plant. My roses don't sweat over blooming, and it doesn't help for me to stand around anxiously waiting for them to flower.

Plants just cooperate with nature. Christians just meet the conditions in Christ-likeness can develop. That means we don't sweat it.

Instead, open up, be real!

As we keep open to God's truth and to other Christians, we grow more like Jesus. If we back away from truth and from fellow believers, we tend to stall in our growth and place ourselves at risk.

Join hands!

Growth in Christ doesn't flourish in isolation. It's not just between me and the Lord. It's when I interact with other believers that I grow.

For this, I need to be part of a Christian congregation. The Free Methodist Church offers that opportunity. Here I can receive biblical teaching and preaching, and sense God's call to a deeper and more complete commitment. Here I can find nurturing fellowsip of other believers and the chance to serve God by serving others.

Stick with it!

Perservere in spite of feelings. Keep on in spite of ups and downs, trials, difficulties, even doubts. Don't expect a "quick fix". After you're born again, Christian growth is a lifelong process.

What is it we're to "stick with"?

It's what Christians call the "means of grace." Some of them are:

Prayer--both alone and with others.

Digging into the Bible--God speaks to us through its truth.

Congregational worship--when Christians gather together.

Christian fellowship--being involved in a network of mutual support, encouragement and accountability. Patterns of living.

Physical disciplines--exercise, fasting, and healthy patterns of living.

Martin Luther King Jr once said, "I may not be the man I want to be; I may not be the man I ought to be; I may not be the man I could be; I may not be the man I can be; but praise God, I'm not the man I once was."

Christian growth is being freed to move from being the persons we once were to the persons God wants us to be.

So live free--and grow in Christ!