Dave Havir - Stages of Maturity

Dave Havir focuses upon three success levels of spiritual maturity, based on concepts from Stephen Covey’s book, Seven Habits of Successful People. These stages we identify as dependent, independence, and interdependence. As parents we realize that our offspring must learn independence in order to mature, learning developmental tasks such as driving a car or graduating from school. We can’t retard their growth by keeping them dependent. Ministers also must empower their congregation to not “need” them in a clingy, “take care of me” attitude. Clergy must not be controlling. As we more fully mature, we learn that we desire to be with other people and help other people, but not be emotionally dependent upon or controlling or manipulating others. We need to be inner-directed, although showing willingness to seek counsel. Even though we attain self-mastery, we should be willing to increase our productivity exponentially through cooperating with one another, sharing our skills and abilities to create something greater than we could independently. Only independent people can move to the next level of maturity—interdependency. The scriptures are replete with examples of individuals moving from dependence, independence, and interdependence. Having dependence upon God will spur us through this process of maturity. We dare not short circuit this dependence on God by depending upon a man or organization who presumes to speak for God, or short-circuit our maturity by requiring the approval of others. Like the apostle Paul, we should develop a steady inner contentment or sense of well-being regardless of circumstances, continually growing into spiritual interdependency, in which we learn to learn and serve together. When we learn to sacrifice for others, being willing to lay down our lives and resources, we have reached the epitome of spiritual maturity.

Acts 7:51-60 * Acquiring a permit * Anthony Kimmons * Bearing infirmities of weak * Buying a car * Co-dependency * Compassion on neighbor * Crawling * Denying self * Dependence upon God * Dependence * Emotionally * Enduring affliction * Ephesians 5:11, 25-27 * Interdependent * Finding a job * I Corinthians 2:11; 3:3-4; 11:1; 12:1-26; 13:11; 16:15-16 * I John 3:11-16; 4:8-11 * I Peter 2:21-23 * I Timothy 6:3-5 * I Thessalonians 5:12 * Galatians 2:6-11; 6:1, 18-19 * Getting married * Giving account of self * Going to school * Graduating from college * Having a child * Hebrews 10:24-25, 32-33; 12:4, 17;13:6 * Helping fellow laborers * Hospitality * Independence * Interdependence * Intimidated by titles * Iron sharpens iron * John 12; 15:13 * Luke 10:29-37, 18:9-14; 22:61 * Mark 9:38 * Matthew 3:7; 5:44; 6:1-6, 14-15; 7:21-23; 10:28; 16:24; 18:15; 19:16-21; 20:25-28; 23:4-28; 25:24-30; 25:34-46; 27:46 * Maturing as a Christian * Nancy Sharpe * Philippians 2:12-15; 4:3, 11-13 * Physically interdependent * Praying for enemies * Proverbs 20:29 * Resisting sin * Revelation 2:4; 3:9-11 * Romans 12:13; 14:1; 15:1 * II Corinthians 5:10; 6:17; 7:10; 11:13 * II John 10 * II Peter 2:1-3 * II Thessalonians 2:3 * II Timothy 3:13 * 7 Habits of Highly Effective People * Service Leadership * Serving needs * Stephen Covey * Synagogue of Satan * Teenager * Walking * Weather policy * Withdraw from false doctrine * Working full time * Working out salvation * “You take care of me”