Growth in Grace and Knowledge

At Northgate, we are committed to growth.

What is growth? It’s certainly growth in church attendance, but our heart is also for your spiritual growth.

We have many new Christians here who are growing rapidly. They're passionate. They're on fire, and it's awesome to see.

Our goal is to be a community that attracts new followers to Jesus and then equips them to live out our calling to live a Christ-centered, Kingdom-centered life.

As the Apostle Peter encourages, we strive to be a community of Jesus followers who continually grow in grace, knowledge, and give glory to our Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Our prayer is that each of us, including you, may grow in grace and knowledge. As Methodists, we join in the call of our theological founder, John Wesley, to emphasize the necessity of growth in grace and knowledge.

He said, “The Christian life is not a static state, but a growing state; not a standing still, but a going on unto perfection.”

With Wesley, we encourage ourselves that though we are born of God in an instant, our growth often comes in slow degrees.

What does grace mean to us? It is the active presence of God in our lives, empowering, guiding, forgiving, and transforming us to the kind of people who love neighbors and forgive enemies. It is how we join Christ in his Kingdom work.

Knowledge equips us for growth.

To grow, we never stop learning.

In 2 Peter, we see that growing in grace and knowledge are intertwined in a way that commands us to work the two areas of growth together.

Peter is saying in essence, 'Please don't just grow in one of those two areas.'

Too much grace without any knowledge of God will lead us to enable and condone sin.

Too much knowledge without any grace leads to legalism.

So Peter says, "Grow in both. Become more and more knowledgeable about God, about his son and his word, but also become more and more grace-filled and loving every single day.'

We must ask ourselves every day, “Am I becoming more grace-filled and more loving?”

When we grow in grace and knowledge, when we do that, the peace and the joy and the hope that overflows from life in Christ is palpable. It will be life-changing, and not just for you. It will be life-changing for the people around you because being a Christ follower, it's never just about us.