Growing faith

God in Christ has given to all people in the Church the Holy Spirit as a pledge and foretaste of that coming reconciliation and renewal which is the end in view for the whole creation. The Church’s call is to serve that end: to be a fellowship of reconciliation, a body within which the diverse gifts of its members are used for the building up of the whole, an instrument through which Christ may work and bear witness to himself. The Basis of Union (1992 edition)

Growing committed and engaged followers of Jesus Christ is one of the primary aims of the Uniting Church. It reflects our commitment to live as pilgrim people working and travelling together to bring about God’s mission to the world. We recognise, treasure and use the gifts of the Spirit given to all God’s people for ministry.

A life of discipleship means to live as an active part of God’s mission in the world. It means being open to the opportunities and adventures of following Christ and using our diverse gifts in his service.

Growing disciples is at the heart of all that we say and do as Christians. It encompasses growing the capacity and commitment of those who already identify as Christians, together with forming new disciples through witnessing to our faith in word and deed.

Discipleship is a broad-ranging term, and within it we include learning and education (growing our understanding and love for God), acting for peace and justice (growing our commitment to a world reconciled to God), and living and sharing the gospel story (growing our participation in God’s mission).

Growing disciples is about more than individual spiritual growth. We gather together as congregations and faith communities, and growing our collective capacity, influence and energy is central to our ability to be effective agents of God’s mission.

As you explore the Growing Faith pages you will discover a range of interactive resources including Bible studies, reviews, blogs and insights into new community-building initiatives. We suggest you start with the Growing Faith Blog and see where that takes you.

We look forward to growing together.