In this article, I’m going to share 10 Christian resources for spiritual growth that I’ve personally found helpful in my own life.
If you’ve been a Christian for any amount of time, then you know that spiritual growth is vital to the Christian life. I’ve, personally, been a Christian for over 20 years. And, along the way, I’ve discovered quite a few resources to help with my spiritual maturity.
When a person chooses to give their life to Jesus, they are entering into a new relationship. Like all relationships, this one needs to be cultivated, nurtured, and nourished. That’s where spiritual disciplines come into play.
Simply put, spiritual disciplines are behaviors and activities that Christians intentionally pursue with the objective of growing closer to the Lord. These behaviors can be things like starting the day with a devotional or spending time in prayer for the needs of others.
I’ll go into more detail on this topic in another post. But, for now, what you need to know is that there are many resources out there designed to support spiritual disciplines.
What Is Spiritual Growth?
In case you’re unfamiliar with the concept. Spiritual growth is the act of pursuing things that will increase spiritual maturity. In the Christian sense, spiritual growth is all about becoming more like Jesus. I’ll dive more into this in another article.
10 Christian Resources for Spiritual Growth
Below is my non-exhaustive list that will hopefully give you some simple places to get started.
1. YouVersion Bible App
The YouVersion Bible App is both a website and a mobile app. It’s my go-to Bible app on my phone. My favorite thing about it is the extensive devotional and Bible study library.
This Christian resource has played a huge role in my personal spiritual growth. I’ve completed a number of devotional studies through it. Honestly, consistency isn’t one of my strengths. But when I follow a devotional study through it, I find myself thoroughly engrossed.
The devotional studies are all different. My personal favorites are the book study devotionals. I get to read through an entire book of the Bible while learning more about it and how it fits into the overarching Biblical narrative.
If you haven’t tried the YouVersion Bible App, consider downloading from your app store. It’s completely free. Plus, you can connect with your family friends who also use the app. Making it a great way to experience Christ-centered community with spiritual growth as the focus.
2. Crosswalk
Crosswalk is a member of the Salem Web Network. It’s a network of Christian websites hosting all sorts of Bible study tools, devotionals, podcasts, and so much more. Crosswalk, itself, shares an abundance of resources for spiritual growth. From marriage and parenting to Bible studies and church culture. You’re bound to find something that meets your present needs.
I’m subscribed to several of their email devotionals and find them to be just what I need sometimes. They do have a premium membership called Crosswalk Plus that you can subscribe to. It gives you access to all of their plus content. This membership is a great way to support their mission of spreading the gospel and Christian resources worldwide.
3. Spoken Gospel
Spoken Gospel is by far one of my favorite resources for spiritual growth! The main thing I’ve been enjoying lately are their video devotionals. They cover each book of the Bible connecting the stories to Jesus. What I love the most is that you can enjoy their devotionals on the YouVersion App. This makes getting into Scripture so much easier.
Little by little I’m going through each book of the Bible. I’ve actually never read the whole Bible, from cover to cover. So, I’m excited to be on my way with Spoken Gospel’s video devotional series.
4. Biblegateway
Biblegateway is an awesome online Bible resource. The primary way I use it is to search for Scripture references. They also have a blog full of helpful articles, as well as Bible study tools.
5. Blue Letter Bible
Blue Letter Bible is an excellent Bible study tool that I learned about in Bible college. It’s a huge online database full of scholarly Bible study resources. From Strong’s concordance to Vine’s expository dictionary, you’ll also find podcasts, sermons, and commentaries. I personally use Blue Letter Bible when I’m writing any kind of devotional or Bible study content.
It’s also an excellent resource for both small group and personal Bible study. Whether you lead a small group, participate in one, or simply want to uplevel your Bible study skills, this is a great resource for spiritual growth.
6. Today In The Word
Today In The Word is a wonderful resource for Bible study and daily devotions. They offer an email devotional that is sent to your inbox daily. They also have a number of articles and videos that offer deeper study and understanding of Biblical concepts.
The main way I use Today In The Word is via their email devotionals. I don’t read them every day, but they are a great addition to my devotional routine.
7. Through The Word
Through The Word is another wonderful Biblical studies ministry. Their content is primarily audio. I enjoy listening to your commentaries on various Bible books. I love the simplicity in their presentation. It’s very family and child friendly in the sense that the commentary is easy to digest.
I would highly recommend this resource for teaching the Bible to children. You can use their app and listen in the car or even as part of Bible time at home. This is a great resource for learning the basic foundations of Biblical principles. No matter your age, whether you’re a new believer or simply wanting a simpler approach to Bible Study, this is a great resource.
8. iBelieve
iBelieve is also part of the Salem Web Network. It’s a Christian resource blog with devotionals specifically for women. You can subscribe to their free devotionals via email. This resource is awesome because they have a bunch of devotional options to choose from. I’m subscribed to a few of their devotionals and enjoy reading them from time to time.
9. The Bible Project
The Bible Project is an awesome Bible study resource! I was introduced to it 8 years ago at the same singles Bible study where I met my hubby. One of my favorite things about The Bible Project are their Bible book overviews. They are very well illustrated. The way they break down the stories is cohesive and easy to digest. They really bring the Bible to life just like our next resource.
10. The Chosen
Last, but not least, The Chosen! This is by far one of the most incredible resources for spiritual growth I’ve ever found. It is a dramatization of the life of Christ. When I first started watching it, I was thoroughly impressed with how well done everything was.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for a live action illustration of the life of Jesus. Each episode truly brings to life the stories being represented.
Tips for Accelerating Spiritual Growth
You might wonder if there’s a way to accelerate spiritual growth. While it’s not the same as accelerating a college degree, it is something that can be boosted. Spiritual growth is one of those things that takes time and life experiences to cultivate. However, you can create a bit of a greenhouse effect when you put yourself into a position to absorb a large amount of Biblical knowledge in a short period of time.
I attended Bible college for two years and this experience provided that accelerated learning environment. Although I’m not suggesting that everyone should attend Bible college, I would recommend some kind of formal education for people wanting to quickly increase their Biblical knowledge.
The neat thing about spiritual growth is that it’s unique to each person. Regardless of where you’re at in your Christian journey, there’s always room for improvement. Typically this improvement can be done by practicing the spiritual disciplines in a way that is genuine to you.
For New Believers
If you became a Christian within the last three years, it’s safe to say you’re a new believer. Being a new believer is a beautiful thing. You have child-like faith and your faith may not have experienced too much testing.
If you’re that person and you want nothing more than to be as prepared as possible for the inevitable trials, here’s a few things you can do:
1. Get involved in a small group at church.
Church small groups offer a safe, controlled environment for growth and support. You can find Christian mentorship and be nurtured on your faith journey.
2. Start a Bible reading plan.
Bible reading plans are a great way to start reading the Bible without the overwhelm of where to get started. A lot of churches and small groups will have a plan they’re doing together.
3. Download the YouVersion Bible App.
I highly recommend this Bible app to anyone desiring to grow spiritually. It’s set up to help build daily Bible habit.
4. Start a prayer journal.
This might seem a bit extra, but journaling your prayers is a great way to see how God is moving in your life. I’ve been journaling since I was a teen. Being able to look back at old entries has really helped my faith grow. When I look back, I am able to see where the Lord has worked and this allows me to grow in my trust of Him.
5. Make time for prayer.
This is similar to the previous point. But the difference is that you don’t need to write down every prayer. Sometimes you just need to pray and that’s that. Making time for prayer is vital to spiritual growth. Prayer is how we talk with God.
So, when you pray, you’re not just sharing your conscious thoughts with the Lord. You’re also allowing yourself to have quiet moments to reflect on the Scriptures, what God has done for you or others, and as well as just basking in His presence.
You can add soft worship music or even instrumental hymns to boost the ambiance of your prayer time.
For Mature Believers
Mature Christians are typically believers who have been professing faith in Christ for more than five years. Usually, they have had life experiences that have tested their faith and drawn them closer to the Lord.
They are typically the person who is more comfortable with talking about their faith without expecting others to agree with them. Mature believers are often found mentoring new believers and providing prayer support.
Here are a few ways to grow spiritually as a mature believer:
1. Remember you were once a new believer.
While most believers remember their salvation experience and key moments that helped grow their faith. There are those who sometimes forget how they’ve come. We’ve all met that Christian who’s been a believer for 20+ years and has no problem reminding others of that fact. It’s not a pretty sight.
My recommendation is to never forget how far you’ve come. Remember that once upon a time you, too, didn’t have extensive biblical knowledge and needed to be taught. Finding a sense of humility in hindsight is very important to continued spiritual growth.
2. Keep an open mind.
Change is inevitable. Mature Christians need to keep in mind that new believers and non-believers are still people. They simply lack the spiritual maturity offered by years of time-tested faith.
Being open-minded doesn’t mean you agree and accept everything that is against your beliefs. It does mean that you are kind and gracious to those who do. Realizing that it may or may not be your purpose to call them out. Be prayerful and not forget that our number one purpose is pleasing and glorifying God.
3. Church attendance doesn’t make you Christian.
Mature believers lose sight of the number priority—love God and love people. Instead, they tend to get into the bad habit of splitting hairs. Wondering about church attendance, are you giving your tithe, who did you vote for. All things that are none of their business and irrelevant to spiritual growth.
My recommendation is to focus on being an example to younger believers. Focus more on your own spiritual growth and less on others’.
5 Books To Help With Spiritual Growth
Growing spiritually requires discipline and resources. But most importantly, it requires a willingness to be a life-long learner. Here are a few books that I’ve found to be most impactful in my spiritual growth.
1. Alone With God
2. Living By The Book
3. Principles and Practice of Prayer
4. The Kneeling Christian
5. My Utmost for His Highest
Each of these books has helped me to grow in my faith. The first three are books I read while in Bible college. The last two are books that were recommended to me.
Closing Thoughts
No matter where you are in your journey. Finding reliable Christian resources for spiritual growth is going to be vital to continued maturity. I believe that if you genuinely desire growth, the Lord will guide you. Jeremiah 29:13 says, You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (NIV).
Never stop seeking the Lord. No matter how rough life gets. No matter how far away from the Lord you may feel. Never stop reading your Bible. Always pray and don’t be afraid to seek pastoral guidance.
Feel free to email me if you have any prayer requests or are in need of guidance. I’m always here to help.
If there’s anything you would add to any of the lists presented in this article, let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear how you are growing spiritually with Christ.
