Five Spiritual Disciplines Every Christian Should Have (Part 1 of 2)

Christians should engage in daily activities that go beyond just attending church. Many believers fill their weeks with morally neutral pursuits—sports, entertainment, work, school—that don't make them more Christlike. These can even become idols if overly prioritized. The danger is becoming too busy or disinterested in spiritual matters outside church settings. We may not even know what Christians should do throughout the week.

This message outlines five spiritual disciplines—habits that are hard to break, done without constant reminders—that every Christian should cultivate. These are not exhaustive but essential, drawn from Scripture. A discipline involves learning and practicing what the Bible teaches about Christian living.

1. Take Sermons Away from Church

It's tragic if a pastor's weekly study and sermon preparation only fills a slot in the service, leaving no lasting impact. Sermons aren't entertainment or motivation; they're God's Word for transformation.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

First-century Christians stuck with the apostles' teaching daily, busily engaging it continuously. Imagine planning your week around Sunday's sermon instead of fun or chores. They attended temple daily, fellow-shipped, and broke bread together—making these their routine.

Today, re-study notes Monday morning or Friday night. Listen to recordings, critique biblically. The Bereans fact-checked Paul with Scripture. Sermons set your weekly agenda.

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching... Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Leaders model this for the flock. True learning equips you to teach others. Don't treat sermons as a spectator sport.

2. Serve the Way Christians Should

Devote yourself to good works—they're excellent and profitable.

The saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

Avoid unprofitable controversies; pursue service instead. Don't just plan careers—plan ministry. Meet urgent needs to avoid unfruitfulness.

And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

Serving fulfills needs beyond money—any urgent call, unless disqualified by sin.

3. Secure Qualities That Christians Should Have

Actively supplement your faith with virtues to grow and confirm your calling.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

Doing nothing leads to forgetting your cleansing from sin and stunts growth. Make every effort—break a sweat—to build these.