Becoming More Like Christ
Spiritual Formations

Becoming more like Christ - that's the adventure of spiritual growth! It's a life-long process that takes time, commitment, and intentional focus. But ultimately it's about building an intimate relationship with Jesus so that His Spirit can change us from the inside out!

"And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more." 2 Corinthians 3:18b (NLT)

Discovery Series
The Journey
Growth Groups

Discovery Series
God wants you to take your next step spiritually. That could mean getting baptized, committing to take time to dig into the Bible on a daily basis, or maybe God wants you to see what His Word has to say about why you exist. Mariner's Discovery Series is all about those next steps.

Discovery 1: Becoming Part of the Mariners Family
You were designed to be a part of a church family. And that's exactly what Mariners is intended to be - your family. A healthy family has common beliefs, purposes and commitment. That's why at Mariners we want to share with you what we believe and where we're going.

God wants all of us to grow in fellowship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism and worship. It's by balancing those five purposes that we truly live out God's plan for our life. More than anything else, the Mariners family wants to come beside you and watch you grow in all five of these areas.

Becoming Part of the Mariners Family is our basic introduction to our church family and is designed to clearly explain who and what our church is. The class is broken into four sessions covering: Our Salvation, Our Statements, Our Strategy and Our Structure. At the end of the class there will be an opportunity for you to decide whether to complete the process by filling in your information on the Membership Application or to wait and decide at another time. No pressure whatsoever, we want you to be comfortable with whichever you choose. If you decide that Mariners is not where God is leading you, we’ll be happy to help you find another church.

Discovery 2: Discovering Spiritual Maturity
All Christians eventually ask the same questions: How can I get closer to God? How can I live more and more like Jesus? How can I grow in my faith? Where do I start? Discovery 2 is an introduction to Spiritual growth and helps you develop the habits necessary to grow. Discussion will center around prayer, giving, studying the Bible, and having a personal quiet time. You will also learn how many people at Mariners have grown by becoming part of a spiritual family called Community Groups.

Discovery 3: Discovering My Spiritual Gifts and Finding My Ministry
When you became a Christian, God gave you salvation and the hope of eternity in heaven. He also gave you purpose and significance in your life now. He has given each of us the opportunity to serve others and make a real difference in someone's life. When you serve others in Jesus' name, that's called ministry.
God didn't design ministry for just a few with seminary degrees. At Mariners, we believe that every member of our church is a minister. This is what Discovery 3 is all about. During this class, you will learn how God can use your Spiritual Gifts, Interests, Abilities, and Experiences to minister to others in need.
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The Journey
The word "journey" brings to mind movement. We think of a road that keeps going to the horizon, and then keeps going beyond. Journeys don’t end. They keep going, and as they go, things change. Not just the scenery, but the traveler, as he or she experiences life.

When God calls you to spiritual living, He is not calling you to go from A to B. He is inviting you to embark on a journey: one that will never leave you the same. Of course there is a starting point (finding Christ), and we can ‘say’ eternity is the end point (eternity with God), but in between it is more like a journey than anything else.

In your Journey you will have opportunity to grow in your understanding of the sacred text called the Bible. You, along with others, will explore how God reveals Himself, His story and His plan. But it is more than just a journey of knowledge and understanding. Through this you will get to know God in a deeper and more intimate way. You will also begin to understand and experience His will and plan for your life.

We want to provide a lot of learning and growing events and venues for you. Some of these will be classes, some seminars and workshops, some lecture series, and some interactive group times. We will also be providing worship experiences and community group opportunities for you.
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Growth Groups
At Mariner's we believe that life change happens best in small groups. Visit our Growth Groups page to learn more and to begin Growing with others.
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