Cultivating Christian Character

What's a Branch Supposed to Do? Becoming a Christian is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of a journey that starts at the foot of the cross and ends at the foot of the throne of God. We are involved in an ongoing experience as we grow in our relationship with Christ. As believers, our goal is to become more and more like him. Jesus taught that he is the vine and we are the branches. We receive our spiritual lifeblood from him, as the Holy Spirit works in our lives. However, our relationship is not designed to be a passive one. Branches are expected to bear fruit. This is a legitimate expectation. God is the gardener, and his job is to prune the branches in order that we become more fruitful. This process may be somewhat uncomfortable and even spiritually painful at times, but the finished product is worth the investment. Cultivating Christian Character is all about this journey. The focus is on what grows on our branches - the various facets of the fruit of the Spirit, coupled with integrity and obedience. It is about modeling our lives after the examples set before us in the word of God. And it is about allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, making the necessary changes to help us reach the goal of becoming more like Christ. I invite you to come along for the journey - it will be worth the trip.