GROW Paths bring together scripture and resources for an expansive study. Each path is similar - 2 studies focused on scripture and 2 studies focused on books by trusted Christian teachers. We don't have to graduate seminary to understand scripture, we just have to be willing to spend time in it!
GROW Paths
What are GROW Paths?
When we hear the word ‘path’, we think of a trail or a route that leads somewhere. We take a path to get to a destination. GROW Paths group together resources to build your learning of scripture, deepen your understanding of the things of God, and grow your relationship with Him. Paths include books of the Bible, books, studies, and videos that go with each GROW letter to serve crews in their growth. The resources for each letter support the theme of each letter based on below:
“G” items focus on the truth God revealed through scripture, the gospel He fulfilled, and the understanding He wants us to have.
“R” items focus on building spiritual discipline into our lives and recognizable actions that come from our faith.
“O” items focus on learning to overcome challenges, working through trials, and navigating this world from a biblical perspective.
“W” items focus on learning who God says we are and identify who God has called us to be.
GROW Paths were created to help remove the obstacle of finding something to study. Each path is similar - 2 studies focused on scripture and 2 studies focused on books by trusted Christian teachers. The 4 studies in each path were selected to be complimentary to the theme of the path. When you complete a GROW Path, you will have spent around a year reading scripture intently, learning new things, understanding God’s will, sharing with your brothers, and building a love for God you want to put into action. Also, our discipleship doesn't end on us as we are called to share God’s commands so “that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children” (Psalm 78:6). What we study and learn is vital to us as disciples and those we disciple.
Studying Scripture
Studying scripture can be challenging but the rewards are so much greater than the challenge. To study scripture, we encourage using Bible commentaries for the books of the Bible your study. What is a Bible commentary? A Bible commentary is basically the summary and explanation of scripture by people who have spent years understanding scripture. When we study scripture, we want to get the context of what God is delivering through the writer. Studying scripture from the lens of its context helps us avoid using scripture out of context and making it mean what it doesn’t.
Each scripture study has multiple recommended commentaries to choose from and there are a couple ways to decide which to pick for your study. The first is to pick the same commentary for all crew members to read. This will give crews consistent text to talk through. The second is for crew members to pick different commentaries. This expands the knowledge of the group from different scholars knowledge and perspectives.
Book Studies
Remember when you were growing up and had reading homework? I could venture to guess that most of us did not like nor looked forward to it. We have a tendency to base things in our life on our past experiences. This is wise at times but can be inhibiting in others. If you have not been a “reader” up to this point in your life, you are about to be one.
The books included in each path are there to make you think and put the lessons you learn into action. Think and act are outcomes our reading will create, but why we are reading will determine how we read:
We are reading to understand God’s will.
We are reading to strengthen the faith we have for the gospel Jesus fulfilled.
We are reading to help our brothers and our church live to love God and our neighbors.
We are reading to prepare us to prepare the next generation.
Choosing a Path
Crews should spend time talking about and praying on the things in their lives that need focus and attention or have a desire to understand better. Then review the paths which will be most helpful in the growth of crew members. Once you have decided, get started!