4 Stages of the Christian Life | Apprentice Workshop 2020 - a podcast by Trey Van Camp

4 goals that deaden souls:
1. Holiness
2. Service
3. Wholeness
4. Enlightenment

Our Primary Goal is Love (Matthew 22:34-40)
“Love is the essence of our relationship with God and its goal. From a biblical perspective, a loving relationship with God produces the fruits of holiness, service, and wholeness.” Ashbrook

First Half of the Christian Life: We pursue a life of love by leaning into our longings.


Stage One – Awakening [Eph. 2:1-10; 1 Cor. 3:1-3] Redeemed from a pointless life to a purpose in life.

“God, I believe in you!”

Stage Two – Purgation [Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 6:10-18] Releasing disordered desires to feast on deeper desires.

“God, I belong to you!”
“God doesn’t hate sin because he’s anti-pleasure. He invented pleasure. He hates sin because it promises so much and offers so little.” John Ortberg
“We often blame God or ourselves, when much of the turmoil in our heads is caused by the devil’s harassment.” Ashbrook

Second Half of the Christian Life: We pursue a life of love by leaning into our limitations.


Stage Three – Illumination [Eph. 4:1-3; Phil. 2:12-16] Redeemed from an impressive life to an empowering life.

“God, I’m working for you!”

Dark Night of the Soul [Psalm 51; Habakkuk] A wall that works through your wounds and wickedness.

“God, where are you?”
“We underestimate the depth of our dependence on this world, our distrust of God’s goodness, and the brokenness of our human nature. God sees it all but loves us too much to let us remain there.” Ashbrook

Stage Four – Union [John 15-17; Phil. 3:7-11] Releasing what’s interesting to feast on what’s integrating.

“God, I long to be with you!”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:
Mansions of the Heart by R. Thomas Ashbrook
Becoming Sage by Michelle Van Loon
Invitation to a Journey by Robert Mulholland
Eternity is Now in Session by Ortberg

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Website of Trey Van Camp