CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL St.

peter’s parish
bambui
Life in the spirit seminar: February - April 2023
Talk: GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION: THE WHEEL DIAGRAM
Date: Monday 24 April 2023
Today we are going to end the Life in the Spirit seminar with the theme of growth and
transformation. What is growth? Is transformation such a frightening reality like a person
turning into another thing like snake or a positive element in human development?

1. What is Growth?

To grow in the Hebrew Bible could be represented as such:

- Samah : to spring forth , to bear (Gen 2:9; Job 8:19)

- Gadal: enlarge in body, mind, estate, advance, do great things, become great (Num
6:5; Jonah 4:10)
- Parah: to flourish, to fly (Hosea 14:5,7)
- Ala: to rise up, lift up, excel, arise up (Ezek 47:12; Isaiah 53:2)

In the Greek New Testament, we have words such as:

- Auxano: enlarge or increase

- Mekyno: to lengthen, from the root mekos (length)
- Hyperauxano: to increase above ordinary degree, grow exceedingly (2Thess 1:3)

From the above words used in the Old and New Testaments to refer to growth, we can
conclude that growth implies a change, a development positively towards a higher reality, a
move towards excellence. With growth comes the reward of doing great things unlike
before and bearing fruits or being fruitful in whatever one is doing.

2. What is Transformation?

Formation implies a method of training someone to achieve a goal. Trans means to cut
across; thus, transformation is a total change of a person by the power of the Holy Spirit to
the very image of Christ. In transfiguration, there is an outward display of our inner lives as
in the case of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 17:1-10). In transformation, inwardly, we are rebuilt
to resemble the perfect image of Christ. We cannot have a transfiguration without a
transformation – nor can we talk of a clean cup if the inside is dirty and the outside is clean.
(Matthew 23:20-26).

3. Growth: The Wheel Diagram

As children, we needed breastmilk to survive, then later we started eating food and finally
we can eat solid food. Also, as infants, we could not survive without our parents, now as
adults, we live away from them and now have our own children. Yesterday, we were in
primary school; today, we are in secondary school; tomorrow, we will be in the University
or working. These all indicate one thing: GROWTH

In the CCR, the Wheel Diagram is used to assist members see how they can grow in their
relationship with God and men and women.

First is study. We must study the Word of God diligently and consistently to be able to gain
the riches in it. Bible study should be a daily activity. Still, we must read up other religious
books and articles which will help us in our faith. In such reading, we become aware of
different ways of praying, living, interacting and coping with the struggles of life. Study
engages our minds and broadens how we look at things.

Second, prayer. We cannot live without prayer since in prayer we listen to what God is
saying to us and direct our lives according to it. In prayer, we just don’t talk or listen to
God; we let ourselves be changed to resemble Him – show me your friend and I would tell
you who you are. (Sirach 6:17). We cannot pray to God and still be the same. Exodus 20
says Moses’ face changed after meeting God in the mountains for 40 days. To live faithfully
our Christian life, we must take prayer seriously, mindful of the fact that it is not the voice
that matters but the heart behind the prayer. We must plan our prayer life, having fixed
times for private prayers; a place for prayers and the duration of the prayer. Having a
devotional life which is consistent and faithful is very important and necessary. St. Teresa
of Calcutta says that what is important in the spiritual life is not how far we have gone but
rather how faithful we are to God.
Third, community. We are baptized into a community, the People of God. It is in this same
community and thanks to their support we are able to live fully our Christian lives. In
meeting for group fellowship, the weak are strengthen by the strong. (Rom 15:1-3). In the
community, the evil one cannot isolate us and kill us because we have each other’s back. In
community life, we receive fuel to increase the fire in our spirit; this is possible because the
community provides a fertile ground for us to grow spiritually even when we feel dry. The
great ministers we have seen in the CCR and beyond all profited from the support of the
community. It should not be heard that in CCR Bambui, some ministers are too big to attend
group fellowship since they are now above that level. Gbile Akanni has this piece of advice
for us:

Fat is like kerosene. Remember that sometimes when fire is not burning well, our
mothers used to add oil to make it burn. There is a kind of oil that God gives us to help
our fire burn; the oil of genuine corporate fellowship. Fellowship or communion of
brethren will add fat to what is burning in you. Fellowship cannot create fire but it can
increase it. A man of God should never be isolated. No matter the fire you carry as an
individual, you need the corporate fireplace to enhance your burning (…) Most of our
young preachers now isolate themselves from fellowship. When the brethren are
worshipping and praying especially at the beginning of a service, the young pastor is in
his office, drinking tea and pretending to be busy.
He then tells the young sister serving him that when it is time to preach, she should come
for him. And as soon as his message is over and the people are praying, he is gone again.
This is why several men of God die in their hearts and no one notices. They are too big to
attend the corporate Bible studies. When you attend the Bible studies, apart from being
blessed yourself; your congregation will then see the Bible studies as important, since the
pastor himself attends.1

Fourth, service. The goal of every spiritual gift is for service. We are all gifted by God and it
is only in serving each other that we can fully use our gifts. When God’s gifts become
reasons for our pride or stubbornness, it means we have missed the mark. The gifts of God
are to be used in the community, serving the needs of each believers. As people who belong
to a community, we must cooperate in building up that community by being of service.
Here, humility is a key virtue. We share with each other what God has bless us with,
enriching each other’s poverty with our riches.

1
Gbile AKANNI, The Price, Plight and Perils of the Anointed, Peace House Publishing Team, Gboko 20172, 286-88.
4. Stages of Growth

Growth cannot be rigidly classified into stages but we could trace some steps taken
while growing. Using the four types of souls according to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska in
her Diary of Divine Mercy in My Soul (#146), we could sketch out how one grows in
the spiritual life.

One, we have sinful souls. Here, there is the desire to rise above sins through prayers.
The focus here is freedom from the power of sin.

Two, we have newly converted souls. After gaining victory over sin, souls here ask for
the grace not to backslide. A desire to maintain the victory over sin is ever present.

Three, there are the souls moving to holiness. Now free from sin and confident that
they cannot backslide, these souls pray for the grace to be holy. Their one desire is to be
perfect/holy as their heavenly Father is (Matthew 5:48).

Lastly, the pure souls. These are united with God intimately and daily, they pray to
maintain this union with God.

Every spiritual journey involves these steps.

5. Advantages of Growth
- Increase in appetite to pray and be with God
- Progress in all we do and engage in
- Good relationship with people
- Face trials and temptations believing in God’s power to overcome them
- Maturity in handling life
- Increase in virtues and rejection of vices
- Respectful and man/woman of character, example for others, etc.
6. Hindrances/Barriers/Obstacles to Growth
- Presumption
- Sin
- Compromise
- Avoiding pain and sacrifices, living a life of ease
- Entertaining impure discussions
- Living a sinful life and bad dressing
- Difficulty to let go of evil past life and practices
- Going back to our vomit: past evil
- Poor character
- Prayerlessness
- No Bible Study
- Avoiding fellowship with other members in the Group: boycott Group meetings
- Pride
- Disrespectful, etc.

Yours in Christ

AFONGANG ERIC N. (STAMS Bambui, Theology Three)