The Five Faith Catalysts That Actually Change Lives
If you’ve ever wondered how faith grows, what actually helps someone become more like Jesus, then you’re not alone. Most of us intuitively know what things have helped us grow spiritually. Whether it’s a key conversation, a powerful sermon, or perhaps a challenging season that changes everything. But we rarely stop to name what’s underneath those moments.
What are the consistent ingredients God uses to grow faith?
We can examine several key factors, which we refer to as The Five Faith Catalysts. These aren’t magic steps or formulas, but instead, they’re themes that we see repeated over and over in Scripture and in our current lived experiences, where we encounter stories of transformation.
They form the backbone of our discipleship pathway. And we believe they can shape your journey too.
1. Practical Teaching
Truth that meets you where you are.
It’s one thing to know Scripture. It’s a whole different thing indeed to understand how it speaks into everyday life. Faith grows when truth becomes actionable and accessible. When people hear teaching that connects the dots between God’s Word and their Monday morning, something clicks. Jesus taught this way. He used stories as well as real-life examples to show what the Kingdom looked like in motion.
Ask yourself:
What’s one truth you’ve heard recently that’s changing how you live?
2. Providential Relationships
Behind every faith story, there’s a person or group of people. God often uses relationships to draw us closer to Him. Sometimes it’s through intentional discipleship, but oftentimes it’s through unexpected friendships that become lifelines in our faith journey. Growth doesn’t happen in isolation. We need others to speak truth, extend grace, and encourage us along the way.
Ask yourself:
Who has shaped your faith the most? Who are you walking with now?
3. Private Disciplines
Spiritual growth, like other types of personal development, doesn’t happen without intention. It’s about who you’re becoming every day. The private rhythms of prayer, Scripture, silence, solitude, generosity, and reflection shape the interior world where real transformation begins.
These practices don’t earn God’s love; instead, they help us receive it more fully. They train our hearts to recognize His presence in the ordinary.
Ask yourself:
Which spiritual rhythm is most grounding for you right now? What might you be missing that could challenge your growth?
4. Pivotal Circumstances
No one prays for pain. But many of us can point to a crisis, a loss, or a transition that changed our faith forever. In these moments, when the bottom drops out or the path shifts unexpectedly, our faith is either uprooted or deepened. The key isn’t the event itself, but how we process it. In fact, not all pivotal circumstances are hard things; the key theme is that they are disrupting or disorienting. When we invite God and others into those moments, they can become sacred turning points.
Ask yourself:
Is there a life moment that’s shaped your faith more than anything else? What might we learn from those experiences about growth and how we might replicate it without the disruption?
5. Personal Ministry
Something powerful happens when you transition from a consuming faith to a contributing one. When you step into someone else’s story with love, humility, and action, you don’t just help them, you grow too. God stretches our faith when we serve beyond our comfort zone. That might look like leading a group, mentoring a student, serving on a trip, or simply loving a neighbor well.
Ask yourself:
Where might God be inviting you to step out and serve?
Catalysts, Not Checkboxes
None of these catalysts guarantee instant change. But over time, if we let them, they shape us.
That’s why we’ve designed our discipleship pathway with these five key elements in mind. Because we believe spiritual growth isn’t about cramming more information into your brain, it’s about opening your life to be formed by God’s presence, God’s people, and God’s purposes. So the question isn’t: “Am I doing all of these perfectly?” It’s: “Which catalyst is God using in my life right now, and am I paying attention?”
Want to take your next step?
Try the Take our Faith Stage Assessment or talk to one of our coaches, who can help you make sense of your journey.