Finding Your Spiritual Purpose - What’s Next?

Flourish by Taking Your Next Step

Scripture References

Primary text

• Psalm 92:13
• Ephesians 1

Other references

• Psalm 16:11
• James 5
• 1 Corinthians 12
• Romans 12
• Psalm 2
• John 15
• Matthew 7

Overview

God designed every believer to move forward, not stay dormant. Like seeds in Death Valley that erupted in color after rain, our lives flourish when we are planted in the right environment and keep taking the next spiritual step. Drawing from Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1, Pastor Chris Hodges identified four clear movements on the path of life—know God, find freedom, discover purpose, and make a difference—and urged each listener to locate themselves on that path and advance today.

Context

Speaking as a long-time friend of Life.Church, Pastor Chris celebrated the church’s generosity and influence, then turned to the question every follower of Jesus asks: “What’s next?” His message summarizes the core of his new book and decades of pastoral observation.

Main Points

1. Know God

• Salvation is more than religion; it is an intimate, personal relationship (ginosko).
• Pastor Chris grew up in church yet met Jesus only when he saw authentic worship in a life-giving church.

• “Not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven… I never knew you.” (Matthew 7)

• First step for anyone far from God: surrender and begin a real friendship with Him.

2. Find Freedom

• After salvation, the heart still carries pain, habits, and secrets that cloud our vision.
• Freedom comes when we bring those struggles into the light with trusted believers.
• James 5 links healing to confessing to “each other,” not only to God.
• LifeGroups are designed for this mask-off honesty; if one group doesn’t fit, keep looking until you find one.
• Illustration: People view life through the “lens” of past hurts; unless that lens is cleaned, tomorrow’s purpose remains blurry.

3. Discover Purpose

• 87 % of Christians don’t know which “body part” they are (1 Corinthians 12).
• Your design reveals your destiny; God placed a grace gift (charis) in you that blesses others and fulfills you.
• Paul modeled this focus: life is “worth nothing” unless he finishes his God-given race.
• Story: A focus-group of unchurched gym friends helped phrase the journey in clear terms—Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, Make a Difference.

4. Make a Difference

• Real joy is found in fruitful living, not comfortable living (John 15).
• God’s inheritance for His people is people—“the nations” (Psalm 2).
• Serve on a team, park cars, hold babies, play an instrument—whatever matches your grace gift.
• Illustration: Greyhound dogs chase a mechanical rabbit; when it malfunctioned, some dogs napped, some barked, some crashed. Without the right goal, people do the same. Purpose keeps us running the right race.
• Story: Stuck behind a texting driver, Pastor Chris suppressed his urge to honk but thought, “What are you waiting for?”—the same question God asks believers stalled at a green light.

Key Truths

• Location determines flourishing; being “planted in the house of the Lord” unlocks growth.
• Spiritual progress follows a clear, repeatable pattern evident throughout Scripture.
• Forgiveness comes from God; healing flows through godly relationships.
• Your unique gift is both discovery and responsibility—find it to experience real hope.
• Maximum joy is experienced when your life actively blesses others.

Response

• Surrender fully to Jesus and begin a genuine relationship with Him.
• Join a LifeGroup and share the real story behind the mask.
• Complete the church’s track (or similar process) to identify spiritual gifts and passions.
• Step onto a serving team this week; move from spectator to contributor.
• Revisit these four steps regularly and keep advancing—never settle.

Closing

Pastor Chris pressed the congregation to refuse dormancy: “You’re supposed to bloom—let’s go!” Whether the next move is salvation, confession, discovery, or service, God has “so much more” for every person. Take one step today, then another, and watch your life flourish.

Prayer

The pastor prayed for clarity, courage, and grace for each listener to identify and take their next step, then led those surrendering to Christ in a simple prayer of forgiveness, salvation, and change.

Resources

• Book: “What’s Next? The Journey to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, and Make a Difference” by Chris Hodges.