Personal Growth & Development
Practical • Biblical • Cross-Cultural
Summary: Books and online Christian Bible studies help you grow as an individual, emotionally and spiritually, and help you grow as a Christian. Key advice comes from Matthew 7:1-5 where Jesus said to take the plank out of your own eye before trying to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. For individuals and small groups.
Bible Studies
Books
Video
eBooks
Personal Growth Bible Studies
Center Your Life in Christ
Turn to God — Let God help you experience your deepest potential
Let the Holy Spirit change you — God has a plan to transform you
Seek to please God — Key to living a meaningful life
How to obey God’s commands — Practical steps to loving God and loving others
Discover Your Identity in Christ
God’s love for me — A personal Bible study on God’s love for us
Loving yourself — Does the Bible say you must love yourself before you can love others?
You are a child of God — Don’t take your relationship with God for granted
You are part of the body of Christ — You are closely connected to Jesus and every other believer
God’s spirit lives in you — Who or what is the Holy Spirit?
Depend on God’s power — Learn how to live in God’s power, not your own
Take Practical Steps for Personal Growth
Focus on changes you should make — Not changes other people should make
Don’t take things personally — Even if someone wants you to take them personally
Why should I forgive him or her? — Forgiveness brings healing to you as well to others
Forgiveness is a choice, not an emotion — Don’t let your emotions control you
Choose joy — You can live a joyful life
Humility — Understanding what humility is (and what it isn’t)
Expect problems — Don’t be surprised when you have problems
Turn to God in the midst of problems — God will strengthen you and help you
Video on forgiveness and personal growth — “Forgiveness and the Beach”
Be a positive person — Focus on the positive, say positive words
Be a thankful person — Say “thank you” to God and other people often
Practice kindness — Ask God to help you be kind, generous, and understanding
Making deep friends — Practical steps to developing deep friendships with other believers
Learn about yourself and others in small group studies — Learn as you study together
Live with Integrity
Tell the truth — The Bible warns against dishonesty and lying
Guard your conscience — Take these steps for a clean conscience
Understand Your Purpose in Life
You have a purpose — What is God’s purpose for my life?
Discover God’s “boredom cures” — Live life as an adventure
Dealing with Failure
Overcoming failure or sin, Part 1 — Learn from David’s example
Overcoming failure or sin, Part 2 — Learn from Paul’s example
Overcoming failure or sin, Part 3 — Learn from Peter’s example
Overcoming failure or sin, Part 4 — Practical steps to help you in the future
Trusting God
Trust God to be with you — Put your primary trust in God, not others
Trust God, not your emotions — Your emotions go up and down, but God is dependable
Leave the results in God’s hands — Do your part, then trust God
More Topics
Anger
Anxiety
Christianity
Counseling
Culture
Depression
Marriage
Money
Parenting
Personal Growth
Relationships
Self-Image
Small Groups
Temptation
More Information
Looking for Bible-based ways to grow as a person? These online Bible studies and books provide scriptural insights to help you grow both emotionally and spiritually. They also are good resources for counselors, pastors, mentors and anyone else who wants to help others more effectively. Check this page—as well as other topics listed below under “More topics”—from time to time, since more studies are added periodically. For individuals and small groups.
Feel free to print or download these Bible studies for personal use. (Please read our reprint policy.)
Bible Verses About Personal Growth
Experiencing God’s Love
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:16-21)
Discovering God’s Purpose
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:4-8)
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