I suspect all churches have at least one of these persons. Baby believers are those young believers who are just now learning how to walk with Christ, but who are fresh in their faith. Believers who are babies, on the other hand, are usually longer-term believers (often undiscipled) who don’t act like mature believers. Here are some of the differences I see:
- Baby believers are hungry for God and the Word; believers who are babies think they already know the Word.
- Baby believers are teachable; believers who are babies complain when they don’t get to teach.
- Baby believers tell others about Jesus; believers who are babies tell others about themselves.
- Baby believers cry when they’re hurt because they don’t understand; believers who are babies whine when they don’t get their way.
- Baby believers look up to their church’s spiritual leaders; believers who are babies expect others to look up to them.
- Baby believers admit they don’t know something; believers who are babies tend to make up something rather than admit their ignorance.
- Baby believers rejoice when others do well; believers who are babies get jealous of those who do well.
- Baby believers tend to shy away from the limelight; believers who are babies expect attention.
- Baby believers struggle with sin, but they want to fight it; believers who are babies make excuses for their sin.
- Baby believers tend to be joyful, no matter what happens; believers who are babies tend to be angry and unpleasant—no matter what happens.
What other differences do you see?
Baby believers want to know everything about Jesus; believers who are babies think they already know everything.
(I have a tendency to be like that sometimes.)
Thanks for the honesty.
Believers who are babies often hold places of leadership in churches.
Baby believers don’t believe they are worthy of leadership.
Sad, but true.
Believers who are babies often call the shots in the church even when they do not occupy positions of leadership.
Thanks, Robin.
Believers who are babies mostly are the oppressors of the Anointed Ministers of God.
Let’s be honest, the category “believers who are babies” more accurately describes “unbelievers who think they are believers” than anything else. It is hard to reconcile those descriptions with those who have the Spirit of God.
I’m sure that’s the case in some situations, but I also think we have many believers who’ve never been discipled. Our churches have elevated them in leadership without ever discpling them–so we’ve set them up to be “believers who are babies.”
Baby believers don’t see themselves as leaders; believers who are babies see themselves as the supreme leader and complain when they don’t get their way.
Blessing, Mike.
I’ve read hunderds of articles, and this is one of the best. It describes reality in church life. And unfortunately, it describes why so many churches have serious problems — especially problems with those in leadership roles.
Thanks, Rich. Blessings.
Believers who are babies complain about the way others are doing things, but don’t actually do anything themselves. Age old problem. And we probably are all guilty at some point of these things.
“They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.”
Matthew 23:4 ESV
Thanks, Brandon.
Should a mature Christian or a baby Christian submit themselves to the authority to a believer who is a baby?