Spiritual Growth Programs

Group holding hands in prayer

Study Programs Overview

Our study programs are designed to help you move beyond simply reading Scripture to truly living it—heart, mind, and action. At The Second Life Changes, we focus on passages that shape how we love God, love others, and understand the Body of Christ. Our core studies center on 1 Corinthians 13, 1 Corinthians 14:1, 1 Corinthians 12:12, and Matthew 25:35–40—scriptures that together call us to a life marked by love, spiritual maturity, unity, and practical service to “the least of these.”

1 Corinthians 13: The Way of Love

This foundational study explores 1 Corinthians 13, often called the “Love Chapter.” Together we examine what Scripture means when it says love is patient and kind, that it “keeps no record of wrongs,” and that even great spiritual gifts or sacrifices are empty without love. We look at how love “never fails” and how, in the end, “the greatest of these is love.” This program helps participants:

  • Understand the difference between God’s agape love and human love
  • Recognize ways we may have pursued gifts, knowledge, or ministry without love
  • Practice living out patient, kind, enduring love in relationships, church, and daily life

The focus is not just study but transformation—allowing God’s love to reshape how we see Him, ourselves, and others.

1 Corinthians 14:1—Pursue Love & Spiritual Gifts

Building on 1 Corinthians 13, this study focuses on 1 Corinthians 14:1: “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit…” Here we explore how love and spiritual gifts belong together, not in competition. Topics include:

  • What it means to “follow the way of love” as our first priority
  • How to desire and use spiritual gifts in a way that builds up others
  • Discernment between self-focused spirituality and love-driven ministry

This program is especially helpful for those who want to grow in spiritual gifts while staying grounded in the character of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12—One Body, Many Members

This study centers on 1 Corinthians 12:12, which teaches that just as the body is one with many parts, so is the Body of Christ. We explore:

  • The unity and diversity of the church
  • The value of each member’s role, regardless of how visible it is
  • How comparison, jealousy, and pride damage the body—and how love and honor heal it

Participants are encouraged to discover or rediscover their place in the Body of Christ, seeing their gifts and the gifts of others as vital to God’s work rather than competing or insignificant.

Matthew 25:35–40 – Serving “The Least of These”

This study focuses on Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:35–40: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these…you did for me.” Together we look at:

  • Seeing Christ in the hungry, thirsty, stranger, sick, and imprisoned
  • The connection between faith, love, and practical acts of mercy
  • Concrete ways to live out this passage in our neighborhoods and communities

This program often includes an outward component—such as serving in a soup kitchen, supporting local outreach, or prayerfully identifying “the least of these” in our daily path.

How Our Study Programs Work

Each of these study tracks can be done as a standalone series or combined into a longer journey that moves from understanding God’s love (1 Corinthians 13) to pursuing love and gifts (14:1), to embracing our place in the Body (12:12), and finally to expressing that love in action (Matthew 25:35–40). Studies can be offered in small groups, workshops, retreats, or guided individual study and typically include:

  • Scripture reading and discussion
  • Teaching and reflection
  • Times of prayer and personal application
  • Optional outreach or service components (especially with Matthew 25)

If you or your group are interested in one or more of these study programs, The Second Life Changes would be honored to walk with you—helping Scripture move from the page into your heart, your relationships, and your everyday life.