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Let’s explore a topic that gets to the heart of our faith: Superficial Connections to Christ.
It’s easy to fall into the routine of Christianity—going to church, saying our prayers, or even reading the Bible without letting it truly change us. But Jesus didn’t call us to a surface-level faith; He called us to a relationship that transforms every part of our lives.
Listen to these sobering words from Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” This isn’t about looking the part—it’s about living a faith that’s real and rooted in Him.
Let's examine what it means to go deeper in our relationship with Christ. We’ll look at the warning signs of shallow faith, share practical steps to cultivate a genuine connection with Jesus, and discuss how to live out a faith that bears fruit in our everyday lives.
If you’ve ever felt stuck, distant, or unsure of how to grow in your faith, you’re not alone—and you’re in the right place.
We need to be identifying the signs of a shallow connection to Christ and understanding the dangers of staying at the surface.
Matthew 13:20-21 says, "The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word." Jesus’ parable of the Sower illustrates how faith can wither without deep roots.
Here are signs so we can identify superficial faith:
relying on emotions or excitement without a foundation in Scripture,
avoiding commitment to spiritual growth,
and struggling to persevere when challenges arise.
I was in this kind of faith for a long time and didn’t even realize it. I thought that I was doing what I was supposed to do. It wasn’t until I became a parent that I started realizing that if I wanted my kids to have a good example of what it was to follow Christ, then I needed to make changes. So, I started where I knew how to start, and that was with devotionals and worship. God spoke to me so much and started changing my heart. Then, as years went by, my desires to spend more time with Him changed. Then, as struggles and trials came, I learned a new way to turn to God and to depend on Him more. He really does mold us when we seek Him.
What areas of your faith feel like rocky soil? How can you nurture deeper roots today?
Lukewarm faith can lead to spiritual complacency. In Revelation 3:16, it says, "But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."
God speaks to us and gives us gut feelings when it comes to right and wrong, but when we start to compromise what we believe in, we are really rationalizing our faith as well. We are teetering and can find ourselves walking in the middle of the road instead of standing on what we know to be true because of God’s word and guidance.
We need to have a faith that is more routine than relational. Some signs of lukewarm faith are a lack of passion for prayer, Bible reading, or serving others.
Dedicate a specific time each day to pray for renewed passion and purpose and find something that will reignite your passion for following Christ.
We, as Christ-followers, don’t desire to be seeds on rocky soil or to be lukewarm, but we desire much more and to have a closer relationship with our creator. So, as we get closer to a new year, there is no better time than to evaluate where you are in life and where you are with your walk with Christ. Be honest with yourself about your spiritual state and really take some steps toward a deeper connection to the Lord.
Faith isn’t just about showing up—it’s about showing Christ through the way we live and love.
A good question to ask is how to strengthen your connection with Jesus and build a faith that lasts.
John 15:5 tells us that God says, "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."
From this, we can see that we need to stay connected to God and that remaining in Jesus means daily dependence, trust, and communion with Him.
What happens when you pick a flower from a plant, or you cut a branch from a tree or vine? At first, it holds its form, but over time that flower or branch starts to lack nutrients in order to continue to live life as it was and thriving. A branch cut off from the vine cannot survive, just as we can’t thrive spiritually apart from Christ.
Find a time that works best for you and get into God’s word, and as you read it, ask Him how you can apply what He is teaching you to your daily life. Figure out how you can remain connected to Jesus throughout the busyness of everyday life. Let Him change your heart.
Psalm 1:2-3 says, "But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do."
The power of delighting in God’s Word anchors us and gives us strength.
Here are some tips for making your Bible study time more engaging and consistent:
choose a reading plan,
journal your reflections and prayers,
and join a Bible study group.
What’s one new way you can delight in God’s Word this week?
John 15:5 and Psalm 1:2-3 show us we really should acknowledge that we need to stay connected to the vine in order to be nourished, and we need to stay in the word to continue growing so we are able to produce fruit.
Prioritize your relationship with the Lord. Cultivate it as you would any relationship that is important to you. Make it something you desire and want to continue to grow.
Deep roots in Christ are the foundation for a life that bears lasting fruit.
An amazing way to break from the checklist of Christianity is to let your relationship with Jesus shine through your actions and choices.
James 2:17 tells us that, "Faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." Authentic faith is reflected in our actions.
I was reading James chapter 2 the other day, and I think that we can do all the right things and live a good life, but if we aren’t walking through life with our identity in Christ, we can really miss what it means to show others that walking by faith and doing kind things can help focus daily on the Lord. Serving others is a great way to walk this out.
What’s one way you can show Jesus’ love through your actions this week?
The goal here is that knowing Christ is the ultimate treasure.
Philippians 3:8-9 says, "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ."
I went to Bible college, and after being inundated with the Bible day in and day out for years, I needed a break. I took a few months off from church and church-related things at the end of my college career. During that time, I didn’t dive into worldly things, but just taking Bible study out of my daily routine made me realize that walking a life with God is what I wanted. Just that little bit of time really showed me how important it is to cultivate that relationship.
I encourage you to evaluate what’s distracting you from a closer walk with Christ and surrender whatever it is you need to deepen your connection with Jesus.
We need to walk out our faith, and we can do that by serving each other. We also need to realize that knowing without a doubt that Jesus is your Lord and Savior really sets the tone for how we live life, how we respond to others, and how we love. It brings joy to our lives when we live a life that reflects Christ to others.
A faith rooted in Christ transforms not just our hearts but the world around us.
Remember, faith isn’t about surface appearances; it’s about a relationship that transforms your heart and overflows into every part of your life. Let’s stay connected to the Vine, delight in His Word, and live a faith that bears fruit for His glory.
I’ll leave you with Philippians 3:8: "Everything else is worthless compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ." Let’s live for Him today and every day.