Christian faith, like the human body, has an expected pattern of growth and
development. The different stages are usually addressed at certain ages, and can
(like physical growth) be delayed, with faith development ended before the final
stage is reached.
EXPERIENCED FAITH (preschool & early childhood) – imitating
actions, e.g., a child praying the Lord's prayer without understanding the
meaning of all the words – "This is what we do. This is how we
act."
AFFILIATIVE FAITH (childhood & early adolescent years) –
belonging to a group, which still centers around imitating what the group does
– "This is what we believe and do. This is our group/church."
SEARCHING FAITH (late adolescence) –
asking the question, "Is this what I believe?" Thomas is our
example of this. He will not blindly accept what others have said, but needs
to find certainty for himself. This stage of faith is adding the
"head" to the "heart" of the earlier stages.
This questioning stage can lead in the two directions. Will the questioner
become an unbeliever or move onto the next stage of faith? This is the level
when most cult groups recruit their members and when many "drop-out"
of church. Others will "regress" and live as adults with an immature
faith.
OWNED FAITH (early adulthood) – this stage comes only through the
searching stage. After exploring, "Is this what I believe?"
one can, hopefully, discover an answer: "This is what I believe!"
Owned faith is the strong, personal faith that one lives by, witnesses to and
may even be willing to die for.