As a pastor, it’s my job to see that people are brought to spiritual maturity. I once thought that could be accomplished by putting together challenging sermons, forming discipleship groups, and helping people to identify and use their spiritual gifts. I still consider those important, but I now realize I was leaving out a vital first step: creating an environment conducive to spiritual growth. As a farmer needs to clear the land before planting his crop, I also need to clear out any conflict with