In preparation for sermons, I often craft personal definitions. I do this in an effort to exposit the word of God and make things clear and “rememberable” for the people of my congregation. I’m regularly asked via text or email to send along my definitions in print. This leads me to share a few of my favorite definitions:
Biblical faith: Standing on the promises of God and trusting in the character of God.
Lament: A sacred ouch.
Prayer: An intimate conversation between God and his people which leads his people to the will of God.
Repentance: A change of mind which leads to a change of life.
Spiritual Maturity: The gradual process of becoming less like the world and more like Jesus.
Worship: Assigning God the greatness and goodness due to him.
Jeff Gravens 
I would like to respectfully disagree, or ask to add a little something to, the definition of repentance. I know the heart is fickle so it is our minds that should be changed. But the best repentance definition I have heard is turning away from sin and toward God. Anyone can decide to stop the sinful behavior thereby changing their life. But if that change of mind was not a true turning away from sin and toward God then that change of mind would not be true repentance. Anyone can just decide to quit drinking or looking at pornography but will that “change of mind” stick if was not a true movement toward the Father? Just food for thought. Your words many times stimulate me to deeper thought and retrospect. Thank you for challenging us!
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This is great! I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments! This is a great example of why I preach sermons and don’t stop at writing definitions. My definition gets to the root of the Greek word translated as “repentance” in our English Bibles. The word focuses, not on behavior, but upon a change of mind. That change of mind occurs with an embrace of the gospel. Repentance is often is linked to behavior modification – but a changed life is preceded by an embrace of the gospel.
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