Relational Church Life

One thing you will notice with my pastor’s weekly is that they will become shorter. While I have enjoyed making the weekly almost like another sermon – I know two things. Sometimes people don’t read it because it is too long and sometimes the heart of the message is lost due to its length. So I asked our staff for their input and some key leaders and friends at LFC and their input caused me to come up with some ideas for the weekly and my blog. (I post these on the blog too, where people can leave comment if they choose)

So here is what I propose.

• I will write less and say more.
• I entertain answering questions you may have about LFC, our heart and our future. So let me know what is on your heart.
• I would love to share some stories of people from LFC who have had their lives changed, grown through connecting with others.
  

This week I want to underscore a major heart issue for LFC – relationships. If you take a close look at our church you will realize we have done several things to assist people in getting connected to other people. We have Life Transformation Groups (our small group ministry) we have Teams (people serving in teams together) and we established LFC Connections (a simple non-threatening way to get to know others, just show up when the first alphabet of your last name is meeting) led by some wonderful people of LFC who caught the vision and value of these relational opportunities. We also create times within our yearly calendar for you to get with others, through servings, times like 4th of July BBQ and more. It is however, up to each one to cross over the boundaries of time, nervous feelings, personal limitations and jump in to a place of relationship. A new relationship might just be a few chairs away on a Sunday gathering, or be standing out in the parking lot following service times. God calls us into a relationship with Him and to grow in our relationships with others (Matt. 22:37-40). From the very beginning, God has emphasized how important fellowship is by declaring that it isn’t good for man to be alone, and He admonishes us throughout the Bible to love, serve and pray for one another. If you take the time to look around you will find someone who needs you and someone you need. If you look around LFC, you will discover there’s a place for everyone! When we find that PLACE there is a sense of deep belonging that is achieved no other way – but it really is up to you. We will keep working at creating ways to build relationships but it really is about people willing to move out, meet new people, find places to serve and live life together.
THE ONE THING:
Think about this one thing: God’s love is others-centered.
Jesus says that, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The opposite of this is self-centeredness and its cousin, selfishness, which is the number one enemy of all relationships. It is the number one cause of conflict and disharmony in marriages, in communities and even causes senseless wars. Self-centeredness focuses on what I need and want and think and believe and must be overcome in order for me to reach out and build relationships with others. We are all guilty of it and unfortunately this ‘I focus’ blinds us to needs around us, people who need us and ones we can help.
Who needs you to open your heart?
Who do you need to help you grow?
Where can you team up and serve and thereby build relationships?
Growing with you and others,
Pastor Bernie