Are you experiencing everything you should be?

Communism falls. In Romania there were many orphans who were warehoused in huge orphanages. They were understaffed and were only able to provide for the physical needs of the babies, such as food, and shelter. The babies were very hardly ever picked up and were never cuddled or played with at all. This neglect led to a condition called "failure to thrive syndrome". Whether they were several months old or even years old they still looked and acted like newborn babies. What they were missing was a family, even a surrogate family that would encourage growth through consistent contact.

Christians can have that same "failure to thrive syndrome" in our spiritual lives. Have you seen this Syndrome in any of your family or friends, which you believe to be Christian? I am of the opinion that if Christians that join a church, and don’t get connected in a smaller body of believers, will eventually leave that church and go into isolation.

Once in isolation it is very difficult to convince someone to come out of that lifestyle. Why? It’s a safe place where there is no effort needed for relationships. No one can hurt you therefore you don’t have to worry about forgiving others. If that sounds a little selfish, that’s because it is. Since Jesus defined forgiveness with His life, shouldn’t that thrust us toward relationships with others?

This is why Paul teaches that it is so important to be adopted into a fully functioning body of believers, a small group for instance.

In Ephesians 4:14, Paul says "Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth."

Praise!
There is a very special person in my life that I met in 2003 at my second job - BMW. He is a husband, father, and grandfather. He is also a person that others seem to be drawn to. Why? He is a person of Love. Plain and simple “Love”. He and I have and many conversations concerning Faith, God, and what in means to be a Christ follower. Two weeks ago I had an opportunity to share or answer a few of his questions concerning being a disciple of Christ and having eternal life in heaven. That day, he became more than a special person… he is my brother in Christ!

Praise #2, that weekend, he shared with his wife his good news. They attended church that Sunday, and you guessed it, she became a Christ follower as well. It’s funny how our love and Christ’s love seems to be contagious.

Gather, Grow, & Go
Pastor Tim