Memorial Baptist Church

God created man with relational capacity. Man was made for relationship with God. He made a partner for Adam named Eve. “It was not good for man to be alone,” He said. Within each of us is the need for significant and meaningful relationships. We have the need to be known and we need to know others. There is encouragement, accountability, grace, and love expressed in relationships. We need these emotional fillers and so many others in order to thrive in life.

We need the church. The church by its very nature is a relational community. Can you grow in the Christian faith and not attend church? Can you worship God just as meaningfully fishing on a lake as you can seated in a church sanctuary?  Maybe, but it’s not the optimum arrangement. Without the fellowship of other believers, you severely impeded your ability for spiritually growth. In fact, in many cases, I think there’s probably a correlation between church attendance and meaningful spiritual growth, but that’s fodder for another post.

The church is the Body of Christ, each part working together in community. We need each other to accurately and authentically demonstrate hope and grace. While we may survive individually, collectively we can fulfill our mission. The early church was a composite of small communities meeting together in homes and public venues. They ate, prayed, studied, learned, and served together. These communities were intentional and highly relational. We need the relationships that only the church offers. You need the fellowship of other believers in your life. We meet not for the sake of meeting, but to grow in relationship with one another and with our LORD.

Haven’t been in church in a while? Haven’t been to a small group like a Sunday School class or LIFEgroup in a while? Do you feel like something is missing, but can’t seem to put a finger on it? You’re missing the relationships. Be in fellowship this Sunday. Encourage someone by your presence and allow them to encourage you by theirs.