These are the words of the 18th century Moravian Bishop Nicholas von Zinzendorf. He rightly understood that authentic, biblical Christianity is only the Christianity of the collective body of believers in the local church. Christianity in isolation is not biblical Christianity. And Christian community is the work of God Himself.
As we’ve studied Paul’s prayer for the Church, we’ve discovered that only God through the power of His Holy Spirit can accomplish what Paul prays for in Ephesians 3:14-21. Only God can unify in love the diverse members of His Church. He alone can empower each member to surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ so that each member loves every other member with the vast and surpassing love of Christ. Since only God can bring about this loving unity of His people, He receives all the glory.
Since Christ’s love is wide, long, high, and deep, you and I must cooperate with the Holy Spirit to love our church family similarly. Will you embrace one of the following challenges to foster loving relationships with your church family?
1. Choose to sit in another area of the Worship Center in Sunday Morning Worship Services during the month of July. We’ve already seen fruit from people making this move.
2. Join a Sunday School class where you develop deep relationships with God’s people as you study and apply His Word. This is a great step toward genuine Christian community.
3. Gather to pray for your church family on Wednesday nights at 6:00 PM. We love and serve one another by praying for each other.
4. Enlist with the G.R.O.W. team to spread the love of Christ with church visitors and new residents of Headland. Every person needs the loving community our church family offers.
Our time is too short to miss what we’re made for – i.e. loving community among God’s People. Let’s make the most of our time to see God glorified by our loving union together.
Love in Jesus’ Name,
Cecil Sanders
As we’ve studied Paul’s prayer for the Church, we’ve discovered that only God through the power of His Holy Spirit can accomplish what Paul prays for in Ephesians 3:14-21. Only God can unify in love the diverse members of His Church. He alone can empower each member to surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ so that each member loves every other member with the vast and surpassing love of Christ. Since only God can bring about this loving unity of His people, He receives all the glory.
Since Christ’s love is wide, long, high, and deep, you and I must cooperate with the Holy Spirit to love our church family similarly. Will you embrace one of the following challenges to foster loving relationships with your church family?
1. Choose to sit in another area of the Worship Center in Sunday Morning Worship Services during the month of July. We’ve already seen fruit from people making this move.
2. Join a Sunday School class where you develop deep relationships with God’s people as you study and apply His Word. This is a great step toward genuine Christian community.
3. Gather to pray for your church family on Wednesday nights at 6:00 PM. We love and serve one another by praying for each other.
4. Enlist with the G.R.O.W. team to spread the love of Christ with church visitors and new residents of Headland. Every person needs the loving community our church family offers.
Our time is too short to miss what we’re made for – i.e. loving community among God’s People. Let’s make the most of our time to see God glorified by our loving union together.
Love in Jesus’ Name,
Cecil Sanders