Core Value #7 Relationships

Our seventh core value is RELATIONSHIPS.  We believe that ministry happens in relationships.  If I want to minister to someone, there needs to be a relationship.  The closer the relationship, the deeper and more life impacting the ministry.  If I want to minister along side someone, that ministry will be more powerful and more meaningful based on the the relationship I have with that person.  There are some exceptions when an aquaintance ministers to another, but in the Church and in most situations, greater ministry happens in greater relationships.

If you want to grow in the Lord, then make friends at church.  Women can mentor other women to be great women of God.  Men can mentor and coach other men to be great men of God.  More is caught than taught.  You will grow more in the Lord by making Christian friends, than by attending lectures and teaching sessions.

Lastly, it is important to remember that we are created in God's image, and God is one, in three persons.  His nature is relational.  When God made man, he said it was not good for the man to be alone.  God made us for a life filled with relationships.

I realize that in a Church, you can not be really tight with every person.  You have to find friends, and choose friends.  I read a few years ago, that the average person attending church in America knows 76 people at church.  In churches of 1,000  and in churches of 100, the average still rang true.  So, you may not be besties with everyone, but you need to be developing good friends in God's family.

If you are looking for friends at chruch here are a few ideas.
1.  Be involved in a Small Group.  Groups may change and evolve through growth, but friendships are found in Small Groups.
2.  Attend church regularly.  You can't win, if you don't enter!
3.  Remember the friend vitamin, B-1.  If you want good friends, be a good friend.  You will only make friends that are as good as you are at being a friend.
4.  Don't get frustrated if you can't know everyone.  You don't have to, nor do you need to.
5.  Even at chruch, be careful making friends.  We are not perfect people and wisdom is always needed in making friends.  Choose carefully.
6.  Men make friends with men, ladies make friends with ladies.  Remember that the spouse is the gatekeeper for friendship with a member of the opposite sex.  If you are single, be careful in Church making friends so that the community is not destoryed by bad dating relationships and hurt feelings.  You should treat members of the opposite sex like you would treat your brother or sister in your family or your mother or father, according to Paul in 1 Timothy 5:1-3.

One of the greatest things that a relationship with Jesus offers is the chance to make good friends, wh oare good people with shared values.  Those relationships are forged in life and enjoyed in eternity.  Let's keep the faith together!