Aren’t You Excited?

I don’t know about you, but I am excited to see our church grow to a place of 80%+ connectedness. Yet, even more so, I am really looking forward to experiencing a church that is highly connected. Have you thought about that? What would a church look like that is full of more truly connected people? To me, that looks like believers who are growing and maturing. If people are growing and maturing, then there should be more forgiveness given, less offenses taken, more healings taking place, more restoration happening, and Jesus being lifted up to a higher level. I long to see these kinds of things increase more and more!

My personal story starts in my second year of Bible school, which was also, incidentally, my first year of marriage. My wife was gently trying to get me to make friends and spend time with other people from our church. Maybe it was just the hot Oklahoma heat, but I remember saying very sincerely to my wife,“I don’t need anyone else around; I’m happy with just you and me.” Although I was very sincere when I said this, I was sincerely wrong. I later realized just how selfish this was. God began to gently and personally show me over time, His heart for being in relationship with people.

What is Highly Connected?

Let’s read what Jesus said about connection in John 15.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that does not produce fruit. He also trims every branch that produces fruit to prepare it to produce even more. You have already been prepared to produce more fruit by the teaching I have given you. Stay joined to me and I will stay joined to you. No branch can produce fruit alone. It must stay connected to the vine. It is the same with you. You cannot produce fruit alone. You must stay joined to me. “I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I to you, you will produce plenty of fruit. But separated from me you won’t be able to do anything. If you don’t stay joined to me, you will be like a branch that has been thrown out and has dried up. All the dead branches like that are gathered up, thrown into the fire and burned. Stay joined together with me, and follow my teachings. If you do this, you can ask for anything you want, and it will be given to you. – John 15:1-7

In these verses, not to mention many others in the bible that substantiate this, you can see that to be joined—or connected—in Christ looks a lot like being in relationship with others, and I would even say many others; not just one or two.

The question I eventually had to ask myself was, “How can I consider myself growing (or even a Christ-follower) if I’m not connected to others?”

These verses really convicted me and caused me to make changes in my thinking and in my heart. Meaningful connection with people does not happen automatically. It does, however, come when we decide to step outside of our comfort zone to meet someone where they’re at. Thankfully, as I gave God my “yes” and cooperation, He was gracious to me and let me see and experience all the truly wonderful benefits of being joined with other people.

Connectivity is Key

Our desire for Mount Hope Church is a church that is healthy, growing, and full of love. Have you ever thought about what the opposite of that would look like? Could it be sickly, stagnant, and full of disgust—or even hatred? Sounds pretty miserable and lonely to me! I know you would agree that none of the ideas in the second list describe anything that any of us would ever want to experience in our personal life or in our church family. So to be healthy, growing, and full of love, we must be connected with others.

We were all created to experience the tangible love and presence of God and to experience the tangible love and presence of other people. His plan for us includes healthy, whole relationships. I believe the absolute best way to experience these realities in our life—and in the lives of our family—is for each one of us to be connected with others in Life Groups. Are you willing to make some new connections? Are you willing to pursue a friendship or relationship with someone in order to impart value and esteem into their life and to add to their development and health? Are you ready to jump in and actively help Mount Hope grow into a highly connected church family? I am, and I’m thankful that God can even use Mr. “I Don’t Need Anyone” to help people find the family they never knew they had!