Relationships that Strengthen and Encourage?

For those of you who understand my home church's philosophy on "big church", this will be more obvious. For those who don't, understand that the church I attend weekly is considered one of those churches... those megachurches (insert diabolical villain music here) Not only is it large, but it is growing extremely rapidly - multiple campuses, multiple church plants, multiple "strategic partnerships". And yet, it still manages to maintain a certain intimacy, even among the timid and softspoken. The mission: "To lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by creating environments that encourage people to pursue intimacy with God, community with believers, and influence with outsiders" sets the stage for a thriving community of "small groups".


These groups of 5-8 men, 5-8 women, or 4-7 couples, meet weekly for accountability, Bible study, and prayer. And you know what? I just don't have time for that.
I've never had time for it, even when I wanted to know God and walk closely with Him. But, that stubborn Spirit of God that urges us to do the right thing, make the wise choice, stand in the face of danger, pushed and pushed and pushed me to make time for it over three years ago, and I can't explain in a hundred posts what impact it's had on me and my walk with the God we believe asks us to call Him "Father".
Over time, I have experienced weeks of just being "slammed" at work - no margin, no rest, no breaks, frustration, abundance, dry spells, and dam breaks that have left me drained, exhausted, depressed, or just plain overwhelmed. Those are the nights I just want to drive straight back home and drift into a coma until the alarm goes off again. Sometimes, when things aren't going my way, I just don't want anyone to see me "off". (You know what it's like, being "on" all the time, right?) These are the times that I can hear God's voice, ever so clearly steering me away from temptation.

So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

Funny, God knows us so well. When we're depressed, exhausted, overwhelmed, we often just want to let the night do its magic - to shut down, reboot, and see a new sun the next day. The enemy longs to lead us into the lie that "I just shouldn't/can't/don't want to be/am too X to be around people right now. And, we have a great propensity to believe the lie. God has wired us to thrive, yes, even introverts, on the accountability, belonging, and care of the Church, that is, the body of Christ.

Chipper Jones is only batting about one in three as of today. But imagine him trying to bat by sitting in the dugout and just sending his arms to do the work while he watched from the side. Chipper Jones - batting .336 (7/19/06)We individual body parts work best when we are attached to the body. (To the Red Sox Nation: I am only using a Braves player to appear relevant to the offline community here in Atlanta. My ATL audience already know I am a die hard Sox fan. They are so blinded by Satan that they believe that the Braves actually have a chance this year.** That's why the evil empire of Atlanta Police towed my car at the Sox game three weeks ago here at Turner Stadium, not because I was illegally parked with the other 9 people who got towed that night.)

Moral of the story - get connected. If you're already connected, stay connected. If you're tired, angry, depressed, busy, too scattered, too upset - re-connect. Don't let the enemy convince you that solitude will get you out - the worst things can happen when we're alone at night, sleeping too much, drinking too much - how would your life look if the last thing in your mind before bed was a controlled, deliberate, intentional prayer, thought, or meditation, versus haphazard, random thoughts with no connection to your long term direction?

Need to get away? You may be right. But, staying away never solves the problems that have driven us there, muchless shaped us or our character the way God is forging us during those difficult times. Leverage the relationships God has given you to keep yourself strong and plugged in.

Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thess. 5.11 (NIV)

Do you know someone who is depressed or angry and needs to reach out or be reached out to? Someone who knows they need to be around people but has grown reclusive? Would you please send them this link and ask them for their opinion on it?

** for those who have a tendency to react with anger, disgust, or confusion to overrighteous Christians, please re-freakin-lax. I'm being sarcastic here. The Sox rule, I am not implying that Braves fans or players, or Atlanta's finest are in league with Lucifer (That's Johnny Demon you're thinking of...) or that there's some cosmic conspiracy going on in the world of worldly sports. I'm just being a boisterous fan. Get over it and enjoy some Biblical truth, yo.

Oh, and Go SOX, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.