It's All About Relationships

This morning at the gym (I have been going quite regularly over the last month!), I had the opportunity to talk with an acquaintance that I rarely get to see. I was running late (about 2 hours late) and upset at myself for not making it to the gym earlier. After the conversation I realized that God has worked through my tiredness to arrange this meeting. The highlight of the conversation was the opportunity to share a principle that God has really impressed on me over the last few years. The principle is that God uses people to change people. As much as I believe my Sunday sermon, devotions, and other spiritual exercises are important, I truly believe that God uses fellow followers of Christ to shape me more than those other things. In Scripture there is an underlying assumption that every believer is apart of a family or body of believers that helps to encourage, correct, and teach them. I make this following statement with careful thought, "You cannot be in a healthy relationship with God unless you are in a healthy relationship with His body the church." One of the key components that is missing in modern day Christianity is the element of relational accountability. You cannot be a healthy Christian if you view worship services and church involvement as a spectator sport. So where ever you are, go get connected and experience God's movement in your life through others.