Is your church your family?

One of the things that I often here in church circles is people talk about their lack of "connection" to their particular church. They lament over the fact that a particular church just doesn't feel right or it isn't meeting their needs. I had the privelege (and I genuinely mean privelege) to grow up in one church my entire childhood until I left home for college. That place was my family. One of the things I've noticed since living in Dallas and in the suburbs of Dallas is that people actually change churches in the Bible belt about as many times as they change their oil in their car. One of the main reasons people don't really grow in Christ is because they never stay anywhere long-term and let a group of people get to know them and get to know their faults/weaknesses. Where did our sense of family go? Who are those people in your life that know you...I mean really know you...and yet still accept you?

Here's one pastor's take on this idea of church as family...



Although, I don't necessarily agree with everything that was said, the principle may be true. Your level of connectedness probably has to do with how your serving, what you're contributing, and what you're giving.

I love the idea of the family meal vs. sitting down at a restaurant. It really made me think...