Posted on August 13, 2023 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
We Help People Find Their People
By Allison Antrim
There’s a meme online that takes a classical painting of Jesus and the disciples, then overlays it with the words, “No one talks about Jesus’s miracle of having 12 close friends in his 30s.” In our current social climate, I bet this hilarious but sobering statement rings true for many, no matter their age.
Most of us know that good relationships with the right people will add value to our lives. Science backs this up, as well as our lived experience. But finding, and keeping, those relationships can be incredibly challenging in the busyness of everyday life.
I’ve had a handful of close friendships over the years that were formed at church or through Christian groups. In some of these friendships, we had a lot of common interests to share, but that wasn’t the case for all of them. Two things were always present: there was always a sense of us really “seeing” one another and a motivation to walk closer with God together.
Five years ago, when my husband and I got engaged and started searching for our future church home, I was experiencing a void in Christian community. Friends had moved away or friendships had ended for various reasons, so I was hopeful that our new church would foster connection that lasted. From the first time my husband and I came to church at Heartland five years ago, we were blown away by the kind and welcoming people we met. Although he and I both grew up in church and had met a handful of nice church people over the years, never had we encountered so many folks, at the same time in the same church, who were disarmingly, genuinely welcoming toward us. Over time, some of these people are becoming my friends. Their examples set before me have encouraged me to look for ways to really invite others in, not only to church but my own life as well. I want to give to others what God has given to me through the people of Heartland.
In a world that is more connected than ever before, yet unbelievably lonely and isolated, I want to encourage you that your people are out there, and there’s a great chance they may be at Heartland. I pray we continue to be a church that helps people find their people, for God’s glory and our good.
As you read, pray these verses. What do they help you learn about Jesus? What do you notice about other people in the passage? What do you notice about how we are asked to follow Jesus here? What are the verses asking of us in relationship, in community? How do these thoughts impact your posture where you live, work, study or play?
How do I live in complete harmony with people who are different from me? How do I learn to accept people who are different from me, not just tolerate them? How would you describe a community that accepts everyone as they are, as we each learn to follow Jesus? What do you find most challenging in this passage? What is most encouraging? What is one practical thing you could do this week to welcome someone as they are?
What does "lowering a friend through a roof to Jesus" look like in our lives today? Who are the people in your life that support, encourage, challenge and "know" you? How are you doing at being the supporter, encourager, challenger and knower in your friends lives?
Read today’s passage and consider what it is describing. What are we as Jesus followers invitied into? What are we asked to do? How are we asked to represent Jesus to those around us? Brad shared, "the love that God has for you is the truest thing about you." Do you believe that? How do you see that thought described in the passage?
This prayer is an example of the outflow of Jesus in me/in us. Take this prayer with you into the weekend, and pray it for the people who cross your path. Save it as a note on your phone, or print it out and carry it with you. How does your mind, heart and posture shift as you pray these verses for others?
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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