Growing Our Church Family Part 4Sample

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME

There’s a popular hymn that talks about following Jesus, and chances are, you’ve heard it before – especially if you grew up going to kid’s church in the 1980s and 1990s! A portion of the lyrics go like this: “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.” These lyrics are a poignant reminder of what we’re called to do as followers of Jesus. No turning back to the old way of things.

Reading Jesus’s words in our passage from Matthew might feel like a big ask. As Jesus is talking to his disciples, he’s using his own future death on a cross as a metaphor FOR discipleship. When we decide to follow Jesus, we must deny ourselves and surrender to God’s will for our life, no matter what. The reality is though, it’s not easy.

This is where the absolute importance of a Christian community comes in. When we decide to follow Jesus, He doesn’t ask us to live life alone. We become part of God’s family when we decide to follow him. The passage from our reading in Ephesians reminds us that we claim a new identity when we choose to follow Jesus. It forever binds us with other followers of Jesus. A group of people who become the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. It’s within this community that we can experience growth.

Ask Yourself:

-Am I living a surrendered life?

-What does “community” look like in my current reality?

-Am I satisfied that I’m living in community the way God designed for me to? Why/Why not?

Pause to Pray for the Church: Father God, help us to surrender to your will for our lives. Even when it’s hard. Help us to come together as one surrendered body... Amen

Take a Next Step into Christian Community: Continue to consider what your next step might be to live more fully in community with other believers. Maybe it’s attending church more consistently and filling out the “I’m new” card (or whatever your local church calls it). Perhaps it’s signing up to attend a small group at your church. It could be asking someone to mentor you or finding someone you can mentor.