Growing Our Church Family Part 2Sample

DEVOTED

What does your involvement with your church look like? Would you say that you spend more time in rows, looking at the back of the head of the person in front of you? Or do you spend more time in circles? That is, in groups, facing each other, having actual investment in each other’s lives? Much can be said for the importance of sitting in rows and listening as a larger group to the word of God being explained by pastors who have been gifted by God to lead. But if all of your church experience is sitting in rows, you are, most certainly, missing out on what God designed the church to be.

As we read about the first church in the book of Acts, we see that this community “devoted themselves” to teaching, and to each other. “Devoted” means to give yourself up to something. They abandoned themselves to these things unselfishly. They did this in response to the gospel. Instantly they knew that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, everything had changed. They now had forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and rebirth by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

This also meant a change in how they determined their purpose and what they lived for. They knew what had happened to them was only the beginning. They needed to grow in understanding God’s way and God's mission. And they knew that this wasn’t just something that happened to them as an individual, but they were brought into a new family, a new body, a new unity. It was time to be devoted to discovering what this new life was all about and they knew that this must be done by sharing life with those who had also been instantly changed by the gospel.

Notice that “each person devoted themselves.” You are called to take responsibility for your life - to determine that you will not be the weakest link. Nobody else is responsible for your devotion. Devotion to living in circles is not the pastor’s job, your parents’ job, your spouse’s job, or anyone else's. Only you can devote yourself. Will you be devoted?

Ask Yourself:

-Is most of my time with other Christians spent in rows or circles?

-What commitments do I need to make?

Pause to Pray for the Church: My Jesus, my Savior, thank you for bringing me into your family and giving me new life. Help to see where I can be more devoted to the Church and to other Christians… Amen

Take a Next Step into Christian community: This week, make plans to join a small group of believers or start a group. This is as simple as sitting down for coffee with someone!