paulnoel said:
Amen brother-this is so true we need to get involved with our community. But how do we go about it?
1) Start a local youth group... Any other ideas?
Actualy a youth group is something God is dealing with me on right now.
One thing I noticed about Jesus was how He met the basic need of people and wasn't afraid to do it. Such as the tax collectors who society would not befriend. Today people in general are being isolated. Thats why we have everyone online LOOKING for friends. Because in the physical world we are scared to meet people.
But what did Jesus do? He goes right up to this tax collector who the crowd forces to climb a tree and said "I am eating at your house today!"
HE INVITED HIMSELF OVER FOR DINNER!!! I love His style lol. But He knew enough to know that if you want to be part of someones life you have to activly take that part.
We go to church sunday and thats the only time we see most of the people there. The church seems like a club that way because no one is really ACTIVE in each others lives. We send out visitation people to new visitors, but when people join we expect to just have to see them in church.
The best thing I can suggest right now is to have people in your church who would really be an active part of each others lives. Don't just visit people when they are new, call the old ones up and invite them to dinner! Let people know you care.
I think it would be good for a church to have people paired up as friends. Everyone needs a partner. Jesus never sent people out alone. So we also should not send out people alone. Why can't every church member have another members phone #?
Or if you are concerned about who is befriending who, select people just for the task of befriending others and let them give these calls just to see how you are and get to know you, maybe invite you to dinner or a movie.
The point is we must activly befriend people not just sunday, but through the week.
