Category: Body Life

Categories
Body Life Community Spiritual Family

Belonging to the Body

“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Romans 12:4-5 (ESV) God has placed within us the abiding desire to belong. We were not created to live in isolation. God created us to live in authentic community with other believers. God designed the Body of Christ to function in community. Once you are adopted into God’s spiritual family, you immediately belong to every believer on the planet. You are eternally linked with millions of believers. Now that you are in Christ, you are a member of His global body. You are connected to every believer who has ever lived. Though we are many, we form one body and belong to each other. Being connected to the body of believers has an immediate and local implication. You are to express your spiritual gifts by serving through the local body of believers. That’s why it is vital that you connect to a Christ-centered, Bible believing, and soul conscious church. God wants you to connect with other believers in a local church. Don’t try to live the Christian life in isolation. God does not want you to be a closet Christian. God wants you to go public with your faith and He wants you to get connected to a thriving local church so you can worship, grow, and serve. Your function in the local church is part of God’s master plan. Your contribution to the life and ministry of the local church has immediate and eternal implications. God has saved you and adopted you into His forever family so that you can participate with Him in bringing others into His family. Do you long to belong? Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Authentic Community Body Life Fellowship

Experiencing Authentic Community

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42 (ESV) God formed you for fellowship. In the language of the New Testament, the word fellowship means communion, communication, partnership, or intimacy. Just as God called you into salvation, He also calls you into fellowship with Jesus. You are invited to enjoy unbroken fellowship with the Lord. After the Lord added three thousand to their number, the believers devoted themselves to discipleship, fellowship, ministry, and prayer. Their fellowship with the Lord was demonstrated through their fellowship with each other. They prayed together and participated in the Lord’s Supper together. The believers experienced authentic community. God’s invitation is rooted in His faithfulness. God is faithful. He is true to His word. You come to know His companionship through an abiding relationship with Christ. Your fellowship with the Lord is enhanced as you enjoy His companionship and embrace His joint partnership in the gospel. Fellowship with the King of Kings is realized through the avenue of prayer. As a child of God, you have the privilege of enjoying sacred communication with the Creator of the universe. As you pray, your fellowship with Jesus becomes more intimate. Sharing your heart with the Lord in prayer and responding to His voice are vital components to continual fellowship. Are you enjoying unbroken fellowship with the Lord? Have you created space in your life for the most important relationship initiated by God? You have to make room for fellowship with the Lord. Spend time communing with the Lord in prayer each day. Enjoy doing life with other believers as you experience authentic community. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Body Life Community Spiritual Family

Belonging to the Body

“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4-5 (NIV) God has placed within us the abiding desire to belong. We were not created to live in isolation. God created us to live in authentic community with other believers. God designed the Body of Christ to function in community. Once you are adopted into God’s spiritual family, you immediately belong to every believer on the planet. You are eternally linked with millions of believers. Now that you are in Christ, you are a member of His global body. You are connected to every believer who has ever lived. Though we are many, we form one body and belong to each other. Being connected to the body of believers has an immediate and local implication. You are to express your spiritual gifts by serving through the local body of believers. That’s why it is vital that you connect to a Christ-centered, Bible believing, and soul conscious church. God wants you to connect with other believers in a local church. Don’t try to live the Christian life in isolation. God does not want you to be a closet Christian. God wants you to go public with your faith and He wants you to get connected to a thriving local church so you can worship, grow, and serve. Your function in the local church is part of God’s master plan. Your contribution to the life and ministry of the local church has immediate and eternal implications. God has saved you and adopted you into His forever family so that you can participate with Him in bringing others into His family. Do you long to belong? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Authentic Community Body Life Fellowship

Experiencing Authentic Community

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42 (NIV) God formed you for fellowship. In the language of the New Testament, the word fellowship means communion, communication, partnership, or intimacy. Just as God called you into salvation, He also calls you into fellowship with Jesus. You are invited to enjoy unbroken fellowship with the Lord. After the Lord added three thousand to their number, the believers devoted themselves to discipleship, fellowship, ministry, and prayer. Their fellowship with the Lord was demonstrated through their fellowship with each other. They prayed together and participated in the Lord’s Supper together. The believers experienced authentic community. God’s invitation is rooted in His faithfulness. God is faithful. He is true to His word. You come to know His companionship through an abiding relationship with Christ. Your fellowship with the Lord is enhanced as you enjoy His companionship and embrace His joint partnership in the gospel. Fellowship with the King of Kings is realized through the avenue of prayer. As a child of God, you have the privilege of enjoying sacred communication with the Creator of the universe. As you pray, your fellowship with Jesus becomes more intimate. Sharing your heart with the Lord in prayer and responding to His voice are vital components to continual fellowship. Are you enjoying unbroken fellowship with the Lord? Have you created space in your life for the most important relationship initiated by God? You have to make room for fellowship with the Lord. Spend time communing with the Lord in prayer each day. Enjoy doing life with other believers as you experience authentic community. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Body Life

Body Life

Are you really living or just existing? In our nana-second world, there is a propensity to become robotic and just go through the motions. Information overload anesthetizes us to the daily grind of life. Often we miss opportunities to connect with others on a deeper level. Why? Because we are in a hurry to get to the next item on our “to do” list. We become consumed with maneuvering through the domino line up of tasks and neglect being relational with God and with others. Jesus gave His life to bring us life. He rose from the dead to usher in our salvation. He saved us from our sin and from ourselves. But it doesn’t end there. Jesus is building His Kingdom through His Body, the church. If you are a child of God, then you have been adopted into His family and you are now part of His Body. Together, we are all members of one body, His Body. Now that we are family, we must learn how to do life together. In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul presents some essentials for doing life together. If the Body of Christ is going to function efficiently and effectively in order to affect the nations, then we must learn how to serve Jesus together.  “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” Eph 4:25 (NIV) Is there anyone in His Body with whom you are currently at odds with? Is there anyone you need to extend forgiveness to in order to do life together? What are you waiting for? Make things right. Call them. Email them. Text them. Write them. Go visit them. Do whatever it takes to keep a right relationship with Jesus and His Body.  You will never go wrong doing right!   Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care