By Rusty Stowe - Senior Adult Minister
Last Wednesday evening, we began a six week video study called “Connected.” It is presented by pastor Eric Geiger and Dr. Thom Rainer, writer, speaker and former CEO of Lifeway. In this study, we are going to examine what it means to be “connected” in unity, growth, through the Word of God, in service and in prayer. Last week we started with being connected in Christ. Our scripture reference was Ephesians 2:17-22 where the Apostle Paul helps us to understand that we are living in a very “disconnected” world.
Most of us will agree that we as a society have separated us from our neighbors, our families and even our churches. Our Wednesday night group agreed that when the front porches on our homes began to disappear, so did our times of visiting with our neighbors. As a society, we back our cars out of our garages, close the doors and go out for the day. When we arrive back home we open the garage doors, drive in, close the doors behind us and seldom see our neighbors. We become “disconnected” from those around us! This sometimes bleeds over to our relationship with our families, either immediate or extended. We just do not spend as much time together as in the past. Kids grow up and move away. Grandkids are too busy with school, sports and their social lives to spend time with the family as they used to. But the scary thing is that this “disconnect” is happening in our churches.
Look around you this coming Sunday and see who is not present! Maybe they are out of town or sick, but when was the last time you saw them on a regular basis? It is becoming too easy just to stay away from church and watch services on live stream. But by doing this we miss the “connection” of being with our church family. As a member of the family of God we have the responsibility to stay connected with those who are part of this church family.
With the retirement of our pastor, Bro. Dave, it is going to be more important that we – as the family of God known as Chisholm Heights Baptist Church – stay connected! Stay connected with our leadership! Stay connected with our small groups (i.e. Sunday School, Bible Study groups)! And most importantly, stay connected with God!
Let us view church membership as a “gift from God.” Thank God daily for the opportunity to have friends and to be connected to His family through CHBC. We need to ask the right question which was asked by John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country (church) can do for you, ask what you can do for your country (church)!”
Rusty
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