Being known by and developing close relationships with other Christians presents many challenges. In this post, I will list a few of those and ponder some biblical solutions.  

But first, we prayed Sunday about the devastating fires in California, specifically for our brothers and sisters at Sovereign Grace Church of Pasadena.  I also announced that some of them have lost their homes to the fires and are in need.  As I promised on Sunday, here are two links where you could send a financial gift to help our Christian friends in that church if the Lord stirs you to do so.

• Give directly to SGC Pasadena at https://hub.sgcpasadena.org/wildfire.
• Give it to CLF, designate it for benevolence, and email Dave Quilla ([email protected]) to let him know you’d like it sent to SGC Pasadena. Our giving link is https://clfroseburg.com/give/.  

Challenges to Christian Fellowship in Our Culture

Busyness

Years ago, man said, “If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.”  But in our culture, busyness is almost a status symbol. When others greet us and ask how we’re doing, our response is usually “busy” or “buried.”  

But we need to ask some serious questions about our busyness.  Is it good for us?  Is busyness our way of escape and avoidance?  Are we busy with the “right” things?  

Alternate Communities

This one is becoming a bigger threat to Christian fellowship than I can remember. For instance, Christians are more likely to engage in Christian discipleship, fellowship, and community when single or newly married. However, over time, other alternative communities have begun to replace Christian fellowship.  

Work becomes a community.  Schools become communities.  Kids’ activities (sports, dance, art, musical, etc.) become communities.   Now, these are indeed communities that I think we should involve ourselves in for the sake of the gospel.  You will meet the highest percentage of non-Christians in these communities than anywhere else.  

However, you should pay attention if these communities begin to replace Christian friendship and fellowship. If this is because of your kids’ activities, you should be especially on guard because you’re teaching your children that they can ‘live without’ Christian fellowship.  

Digital Community

It’s probably because of my age, but I don’t understand social media.  I’m not a ‘get off my lawn’ angry dude; I value face-to-face relationships.  I like being in the same room with people. 

Online communities, game groups, group texts, and DM’s are all ways of engaging with one another, but they cannot replace face-to-face relational building with other Christians.  

The other issue with this is that our screens allow us to escape and avoid while being in the same room or house.  I appreciate families who have a ‘no phone’ policy while they’re at dinner.  I know of a family in our church who had a ‘phone jail’ that all phones went into when they got home (I love that idea, but rarely do it😬).

Sociologists tell us that we not only live in the most connected society of all time but the loneliest.  Christian fellowship is an answer to this.  

Being Intentional

On Sunday, I offered two ways to make connections for fellowship at CLF, but I don’t believe those are the only ways. The Bible teaches the importance of being known by one another, not isolating ourselves, and sharing the deepest issues of our lives with other Christians. Those things can only happen if we have Christian friends who trust us. That takes time and intentionality.

So:

• Do you have a Christian friend to whom you can confess a life-dominating (possibly embarrassing) sin and know they will help you?  
• Do you have a Christian friend that you’d be willing to sacrificially help if they had a need (time, money, or gifts)?  
• Do you have a Christian friend who could confront you about your sin or whose encouragement boosts your soul?   
• Do you have a Christian friend with whom you can share God’s word, or you can share something the Lord is stirring you about?   

Being Around Each Other…A Lot

One area we notice at CLF that we’re grateful for is how many of our folks are involved in different communities, whether school, work, or kids’ activities.  This allows you to fellowship as you go.  Compass Homeschool Co-op, Convey, Geneva Academy, and Umpqua Valley Christian School immediately come to mind.  

However, it also creates many opportunities for people to sin against each other, have misunderstandings, or get on each other’s nerves. Therefore, we need to be a bit more vigilant and realize that a conflict in one of those areas can create a conflict in the church. 

An example from the York House is UVC, where our youngest son attends.  At UVC, several people serve on the faculty who also attend our church.  Jill and I are freshly aware that misunderstandings and disagreements can turn into conflicts reasonably quickly.  Therefore, we are committed to biblical relational building and having more conversations, not less, when there’s a misunderstanding.  We don’t want ‘familiarity to breed contempt.’ 

Looking Ahead

This Sunday, we will continue to study our church’s mission as we look at growing in Christ.  We will study Ephesians 4:11-16 to understand how and why we grow.   

Podcast Update

Our podcast has launched. We hope it encourages our church. We focus on our people, shared life, and questions to help you. If you’d like to share it with a friend not in our church, go for it.  

• Apple users:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clf-conversations/id1789024424
• Spotify users:  https://open.spotify.com/show/7mfjCJibCO6g2Bsv3oe0eg?si=htp_tSeoQ4yUZL5apfIkWA

From the Cheap Seats

• I nailed my College Football Playoff picks, but I’m torn about Monday’s championship game. I’m rooting for Notre Dame, but I think Ohio State will win.      
• I don’t know what Jerry Jones is doing.  I’m not surprised by Mike McCarthy’s news (they will not renew his contract).   But it is baffling to do it AFTER the week when they could interview candidates from the best teams in the NFL. Further, having McCarthy involved in the franchise’s future (last week) and acting as if they wanted him back does not seem like good people skills.   
• I’m pulling for a Bills – Lions Super Bowl.  To have the Eagles and the Commanders still alive in the playoffs is a cruel joke.   
• Pitchers and catchers in 29 days…        

Have a great week! Christ is King!

In Christ, 

Dave York