Before planting CLF in 2003, Bill Heard and I discussed the type of church we wanted to serve. One of the themes that kept coming up was a church that did the “one anothers” well. The reason for this was that, for most of our church lives, we had not experienced a church this well. We had some moments, here and there, that we could point to that were really good. Bill loved the church he was coming from, and I had unique experiences in my home church in Texas. Those were the anomaly. Building something sustainable was something we longed to do.
It has not been easy. For the most part, our church has been highlighted by doing the “one anothers” well. Like most churches, we’ve had some rough spots. But by the kindness of God, we’ve worked through those and come out on the other side with lessons learned and relationships shaped. Yes, we’ve lost some key people along the way, but God has continued to reunite us, at just the right time, with new people, new facilities, or whatever was needed.
Luis gave an honest assessment of our church when he first visited in September 2012. Our church wasn’t very welcoming. As a matter of fact, that experience caused Bill and me to reconsider our approach. We heard from many members who didn’t connect the “one anothers” to the gospel. Not just that the “one anothers” were empowered by the gospel, but to see how the “one anothers” advance the gospel. Slowly, over time, the Lord began a work in our church to help us “one another” well and display the gospel through our relationships.
I will be the first to admit, I think “one anothering” is easier in a small church. You know everyone, hear their needs, and can more easily reach them. As the church grows, relationships become more distant. Bill has often stated that if we don’t work at keeping relationships together, they naturally drift apart. That’s very true. But when you add new people to the mix who maybe love this type of culture but don’t know how to maintain it, it can lead to serious issues and conflicts.
This is why we believe our small group ministry is so critical. Being connected with other Christians in Bible Study, encouragement, and/or confessing sin is a great way to keep suspicion at bay and help relationships stay in tack. As I said Sunday, ‘when suspicion enters the room, do your best to get face-to-face to talk.’ It’s impossible for all of us, at CLF, now to know everyone who calls CLF their home church. But it’s not impossible to make sure that we keep the enemy outside the door. We all do that by playing our part in the “one anothers.”
This is why the gospel connection to the “one anothers” is so important. Through the gospel, we learn how Jesus treated us, and we see the possibility of treating others the same way. Even though we were enemies, He loved us, pursued us, and welcomed us into His family. And through the gospel, we see the impact that good, healthy Christian relationships can have on advancing the gospel.
Several years ago, our church joined other Sovereign Grace Churches in our region for a “Celebration” event in Bellingham, Washington. The speaker was Craig Cabaniss. Craig and I met for lunch while he was there. When I shared with him the vision we had for CLF, he made this comment: “A church that does the ‘one anothers’ well in the Pacific Northwest will look like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.” His experience, as a pastor in Texas, was similar to mine. By and large, there was a Christian ‘ethic’ that permeated the way people treated one another. In the PNW, that ‘ethic’ is different. People are naturally independent, a touch isolated, and family-connected. Being connected to the ‘family of God’ is different for some. When a church in the PNW does the “one anothers” well, it stands out.
By God’s grace, He has sustained us for 22+ years. He has done it by helping us reconcile hard things, confess sin, speak the truth in love, and welcome new people. As Paul bragged on the Thessalonians, I brag on CLF. But notice that his bragging on them didn’t stop him from urging them to abound in this more and more. He wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, “Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.” Amen and amen!
Looking Ahead:
This week, about 200 of us will be at the Marriage Retreat, and Stan will preach at CLF on Psalm 23. It has been a meditation of his for quite some time. I can’t wait to hear it.
Cheap Seats:
- I love the World Baseball Classic. I wish I could watch more of it. When I watch the highlights, I love all of the cultural dynamics at play and admire the players. Now…this USA team is stacked. And Bobby Witt Jr. is amazing. Watch these two plays from Monday night: https://www.mlb.com/news/bobby-witt-jr-defense-vs-mexico
- Speaking of the WBC, this little interchange with two high-profile Mariner teammates was interesting to say the least: https://www.mlb.com/news/cal-raleigh-randy-arozarena-no-handshake-mexico-usa-world-baseball-classic. Randy didn’t seem too happy: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48163301/randy-arozarena-rants-cal-raleigh-handshake-snub-wbc
- So far, I like what I’m seeing from the Cowboys’ offseason approach.
Christ is King!
In Christ,
Dave York
