Time magazine had an article a while back titled "10 Ideas That Are Changing the World," The basis of it was that we now live in a technological world where self service is king and customer service has gone by the wayside. Here is a quote from the article:

"Consider the last time you rang up your own purchase at Wal-Mart, checked into a hotel at a kiosk or bought a ticket from a machine in the lobby of a movie theater. Companies love self-service for the money it saves, and with consumers finally playing along, the need to interact with human beings is quickly disappearing."

How scary is that last statement? "The need to interact with human beings is quickly disappearing". These days with internet and other technology we carry out so much of our day to day business without ever interacting with another person. Is it possible that this mentality has crept it's way into our churches? At Venture we keep saying "Church is not something you go to, but something you are a part of" It's easy these days to slip in and out of a church service and never get connected or interact with other people. Oh sure we have a brief time where we ask people to greet someone around you, but how much relationship is built in that moment? The truth is you could easily slip into a church service and go home week after week.

God is a God of community. He desires relationships with us and He desires that we have relationships with each other. It's in our DNA! In the church we cannot forget "each other".

The Bible confirms this idea. There are 46 one another verses. 19 different ones, some are repeated. Here is just a sampling:

• Galatians 5:13 You my brothers were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the sinful nature; rather serve ONE ANOTHER in love.
• Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; being patient, bearing with ONE ANOTHER in love.
• Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to ONE ANOTHER forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you.
• Hebrews 3:13 But encourage ONE ANOTHER daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sins deceitfulness.
• 1 John 3:11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love ONE ANOTHER

How many of these can you accomplish on a Sunday morning during a service that lasts about an hour? Not very many and not very effectively. Community is not just a bunch of people gathering together, that is just a forum. Community happens outside of Sunday morning services in meaningful relationships.

Consider joining a Venture Life group today. A small group where you will be accepted for who you are while being encouraged to reach your full potential in God. Through exploring God's Word, praying and serving together we will learn how to grow up into the fullness of Christ.