Last night my family were treated to part of the Presley’s 55th Anniversary in Branson. As part of that celebration, someone mentioned about the importance of family. As I sat there with mine, I could not help but rejoice in God’s goodness of family. As you see in the picture above, my brother Craig has been in Kentucky this week with my Grandad and Uncle Henry, Aunt Alice, and others. Here is the fascinating part. Uncle Henry and Aunt Alice have been part of our family for nearly 70 years. Not our biological family but our church family. For the follower of Jesus Christ, our family includes more than just simply our biological family but our family in Christ as well. When I heard the statement last night about family, my mind went far deeper than just simply the sweet children God has given me but so many more who are our family in Christ.

The Family of Jesus Christ

As important as our biological family is, our church family is nothing short of God’s grace. I see the relationship between my Grandad and our Uncle and Aunt that has developed over nearly 70 years. A relationship where they have grown older together living and serving together in the body of Christ.
I think of those same kinds of individuals in my own life. What a joy it is to me to have this foundation and example in my own life as well. What I see in the picture above is exactly what I desire and am grateful for with those individuals in my life too. As a member of Sonrise, we just celebrated 20 years of growing those kinds of relationships.

There’s Not One Benefit but Many

When I think back to the people who are still serving together as family, I am encouraged. I pray for that as well. Why? Because there is not simply one benefit of these types of relationships, but many. Take a moment to think about it.
A church family lives together through thick and thin, good times and bad times, ups and downs, happiness and sorrow, feast and famine. When I think of our Sonrise church family, we have been heartbroken together, celebrated victories, buried loved ones, welcomed new ones, worked through conflict for God’s glory, exercised patience, gave the benefit of the doubt, played together, gone to camps, enjoyed meals, worked together, served together, moved each other, cleaned barns, fished, camped, hunted, watch televised sports, watched a lot of local sports, gone on missions trips, participated in life groups, prayed together many times, and have been there for each other. This list is still small. We have not mentioned so many other things that take place in a church family – like supported missionaries together, sing together, walked an extra mile for each other, hoped for each other, supported each other, served each other, and more. Lots more.
Church families enjoy everything that a normal family enjoys except more. We have Jesus that binds us closely together. We practice on earth what we are going to enjoy for eternity together. The personal neglect of a church family is tragic. The person who stays on the edge, pushes people away, or otherwise never gets involved missed all of these incredible benefits – some of which last a lifetime like with my Grandad and Uncle Henry above.

What Does It Take To Live Like This?

What does it take to live like this in the family of God? I realize that this is not ever person’s experience. As I have observed it, it takes maturing people in Christ. Patient. Humble. Loving. People who are willing to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things (1 Cor 13:7). Family members who humbly seek to walk worthy of the Lord’s call, who speak the truth in love, are kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving to each other as they work out conflict (Eph 4:1-6, 15, 32). People who are patient with each other striving to demonstrate love and unity together in the Spirit, striving to see what each individual needs in a particular moment (John 13-17; 1 Thess 5:12-14). Folks who understand we love because we were first loved, we serve and give sacrificially because we have been served sacrificially, we walk together as we walk with Jesus (1 John 3:16-18). We recognize that we are in the body together, have need for each other, rejoice with each other, mourn with each other, are burdened together, serve together, do not return evil for evil, and so much more (Rom 12:1-21; 1 Cor 12:12-27).
We love Jesus, strive to be like Him, and do so together as the body of Christ, who are adopted brothers and sisters (Eph 2:11-22).
What is the end result?
When I’m discouraged, I turn to them.
Excited, I’ll call or text or email.
Need advice, call or meet.
Need correction, I ask for help.
Feel lonely, may touch base or meet together.
Have a need, ask.
Get burdened by something, share.
Not understand something, talk.
On many occasions, pray together.
And we do these things together.

To put it simply, my dream has always been to live and worship in this kind of body. Imperfect? Yes. Every family is. Churches are made up of sinners and strugglers, just like families. But time takes care of most things. In moments of struggle, you work through it. In times of celebration, you celebrate. When people sin, you deal with it. When they repent, you celebrate that. Again, this list is so small compared to how the body actually functions.

I want to grow old with a church and church family. I want to be the one who can say we’ve lived this life together for all these years. Nearly 70 for my Grandad and Uncle above. Nearly twenty for many who are at Sonrise. For the new members, less. But every day that passes, we add to the family and keep serving together.

On this side of heaven, being part of a church and church family includes many things from pure joy to sorrow, from fun times to burdens. However, through it all, we eventually take a long journey in the same direction. As we do that, we experience the best God has for us.

 

 

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