Sunday Recap- Prayers for a Church Plant!

Sunday, my wife and I didn't attend where we normally worship.  Instead we went to support my good friend EC and his new church plant.  They have been meeting for awhile in a coffee shop and quickly outgrew the space.  Recently, they moved into a great place to meet that will allow for growth and has a play area for the kids.  I am very excited for them.

His "sermon" this week wasn't from his typical series he has been teaching.  EC instead shared his heart about THE church, and through trickle down, THIS church.  The simple topic was "What is the church?" 

Without going through each point systematically, I will share that the major theme was that the church is (or should be) FAMILY.

He went on to describe the various attributes of a healthy family, and related them to his vision for their body of believers.

He has no idea that I was actually listening to him, but I was.

While EC made the point about various people in the church and their need to rely on each other, and support each other, I heard a loud cry from the play area.  It was obviously from a smallish child.  High-pitched, strained and flavored with desperation.  Our 2 rugrats, BB and Peach were in there.  As soon as I heard it, I looked to my wife and said, "Was that Peach?"

My wife, cool as a song by Maroon 5, didn't bat an eye, just kept looking at EC and shaked her head no.  She had already heard it, deciphered it, and determined it was not Peach.

FAMILY.

If I had tapped the shoulder of the guy in front of me and asked him, "Hey was that my daughter?" he wouldn't have had a clue.  He may have knocked me out for interrupting his enjoyment of the brilliant oratory from EC, because he was a muscular guy who I may, or may not have been intimidated by.  But on identifying the sound my daughter makes, he would be useless.  Changing a tire...useful, because I probably wouldn't need a jack.  He could hold the car up with one hand while removing the lugnuts with the other, all the while whistling a Maroon 5 song.  Dude was a walking muscle.

Where was I?

MY WIFE KNOWS PEACH'S VOICE.  Even a crying voice.  I remember when I was growing up, I would sit in the balcony of our church of 1,200 while my parents sat on the 2nd row, ground level...Obviously more spiritual than me!  Yet, I could tell anytime my Mom or Dad coughed, sneezed, or laughed. 

FAMILY.

So while I was listening to EC, my mind went to how awesome it would be to join a fellowship of believers that KNOWS MY COUGHS..

SNEEZES...

NEEDS...

DESIRES...

WISHES...

BURDENS...

PASSIONS...

GIFTS...

STRUGGLES...

without me having to expressly say them. 

A brother in Christ who could tell by my body language that I am in need of prayer.

A lady in the church who could hear something in my wife's voice to know she needs someone to talk to.

FAMILY.

EC has the right idea.  SPEND MORE TIME with the church body, doing life together.  Seriously together.  Not meeting once, twice, even three times a week.  I can meet with someone 7 days a week and twice on Thursdays and not know a thing about them.  But by impacting, and letting someone else impact my life for growth in Christ.

It takes investment, openness, honesty, TRUST, love, and many other attributes to be a family like this. 

May God bless EC and his fellowship. 

I pray they can become TRUE FAMILY and change this WORLD for CHRIST!!!