Family Growth

By Pastor Steve Nute

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:13-16

Growth = love one another.

A strong emphasis here on working to bring each other to maturity. I have enjoyed some seminars and conferences over the years. I have had moments when those got me excited and determined to DO MORE for the King…But can we talk?

The real stimulation to continue in ministry and do well has been sisters and brothers who walk beside me every day. They are the ones who lovingly tell me the truth about myself.

I remember when I served in my first Church I was often asked to speak at youth conferences and traveled a little bit to places near and far. It was fun for a time. I remember feeling really gratified when there was a response to the messages. It was heady stuff… then I would go back to my little church and the people who really knew me were able to enjoy that I had a good meeting but then were ale to bring me back to reality that I wasn’t all of that. Let’s say They were proud of me but didn’t want to chance that I would be too proud of me.

It is part of growth. Conferences and seminars can be helpful. It is nice to go and be among large crowds of family form time to time, but the nitty-gritty everyday walk is that of a body, a functioning unit made up of little parts that work together to see to the general health of that body.

I guess the writer of Hebrews summed it up best in 10: 23 -25 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

You ponder that.