Boom goes the dynamite! That sums up Sunday to me. What a phenomenal time of worship together. Both services were off the charts but our 11AM worship service was one of the best that I can remember. In fact, if there had not been a child dedication we may have just kept on worshiping through the entire week. There were a couple “hair standing on the back of your neck” moments for me. Our team (RCBand) was just zoned in. It’s so awesome to hear the congregation sing with abandon.
Here’s the song list:
1. Loving, Forgiving, Saving (Lp, RC original)
2. Bless the Lord (GUTS Church/RC modified)
3. Psalm 9 (King David/Lp)
4. You are the One / 40 (9AM)
4. You Are the One (Lincoln Brewster) / Holy is the Lord (11AM)
Special Song: Help (The Beatles)
One of the additional highlights of the day was having the privilege to dedicate 9 babies/children. It’s always a blessing to commission parents to raise their children in the Lord and to pray over the little ones. As usual, they were all adorable. One of my favorite moments was when Bob & Debbie Starr introduced their newborn daughter and Bob said, “This is Esther Melody…and I hope I don’t screw it up.”
To introduce the message RC Band ripped through the classic Beatles tune Help. What a perfect way to charge into Sticky Relationships (Part 2)!
Here are my notes/takeaways to Part 2: Cohesive Community:
Kicked things off with jokes about a lantern and an elevator. I guess you will have to listen to the podcast.
Top 10 Things Men Understand About Women:
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Sorry. Couldn’t resist. 🙂
“I got along without you before I met you and I’ll get along without you a long time after you’re gone.” ~Willie Nelson (#Relationship #Fail)
James 3:18 (MSG)
You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoys its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” ~Theodore Roosevelt
- You need fellowship.
- You were not created for isolation. (Even God recognized that it wasn’t good for Adam to be alone.)
- Community requires commitment.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:3, “You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way.”
To properly build, cultivate, and maintain sticky relationships requires the following 5 traits:
1. Sticky Relationships Require Honesty
Most people have no one in their life who loves them enough to tell them the truth.
(i.e. Booger hanging out of nose, zipper that is down, trying out for American Idol, etc.)
Solomon said in Proverbs, “An honest answer is a sign of true friendship.”
James 5:16 says, Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed…
See the following Scriptures:
2. Sticky Relationships Require Humility (Interest in Others)
I Peter 5:5 says to clothe yourselves with humility and also states that God gives grace to the humble.
See the following Scriptures:
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” ~Rick Warren
3. Sticky Relationships Require Trust
Proverbs 16:28 says, “Gossip is spread by wicked people; they stir up trouble and break up friendships.”
Gossip always destroys, period.
4. Sticky Relationships Require Fellowship
Hebrews 10:25 says, “Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another.”
The first Christians met every day!
Acts 2:46-47 (MSG)
They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.
5. Sticky Relationships Require Love
Stop and read 1 Corinthians 13 (NLT).
There’s always going to be that one person who irritates us…and maybe that person is me?!
We all know EGR people, you know, extra grace required.
Romans 12:10 says, “Be devoted to each other like a loving family. Excel in showing respect for each other.”
True families defend each other, even when they know members are messed up.
The world will know we are true disciples of Jesus if we love each other. This requires us to get along and getting along takes effort. So let’s work hard to love each other.
Focused on Relationships,
~PC
P.S. Four out of five of my main points were inspired by Rick Warren’s book Purpose Driven Life.
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Facebook Feedback:
- It was awesome! I really felt God moving in that room. The passion of the service seemed ampd up! ~John
- Again a great message. Challenging yet empowering. Love that about RockChurch. Never feel as the people voicing the message are any “higher” in the journey upward than we are in the seats. From LP during worship to PC during the sermon… we are all equal, saved by the Grace of God. Love to be a part of something that is never stale, always fresh and challenging !! Thank You for hitting an avoided topic in todays church head on !! ~Stacie
- Enjoyed every minute from when i pulled into the parking lot till I pulled out!!!!!!!!!!! ~Dean
- A church family so full of the LOVE of GOD you have to be there to experience it. A great message from PC as a great reminder to let the light of Jesus shine in us everyday through life. Love starts at home and includes family and friends but the real test is not judging, gossiping and hating others but instead showing LOVE as our father in heaven does for each of us.Also I LOVE to PRAISE and WORSHIP our Lord and I”m so happy to be part of the ROCK CHURCH!!! ~Amy
