Learning from each other

This was written a few weeks ago, but I never got around to posting it.

I had the most amazing time with three young women who are very devoted to God.  Two of these ladies seem to be approaching marriage very rapidly, a very good thing.  We decided to sit down and do a Bible study on marriage.  It was so much fun and amazing to see the insights that these young women have.  It seems like there is not much mentoring that goes on in today's churches.  Both young men and women are left to figure out how to live a Christian life.  

God will give us the tools we need to be able to follow Him.  One of the tools he has given us is people who are more mature in the faith and those that have already experienced life.  We can learn a lot from one another just observing how other's live in their everyday life.  The early church saw this as they met together day by day to have meals together and worship God.  Our churches are so disjointed now.  We don't even know each other.   How many of us know  the color of the carpet of Mrs. So and So who sits in the pew with us on Sunday morning?  How many could even tell you what the house looks like?  Many may not even know the town she lives in.  Could you tell me how many children she has? What her favorite book is?  

The people in the first churches could tell you.  The home church was an extension of the family.  They connected with people through meaningful relationships.  They did not just see them at the "church building" 1,2, or 3 times a week. 

 Have you ever had friends that you spend a great deal of time with?  We had some really good friends that we spent probably 20 hours a week with, outside of the church building.  We would be at their house or they would be at ours until the wee morning hours.  You get to know a lot about a person this way.  Not only did our children become really close, but you get to know their hopes, dreams, fears, and struggles.  I saw their desire to follow the Lord all those years ago, and they just returned from a survey trip to the mission field.

People say quality time is not the same as quantity time.  You find out more from eachother when you have no agenda.  A big spider jumping out at me may reveal that my friend shares that issue. When someone sees me struggling to get my little one down for a nap, she may have a suggestion that I had not thought of.   These things are not brought up during Sunday school or Church service.  I know these are trivial things but these lead to big things.

We need to surround ourselves with the church, people who believe in Jesus Christ who came to save us from our sins.  The church building is  just that, a building.  God does not call us to go to church every Sunday.  He tells us to "not forsake the assembling of ourselves together".  Our family tries to be with other families at least 5 days a week outside of scheduled church meetings.  These may be believers or they may be people we are trying to lead to the Lord Jesus Christ. This way we can bring more people into God's family, more tools to help us in our Christian walk.  

Sara Cowperthwaite

12 Emery Avenue
Thomaston, Maine 04861
cowperthwaitefamily@gmail.com