There is safety in numbers. Nobody likes to be alone. No man is an island. Solitary confinement is considered cruel and unusual punishment. What do all these statements have in common? Let me answer that rhetorical question. Each of these statements highlights the truth that we are created to be in relationship with others. We were never created to be solitary beings.

Relationships are a gift from God that needs to be pursued, sought after, and developed. Yes, even for introverts, relationships are a gift that needs to be pursued. We are the body of Christ. There is no such thing as a self-made man or woman. We are who we are because of relationships, which begin with our relationship with God.

God desires a personal relationship with each of us. Sin separated us from God. Jesus, through His work on the cross, opened a pathway to restore that relationship. When I understand the grace and mercy offered to me, my response is to come humbly before God as my Heavenly Father. In Him, I find forgiveness, comfort, acceptance, and love.

My relationship with God is then reflected in those that God brings into my life. My family, my friends, my church, the body of Christ. Those relationships shape me as I help shape others. In his book A Work of Heart, author Reggie McNeal says this; “Leaders are not made in isolation. Leaders are shaped in community. God deliberately and intentionally shapes the leader’s heart through community.” Although McNeal writes of leaders, we can all apply the same principle to our relationships. Relationships are a precious gift from God because God uses people to mould and develop us to become who He wants us to be. Relationships can be soft, warm, and fuzzy. They can also, at times, be a bit abrasive and conflictive. But, in all, they help develop us. They are needed.

The summer months are when many of us will spend a lot of time with others having backyard BBQs, vacations, pool parties, hanging out on the deck, and doing life together. These informal relationship times are of great importance. There are times when we will share, laugh, and at times cry with one another while practicing being the body of Christ. We will build into each other’s lives.

I've often thought that "church" does not happen at 10:30 am on Sunday mornings. Instead, church happens at 11:45 when we gather for coffee after the service, discuss the sermon, share with one another, pray for, and encourage one another, practicing the "one another's"!

Jesus said, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). The gift of God was the relationship He gave the disciples with Jesus and with one another. That same gift is available to each of us today. Relationships were never designed to be one-sided. Relationships involve both giving and receiving, encouraging, rebuking, loving, and building up one another.

This summer, as you relax, unwind, and spend time with family and friends, take some time to be intentional in relationship building. Use these times to deepen and strengthen the relationships God has brought into your life.

Thankful for the gift of relationships!

Rev. Bill Allan
AGC President

2022: Stay the Course! - The Gift of Relationships