In 1990-91 I attended Yale University Divinity School to find answers. As a youth pastor, I remember driving vans, hosting lock-ins and setting up folding chairs — and being very lonely. Meanwhile, I read the New Testament and discovered descriptions of rich, meaningful relationships among church members. Why wasn’t I experiencing that?
I studied the social milieu of the early church, wrote a thesis and learned that even in the first-century, the church was an exception among the various types of groups people could join. The church was meant to be an environment for life-changing, disciple-making relationships.
This series of “Steve the Pastor” considers these relationships from a variety of perspectives.
- October 5, 2021: Acts 2:42-47, The first church
- October 7, 2021: Acts 4:32+, Generosity and sharing
- October 12, 2021: Matthew 18, The unmerciful servant and grace to one another
- October 14, 2021: Acts 3-4, The early church supports one another
- October 26: 1 Thessalonians 5:14, The church as a place of meaningful relationships
- October 28: 1 Corinthians 11, Church unified and practicing unity
- November 2: Ephesians 4, The behavior of a church as a place of love
- November 4: 1 Corinthians 12, Every member equally gifted
- November 9: 1 Corinthians 11-14, The body of Christ
- November 11: 1 Corinthians 13, Love in our church relationships
- November 16: 1 Corinthians 14, The church in worship
- November 18: 1 Corinthians 14, Everyone has something to share
- November 23: Various New Testament verses, Family language
- November 30: Various New Testament verses, Meeting space
- December 2: 1 Corinthians 3, Corporate spirituality
- December 7: Various New Testament verses, The ‘one anothers’
- December 9: Various New Testament verses, How church members should speak to one another
- December 14: Various New Testament verses, The church in prayer together
- January 4, Various New Testament verses, Mentoring (pt. 1)
- January 6, Various New Testament verses, Mentoring (pt. 2)
Let me know your thoughts!