Caring @ Crossroads
1. Be there consistently.
This may sound like a strange way to start, but you build better relationships when you see each other regularly. We’re all going to have weeks when we are sick or on vacation, but if we get out of the habit of meeting together for worship or life group, then we just can’t connect with each other.
2. Pray for each other and the unity of our church.
The church depends on God’s power and protection. We will never have too many people praying for each other or for Crossroads. Develop a list of life group members or other families from church, and pray through that list faithfully. Pray for our worship services, for life group meetings, for outreach efforts, for mission trips, for our children and youth, for greeters, for the praise team…pray!
3. Build up, not tear down.
Our words are powerful tools that God has entrusted to us. When we use these words to encourage one another and speak the truth, God is honored and the church grows stronger. When we misuse these tools to gossip or criticize or ridicule, the church is weakened. We need to point out sinful habits and potential problems—but we need to do so in a spirit of love.
4. Get involved.
One of the best ways to build a healthy church family is to discover your place of service. It is much easier to criticize someone when you are standing on the sidelines. The more of your heart you put into the ministries of Crossroads, the more you will want to see it succeed. God has brought you here for a purpose, and your service matters to the overall health of the church!
5. Honesty really is the best policy.
One of our core values is real relationships. That means we need to be honest about our struggles, our hurt feelings, and our expectations. Nothing turns people off faster than a pretend faith. We need to be open and honest with each other, speaking the truth in love.
6. Remember Barney Fife…nip it in the bud!
Satan loves to destroy the close fellowship of a church. If you find yourself in a conversation that includes gossip, lies, or unjust criticism of any member of Crossroads Church, NIP IT IN THE BUD! It’s much easier to treat a disease if you catch it early—the same thing is true for relationship diseases in the church.
7. Think about the next person to come.
We are building God’s church to impact our entire community with His love. In that process, we will need to put aside our comfort and our preferences to build a church that will reach people who haven’t yet discovered God’s love. As we start new life groups and new churches, we need to always consider how we can help the next person or the next generation win life’s race.