Connected and Growing

It was great being back at Ogletown on Sunday. As nice as it is to get away sometimes, I find that the more I grow spiritually, the more I miss my church family when I'm gone. I love my brothers and sisters in Christ who call Ogletown home and always look forward to being back with them when I return. Being connected to a body of like-minded believers who love Christ and seek to serve Him is a benefit beyond measure.

Recently, I blogged about making sure that the two or three men closest to you are walking with Christ so as to not hinder your own walk. I've also been thinking about some of the challanges men face in trying to build accountability and discipleship relationships in their lives. And then it hit me--if you are struggling to connect with other men to grow spiritually--have you considered your own inner circle? Yes, those two or three guys who are your closest friends. Have you tried to have a one-on-one accountability relationship or launch a small group Bible study with the guys closest to you?

The reason why many accountability and discipleship relationships fail is because there isn't a natural connection point. Choosing someone from your inner circle eliminates that hurdle. It can also help you gauge if the men you're closest to are serious about their walk with Christ. I'm not saying that you should write off a friendship because you are more serious about growing than they are. The light of Jesus that shines through you may be just what someone else needs who is struggling spiritually. But you also need to be mindful of the influence a close friend who isn't walking with Christ can have on you. Don't allow your faith to be shipwrecked.

Jesus himself promised that whenever two or more are gathered in His name, he is among them (Matthew 18:20). The benefits of getting together on a regular (preferably weekly or semi-weekly) basis with another man or small group of men only build from there. There is a wealth of solid devotional material available for men (like Men of Integrity--available here at Ogletown) or you can just start reading from a book in the Bible (I recommend John, James, Proverbs or Hebrews for starters). So go ahead and reach out to the men who are closest to you. Connect and grow.