The church must become a more genuine place. Churches must seek ways not only to create wonderful worship experiences but also facilitate the formation of authentic friendships. It is from within these relationships that the power of God can be demonstrated and practiced to a greater degree.
These relationships cannot be formed over one weekend. There is no prepackaged program you can buy to make it happen. It will require a Spirit-led transformation of the crowd into a community.
It’s time to let the in-authenticity of the church end with the fake plants on the platform. As individual believers, let us begin looking for ways to start the meaningful relationships we need for training in righteousness. As ministry leaders, let us look for ways to facilitate these friendships and deepen the level of authentic community in our local churches.
Reprinted with permission from © Encourage magazine published by the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. Kevin Sneed serves along with his wife, Summer, as an International Pentecostal Holiness missionary and director of East Africa Bible College in Eldoret, Kenya. Kevin is a 2005 graduate of Emmanuel College. They have two children, Abigail and Nathaniel.
