Healthy Targets
Healthy Identity – Family
This week I continue to share the nine targets that we in the MBC Resound network encourage churches that we consult with to pursue. There are three categories with three targets in each category. The first category is Healthy Identity, and the three targets are understanding that as God’s people we are be worshippers, family, and missionaries. Last week I focused on being a worshipper. This week I focus on the identity of being a part of God’s family. “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons and daughters of God” (Romans 8:14). Paul goes on to tell us that we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. This is our mutual identity in Christ. Thus, local churches are a community of believers who have been adopted by the Heavenly Father and are called to live out the familial bonds. We are called to fulfill the multiple “one another’ commands, i.e., to sacrificially love and serve one another, bear one another’s burdens, forgive one another, pray for one another, encourage one another, and even rebuke one another. It is obvious that there is a special devotion that we owe every other believer that is grounded in our common faith and identity in Jesus. As a church family how are you experiencing this reality? How can you, as a member of this family, better demonstrate in practice what you are in position? Let us do all we can to complete Paul’s challenge, “Be devoted to one another and brotherly love give preference to one another in honor” Romans 12:10. – Dr. Gary Mathes