Open Heart, Open Home, Ch. 9 and 10,

I only have chapter 9, and I'm cheating with that since I got way behind with my packing and other projects.

I found Karen Burton Mains' Blog.=)

To understand the true meaning of family, we need to first begin with the understanding that Christ early in His ministry redefined family in terms of a larger inclusiveness. The record of this in Mark 3:31-34 (RSV) reads:

And his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

I don’t believe Christ was demonstrating personal independence from a domineering mother and from relatives attempting to preempt His ministry, but rather He was laying the groundwork for future understanding of relationships among His followers. He was not teaching that we should exclude our natural relatives, but rather that we should open our hearts to those who share our common faith, to that “extended family” of God.

In our modern churches the word “brother” is more an affectionate address tagged onto someone’s name than the indication of a soul-bond which it was for the New Testament writers. Romans 8:15-17 (RSV) develops this doctrine of the brotherhood of the believers:

...but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’ it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

How then do we go about building “family” in our churches, becoming brothers and sisters in Christ in deed, as well as in name? We can begin by getting to know one another. We can start by talking with each other about our common faith.

Strong stuff, yes?  What do you do to build family in your church?

Share your comments in a post on your blog and link up, or add them to the comments below. You do not have to limit yourself to chapter 9, either:

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