Have you ever been on a team that you didn't connect with?
I say there are two types of athletes: participatory and competitive. Participatory athletes are there to have fun or get in shape, but they don't care much if they win or lose, and they really don't care about being considered the best out there. Competitive athletes are different. They absolutely want to win and they are driven to be the best they can be.
It can be very frustrating being a competitive athlete on a team with participatory athletes who don't care about winning, and it can be equally frustrating being an athlete who just wants to have fun when you are stuck on a team with athletes who will do whatever it takes, come early, stay late, and do the extra work, to be the best they can be.
One of the most fulfilling moments is being on a team with people who have the same purpose and intentions that you do.
From a biblical standpoint, this is like being a part of a church and church group whose goals are similar to yours.
During the 2023 school year, I have been working through BiblicalTraining.com's 52 major Stories of the Bible course. This week, the course covered The Church and Jesus's role as the head of the church.
They wrote:
Jesus says, “I will build my church and the gates of Hell will not destroy it.” What is that church? What is Jesus talking about? As you read through the New Testament, you learn very quickly that the church is not a building. I know that when we talk about “going to church,” we are talking about coming into this physical structure. But the church is not a building. That is simply nowhere in scripture. The church is not a denomination. The church is not any human organization. The church is the assembly of true believers. When you and I are in isolation, when we are off by ourselves, we are not “the church”. When we gather together, when we assemble, we are the church and it is the assembly of true believers. Not everyone who comes into the doors of a religious building is a disciple of Jesus Christ. Not everyone who appears to be a part of the visible church is actually part of the invisible church, the true church, the church that is made up of people whose hearts are known by God. Augustine says “Many sheep are without and many wolves are within.” The church is not a building. It is not a human structure or organization. It is the assembly of true believers.
Being a part of a great church group can greatly impact your walk as a Christian; it can change your life.
Who we spend our time with affects so much of our lives. Find people who will help you, not hurt you. Find people and groups that will help you become the kind of person you want to become and who will help you live the kind of life you want to live.
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