Holly Pinkham on June 29 2010

it’s easy for the church to be “relational” and still have no real relationship.

 

as david pointed out this past thursday while walking through the vision and values of Basileia, we can implement structure, programs and the perfect language and terms to convey relationship and to try and create community. but you can’t force relationship.

 

no matter how many cool ideas, groups, and events we implement, real relationship is organic. it takes time. it threatens structure. it requires the sharing of our life, our resources. it’s not necessarily easy or formulaic. but it’s critical in the life of a Jesus-follower.

 

LA is a lonely place. ask anyone and they’ll agree that isolation is easy…which leads to so much pain, addiction, hopelessness, etc. when a group of strangers can connect and find true, deep relationship in this city, it’s no small miracle.

 

what has been encouraging is that on just about any day of the week, Basileians are finding ways to connect and build legitimate community. it might be a couple in the church inviting some non-christian visitors over to their home for dinner. a group going out for a late lunch with a few homeless friends, or sharing a meal with a cancer patient in the kaiser hospital across the street. near-strangers finding a new fun place in the city to explore and returning home with new friends. but gatherings never seem to discriminate because we know that god has called us to love all people.

 

the beauty is that it doesn’t stop there. it’s not just for us, but more and more individuals who don’t know jesus are asking more about him and drawing nearer to him because of the community they’re seeing and experiencing.