Did you know that if Facebook was a nation it would be the largest country in the world? Yep, there are about 1.7 billion people on Facebook.  Yes, I know not everyone uses Facebook or social media of any kind but there is a reason people continue to invent and use such technologies. Connection. We are made for community.

The earliest story in the Bible God comments on the nature of humanity when God says, “It is not good for the human to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Genesis 2:18 NLT

You are correct it doesn’t say, “It is not good for humans to be alone, I will create Facebook and Twitter for them to stay connected.” Yet, the popularity of these websites tell us something about our nature. We seek connection with one another. Of course there are introverts who need down time from others but even they need the interaction of others.

We believe we are created in God’s image. There are various aspects to this “Imago Dei” (image of God) least of all our physical appearance. The very being of God is rooted in relationship. God exists in relationship. The Trinity is a God of relationship. Yes, it is a mystery that God is three in one but this also points to the closeness of the relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Then we are reminded by God in the first book of the Bible that we are created in God’s image including the fact that we are made for relationship.

Tools like Facebook are an example of how we are created for relationship. If connection was not important- no one would have invented such a thing.

Long before the internet, Jesus gave us the gift of the Church so that we could be together. Not only does Sunday worship foster our relationship with God but also with one another. God created us for relationship but God also provides a place for connection.

This week I read a story about a pastor traveling with a Brazilian seminary student. Along the way the pastor asked the student if he would like to stop for a cup of coffee. The student said, “I would be honored.” The student thought this would be a time to talk and foster a deeper connection with the pastor. Instead the pastor swung into a Starbucks and went through the drive-thru because he thought this was only about the coffee.

Once they were on their way the student was very quiet and when pressed about his silence he said, “I thought you were asking me to be your friend. I thought we were going to sit together and share life.”

At Bethel, we have a “coffee hour.” It is not about the coffee; it is about fostering stronger relationships with one another.

That is one of our values too. We believe Christ Centered Community is vital for us at Bethel. You are missed when you cannot make it to church on Sunday because we are stronger together than we are apart.

Living in fellowship is sharing life… all of life.

God bless,
Pr. Ben