Planning Relationships
By Chuck on Apr 16, 2008 in Featured
Our churches are filled with programs to try to connect people into authentic relationships. Do you see a problem with this?
I hear it all the time from college-age people, “We should do more, I like meeting new people.”
Or, after a successful gathering time someone will say, “We should do this more often! I met some really cool people and I want to get to know them better!”
My responses to these types of things are, “Are you asking me to plan your relationships for you? Don’t you think that’s kind of weird? Do you always have others plan the times you are meeting with your friends? Maybe you could connect with them on your own sometime…?”
I respond out of love and not always sarcastically - but it’s hard not to.
Maybe our program mentality of church has created an unhealthy dependence on others to plan our relationships. Can relationships really be programmed? Maybe the church has messed this one up…
Unfortunately we live like relationships can be programmed, but I don’t think the relationships developed in that way are meaningful and authentic, and they are often completely program dependent so if there is a change in program the relationship dies.
I agree with the responses you give, however we also at times need to teach people what it means to plan time together or connect with others because some students have never experienced that before. Discipling sometimes looks like a hand to guide them the first time or two.
Sherie | Apr 20, 2008 | Reply
feel the pain…
Aidan | Apr 24, 2008 | Reply
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Teresa Hendrix | Nov 12, 2008 | Reply