I still remember that when I was young, I left my church and followed my boyfriend’s (now my husband’s) church which is a big church. I hardly knew anyone except my boyfriend. In order to help me adapt into the church life, my boyfriend encouraged me to participate in the ministry. It helped me a lot , and I got some friends along the way , who I am still friends with in the church.
Because of the BNO5+1 policy, MAC has many new brothers and sisters, who come from different churches and church backgrounds, and although they share the same faith, it will still take some time to re-establish the relationship. If you want to ask me is there a quick way to build a relationship? I’d say to get involved in a ministry. Ministry sounds like we’re giving our time or energy to serve the church, to serve people. But isn’t ministry helping us to grow? Help us to live out God’s teachings, help us to know ourselves, help us to know how to love and be loved…
Although there are many books talk about the personality, or how to nurture the interpersonal relationships. I think the most important thing is to find our own essence, that God saw as “good” at the time of creation. The church should be the best place for personal growth.
When we believe in Jesus, there are two forces that help us grow, one is the Word of God – the Bible – and the other is the Holy Spirit. Through the fellowship, we realize our limitations and shortcomings. In the light of God’s Word, we got the insight. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can get rid of the bad spirits and develop the good spirits. We are able to accept ourselves as well as others.
May we discover the changes of our personality in faith, so that our personality does not become a stumbling block pulling us into a deeper and more physical life of faith. In the same way, may we be able to understand other people’s personality troubles, we should tolerate and help others at the right time, so that people’s personalities do not become a resistance to the church, but a boost to the growth of the church.
“18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. ”(Jude 18-21)
Rev Pandora Li