Thriving or Just Getting By?

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42

In Romania, after communism fell, we in the west became aware of the many orphans there who were basically warehoused in huge orphanages. They were vastly understaffed. So the babies, while they had most of their physical needs looked after – food, shelter and some hygiene, were very seldom picked up and snuggled or played with. Many of them had what doctors aptly call “failure to thrive syndrome.” They may have been many months or sometimes even years old, but they still looked and acted like newborns. What they did not have is family. Or even a sort of surrogate family who would encourage growth. Many people in North America saw these helpless children on the news and decided that they would adopt one.

Christians can be the same – we might be born into new life with Jesus, but if we are left on our own, we can have that same “failure to thrive syndrome” in our spiritual lives.

God's cure for "failure to thrive syndrome" is Christian fellowship!

The early Christians could not even conceive of a Christian outside of a Christian community. They knew the vast richness of joining with others!

Is the church necessary? You bet, that's where you will find the largest concentration of Christians to fellowship with. Not in Walmart, not on your boat, not on the deer stand, not in front of the TV or at the movies or parties, etc!

Too many Christians are satisfied with a mediocre Christain experience!

Your call: thrive or just get by!