LIFE=DEVOTION TO GOD (10 of 15)

"All the believers devoted themselves to...met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals..." Acts 2:42

Growing up in a pastors house can be a little bit like a fish bowl. My parents entered the ministry when I was 14, so I was introduced to the whole PK (pastors kid) title at a later age. For years I wasn't sure what to make of people who would befriend me. Like one time a family befriended me because they really wanted to be close to my parents. Another time a family who was really close to us left the church and said a whole bunch of junk about mom and dad. By the age of 20 I was pretty disillusioned with church people. I loved God with everything, but the church? I could have left it forever. Until, something changed.

I realized there were a lot of great people in the church, devoted people. Even though there were still the leaches who had a second agenda behind what they were doing to my face I was content to love the church and people. In 1996, I met Rory who had just come from Hawaii to be with his mom. He came to church with Lenny and Pamela and him and I hit it off.

Soon he had a passion for student ministry and began helping me. We spent time playing video games together, hanging out, going out to eat, helping teens and building youth ministry. One time Melinda, my wife, asked, "Does Rory have to stay until 3am every night?"

Rory was my first experience with a church person who was doing what I call, "Life Together." I think that is exactly how those who were devoted to God in the early days of the church did it. They just spent time together, in ministry and outside of it.

Rory and I have preached together in other countries, traveled the US ministering the gospel, rode dirt bikes, mountain bikes, done water sports and had some of the best life experiences together.

Who in your life are you "doing Life Together" with? Not any old life, but life with Christ. Find those people, it's an indication they are as devoted to God as you are.

People who are devoted to God search out others who are the same. They build relationship with them and change the world.