Does going to church help you with the "rest of your life?"

"There's a lot of life in between Sundays."

I often make this statement when speaking to our church family about the importance of RELATIONSHIPS for our spiritual health. What I typically mean to imply is that we need one another. It's that simple. Sunday services are good, but there are 6 1/2 other days in the week, as well. Even if the sermon was challenging and the worship was inspiring, the "real life" of the "real world" can be hard.

So what are we supposed to do about that?

Make more friends? Invite someone to Starbucks? Have deeper conversations? Join a small group? I suppose the answer to all of these suggestions could be "yes," if you can. The truth is we DO need to pursue new friendships, make time in our schedules to get together, talk about stuff that's meaningful, and connect with others in community. In fact, I'm guessing we all long for this quality of life, at some level. But let's be honest: if it were EASY, we'd already be doing it.

John Maxwell said, "Most Christians are already educated far beyond our level of obedience."

We all know relationships are important.
We also know that spiritual growth is important.
And sharing your faith is important.
And raising up godly children is important.
So is Bible study.
And tithing.
And serving in a ministry.
And let's not forget obeying God's Top 10 List (you know, the ones carved in stone...twice!)

KNOWING is not the problem for many of us.
DOING is the hard part.

So my question is this: How can the church help?

In other words, beyond sermons & songs on Sunday mornings, how can we better equip you to LIVE for Christ in the real world? I have some ideas that I trust would be helpful, but I'm interested in hearing your thoughts. For example: Do you need help establishing a consistent devotional life? Would you like some helpful tips on biblical parenting practices? Need real-world insights on how to strengthen your marriage relationship?

I think the Home Depot slogan says it best: "You can do it. We can help." if this is true of a home-improvement store, it should be true of the Body of Christ. With the Gospel at work, we should be a life-improvement store! In 2012, we'd like to refocus on our God-given task of making disciples, so let's get to work!