Dear Friends,

Greetings from Mt Morgan.........I hope your having a positutely absitively wonderful day. (thats how my little brothers might say it)

Cast your minds back to when Jesus walked the earth. He didn't setup a big religious organisation. He didn't hire a hall and run weekly services and when he wanted to train his disciples he didn't start a Bible College. Whats my point...............firstly, there is nothing wrong with having these things......they help us to do a good job in sharing the gospel.............but my point is that Jesus wanted us to see that it is our relationships to each other that hold the whole thing together.

For hundreds of years Christianity has been held together by religious organisations and denominations (and without them it wouldn't have survived), but lately God is helping us to see that it is family and we belong to each other no matter whether baptist, presbyterian, pentecostal or catholic. (or in my case none of the above). The Bible says in Ephesians 2:19-22 that the Body of Christ (all the believers) is a spiritual house joined together, and in 1 Peter 2:4-5 it says that we are all "living stones" joined together to become Gods temple. So basically its our relationships with each other that is the glue that holds this whole thing together.

I remember on occasion when people gathered for "church" and all the people were talking and enjoying each others company. After a while, the pastor (who was my father in this case) said to one of the other pastors...."I suppose we had better start church"........and he immediately heard the voice of God say..."church has already started." In other words.............the church is not a building, an organisation or an event...........it is us, the people. Christianity is only as good as the relationships between its people.

So as I write here today....and this email will go to stacks of people...I want you to realise that I am your christian brother.......and in the same way that I belong to you in Jesus, you belong to me too. We are family. So if we want to build up the Body of Christ and build the Church..........we do that by building up our relationships between each other. Jesus said in John 17 that when we become one, the world will finally believe............so it really is the way ahead.

Our love for one another should be our first priority.........so in the church that God has placed you, get to know deeply those around you. Love them, serve your pastor, help and be kind. Build deep friendships...........this is truly pleasing to God.

Cheers
Take Care
Brother David