The Relational Church

1. The Church is a Who? The CHURCH x3

a. Jesus is building His Kingdom

Matthew 16:18 — “I will build My church…” Jesus is the builder. The Church belongs to Him. It is global, eternal, and made of people from every nation.

Matthew 16:16–18 NKJV

16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

b. You ARE the Church

If you put your faith and trust in Jesus, you are part of the Church just like the hand is part of the body.

The Church is not a building. It’s people. If you belong to Jesus, you are part of His Church.

Colossians 1:18 NKJV

18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

c. The Church is this Family

Acts 2:42 — They devoted themselves to Jesus and to each other.

Acts 2:42 NKJV

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Ephesians 2:19 — We are members of God’s household.

Ephesians 2:19 NKJV

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Illustration: Think of a brick. One brick is not a house. But many bricks, joined together, become a home. You are a “brick,” and Jesus is building His house with us.

2. The Church Is Relational

a. Whether part of Jesus’ body, individually valuable, or part of a local congregation, Jesus gave the same mandate

Jesus requires us to:

Love One Another — John 13:34–35

Have Unity With Each Other — John 17:21

Be One Body — 1 Corinthians 12:12–27

b. Transactional vs. Relational Church

Transactional Church: Rules, obligations, attendance, performance.

Relational Church: Family, belonging, love, serving each other because Jesus loved us first.

Illustration: A restaurant is transactional — you pay, you leave. A family dinner is relational — you belong, you share, you grow. Church should feel like the second one.

3. How Living Hope Church Is Relational

Using Rick Warren’s 5 Concentric Circles

a. The Community

Attend 0–5 times a year.

LHC believes in individual evangelism first.

Matthew 5:14–16 — You are the light of the world.

Then corporate evangelism and service.

Food drives, outreach events, community service.

Illustration: A lighthouse doesn’t chase ships. It shines. We shine individually and together.

b. The Crowd

Attend regularly but have not committed to Jesus or to spiritual growth.

Many churches focus on the crowd.

At LHC, Sundays focus on Jesus first.

Crowd connections happen at fellowships and outreach.

Relationships here are introductory.

Scripture:

Matthew 11:28 — Jesus invites the crowd to come to Him.

John 1:39 — “Come and see.”

c. The Congregation

People who:

Believe in Jesus

Have been baptized

Many have joined membership

Are committed to what God is doing at LHC

Why Membership Matters:

Ownership — Words shift from “your church” to “our church.”

Family — We share gifts and do life together.

Discovery — You find your gifts and join ministry.

Accountability — We grow and speak truth in love.

Shepherding — Pastors are called to shepherd a flock.

Acts 20:28 — Shepherd the flock of God.

Relationships here are firm in Christ, but may still need growth interpersonally.

d. The Committed

Members who actively serve in their calling inside or outside LHC.

They follow the Lord’s leading.

They receive from the LHC family and pour back into it.

Scripture:

Romans 12:6–8 — Using our gifts faithfully.

Colossians 3:23 — Work for the Lord, not for people.

e. The Core

Leaders who help guide ministries.

Some stay long-term; others are sent out to lead elsewhere.

Relationships must be strong — trust, unity, and shared mission.

Scripture:

2 Timothy 2:2 — Entrust leadership to faithful people.

Acts 13:2–3 — The Spirit sends leaders out.

4. The Four Core Values of Living Hope

a. Prayer (includes Worship)

Everything begins, continues, and ends with prayer.

John 15:4–5 — Abide in the vine.

Prayer board, pre-service prayer, praying with and for each other.

Illustration: Prayer is the oxygen of the church. Without it, nothing lives.

b. Outreach (Evangelism)

Individual first — sharing what God is doing in your life.

Outreach is relational — connecting people to Jesus.

Matthew 28:19–20 — The Great Commission.

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 — Ministry of reconciliation.

c. Discipleship

When you follow Jesus, you become a disciple.

We grow together, not alone.

Ephesians 4:15–16 — The body grows as each part does its work.

Leadership development is part of discipleship.

d. Stewardship

Accountability for time, talents, treasures, and possessions.

1 Peter 4:10 — Use your gifts to serve others.

Matthew 25:14–30 — Parable of the talents.

Stewardship is relational because God often gives us things meant to bless others.

e. Everything at LHC fits under one of these four values

If it doesn’t fit, we don’t do it.

5. The World Needs a Relational Church

a. The world is hurting and needs the Great Physician

Mark 2:17 — Jesus came for the sick.

b. The way you love each other shows the world God’s love

John 13:35 — The world knows we are His disciples by our love.

c. If we don’t love each other, God’s love is not in us

1 John 4:20 — You cannot love God and hate your brother.

d. We cannot heal a hurting world if we carry hurt from past church wounds

Healing inside the church is necessary before healing outside the church.

Illustration: A broken bone cannot carry weight. A broken church cannot carry the mission. Healing must come first.

6. Prayer

Unity for the Church

Healing for past hurts and failures

Surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading

Commitment to real, authentic relationships — no faking it