Intro

Dictionary.com defines the nuclear family as a group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit.  The extended family is a group of people related to one another by blood or marriage.  It includes all the descendants of a common ancestor.  If that is the definition of biological family, what does it mean to be a spiritual family?  

Our desire to be a spiritual family will be tested by life circumstances (like a pandemic), competing opinions, personality differences, cultural currents, and our spiritual enemy, the Evil One.  He does not want us to experience the beauty and wonder of spiritual family.  He will fight against us at every turn.  For these reasons, we need an understanding of spiritual family grounded in the eternal truths found in God’s word to us.

Questions for Reflection:

• How have you been blessed by the spiritual family?  How have you been loved, encouraged, supported, prayed for and empowered by the church family?
• Are you currently connected to a group at Willingdon where you experience spiritual family (e.g., Discovery, D-group, Life Group, ILM Fellowship, etc)?  Why or why not?
• How might you intentionally connect with someone of another generation in the church family (e.g., friendship, discipleship, mentoring)?
• To whom might you extend the hand of hospitality?