Nathan Harris: Seeds 3: Living as Growing Extended Families

Nathan spoke on the seed of becoming a growing extended family. We learn what this looks like from the very first family...The Trinity! Then all through the Old and New Testaments we clearly see God's plans fulfilled through extended families. We may have blockages with this from negative experiences of family and so we may need to change how we think and feel. Jesus knew what it was like to be hurt by family -it's written in Luke 4.

To function as a family, however, is costly. It may cost us time, finance, resources, and could even cause us emotional pain. But when we are in step with God on our daily walk, these sacrifices are worth the fruit that we will see flowing from our lives by God's grace.

The good news is, that in God's Kingdom - everyone is part of a family. No-one is excluded (unlike the worldly 'nuclear' family picture) young, old, married, single, divorced, widowed. Growing a healthy family, however, doesn't happen overnight! It takes time. Nathan will explore in his next message how we do this. What does extended family look like for us at Westside Church? How did the New Testament church have such impact on society in its time and grow so quickly by using this model of family on mission?

Bible References

1 Peter 2:1-12