Confirmed: You Need People EveryDay
By James Clark, Resonate Bellingham
As an introvert, the idea of social distancing didn’t sound too bad. Our household entered isolation in early March after being exposed to an infant with COVID-19, a week before the rest of the county was ordered to self-isolate. I encouraged my wife, Chelsie (an extrovert), to think of it as a “forced staycation,” and for a time it worked pretty well. We went on walks, caught up on some TV shows, talked a little bit more, and worked from home in the same room.
Fast forward one week. Chelsie is literally curled up in a ball on the kitchen floor. I was frustrated from being stuck inside. Not surprisingly, the ensuing conversation could have gone better:
“Umm, Chels? What are you doing down there?”
“I FEEL WEIRD!”
“Pull yourself together! We’re not even halfway through this!”
“Did you just tell me to pull myself together?”
After a long pause, “Yeah, jerk move sorry about that.”
Thankfully we had a good laugh after that, and began to explore why we were both experiencing frustration and sadness. Through research studies and the Word of God, we found that all people, including introverts, need other people. In fact, there are Biblical commands to gather regularly with others, especially the church, and biological realities that demand we interact with others almost daily (Hebrews 10:25, Acts 2:46).
In the early 1900’s, many behavioral psychologists believed that physical and emotional affection were unnecessary and even dangerous, especially in child development. Thankfully this idea is laughable now. Decades of research have shown that children, especially infants, require physical touch and emotional connection to develop properly. As we grow up, the side effects of isolation become less severe, but still remain destructive. Numerous studies over the past 75 years, such as Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3150158/) show that adults with low levels of social interaction are more likely to have debilitating health problems, are generally less satisfied with life, and have a shorter life span. On the other hand, people who show greater quantity and quality of relationships with others live longer, healthier and happier lives. Clearly we have been designed by God to need meaningful human interaction.
This truth is communicated from the very beginning of the Bible. God creates Adam, and in Genesis 2:18, says “it is not good for the man to be alone.” He then creates Eve, and together Adam and Eve are able to “multiply and fill the earth.” God’s design for people from the beginning was for there to be a multitude. In Leviticus, God institutes feasts and times of gathering for His people, that they might come together to celebrate and worship him. Throughout the Psalms, the calls to worship are not to an individual, but to the people together to respond to the glory of God. This is made abundantly clear for us in the New Testament. Hebrews 10:25 says to the church, “let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another.” Acts 2:46 gives us a healthy picture of togetherness in the church, saying “every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” The Biblical church is not a building or an event on Sunday morning. It is a people who have been transformed by God into a redeemed family on mission, and God’s design is that we would gather together frequently.
To top this all off, Jesus’s final command to his followers before going to the Father is that we would “go and make disciples of all nations,” (Matthew 28:19). Going and making disciples requires that we be around people, specifically people who don’t yet know Jesus. Romans 10:14 says, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” The message of the salvation of Jesus cannot be heard unless we bring it, so we need to interact with people daily to accomplish the mission.
What does all of this mean for us? I believe that if we take the following three action steps, we will operate in greater health and greater obedience to God.
1. Go to Village every week
When the church in Acts 2 gathered daily, it looked a lot more like Village than Sunday service. You may not be sharing a meal over video, but your Village family is the expression of your church. There is nowhere else where you will be welcomed, encouraged, or challenged as much as Village. On top of that, Village is a family on mission and is the best place to invite your friends who don’t yet know Jesus. For many people, Village can be the first time they have ever felt like they were a part of a family and didn’t have to offer anything in return. Being a part of your Village will keep you connected to the family of God. If you haven’t been a part of a Village before, I would encourage you to check it out, we would love to get you connected.
2. Commit to or start a weekly discipleship rhythm
James 5:16 says to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed.” On top of that, there are things that we are all processing right now, whether it be hurt, fear, confusion, or loneliness. Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” We cannot navigate this time alone. If you are not already a part of a grow group, DT group, or huddle, talk to your Village leader about what that could look like. These intentional groups make space for us to learn who God is, what his word says, and how to hear his voice.
3. Schedule calls with old friends who don’t know Jesus
Right now, Bibles are selling more than they have in decades. Friends that might have rejected the Gospel in the past may be more receptive now. Even if not, there is an opportunity to meet the needs of our friends who are very likely experiencing frustration, depression, and loneliness. Set up a weekly call with a group of friends from high school. Give a cousin or a family member a call once a week. Now is the time to rebuild relationships that may have been forgotten.
As humans, we can’t live healthy or happy lives alone. As followers of Jesus, the Bible demands that we meet regularly with the family of God (Hebrews 10:25) and that we pursue relationships with those who don’t know Jesus (Matthew 28: 18-20, Romans 10: 14). Thank God that we live in a time where technology allows us to communicate face-to-face from miles away. The church has weathered dozens of epidemics and health crises since its inception, but never before have we been able to be so connected. We pray that God would hasten the day where we can worship, pray, and feast together in person, but for now we thank God that we can experience some of that joy over Facetime and Zoom calls.
