3 Connection Elements Your Local Church Can Focus on to Improve Relationships

If people don't have these relationships, they are isolated from the close support needed in tough times. (Army.mil)

We are considering the concept of connectedness as the goal of the local church for every believer (including restored dropout believers).

Each local church is painfully aware of the problem of the "back door" that infamous door #3 that believers select and walk through to become a dropout believer over time. Every believer, not just the dropout believer, needs to be connected to the local church in the sense we have described in these last three messages.

For its part, the local church, in its shepherd's oversight of its flock, must facilitate and encourage these three cords of connectivity for those who have graced its doors. This includes visitors, casual attendees and members. Each church should accomplish these in its own style.

There are a few common elements that the local church needs to focus on:

Connection Cord 1: Heart for the pastor and vision of the local church.

The church must consistently share its vision for the church and community.

Connection Cord 2: Relationships with believers in the local church.

The church must cultivate relationship building through small groups, in church Bible studies, prayer meetings/groups, event teams and special projects. If people don't have these relationships, they are isolated from the close support needed in tough times.

Connection Cord 3: Area of ministry in the local church.

The church should consistently offer and promote believers' engagement in existing areas of ministry. The church also should encourage and support new believer-led ministry endeavors. One of these that can make a significant impact is by deploying Hunters of the Harvest within the church through a small group study campaign. See https://huntersoftheharvest.org/to-pastors/.

And importantly, the church should consistently promote the "Three-Stranded Cord" model of believers' relationship to the local congregation as the desired state for every adult believer.

Action Tip: If you would like your church to be more effective in shutting the "back door," refer your church leadership/pastor to this ministry website: huntersoftheharvest.org and ask him to take time to prayerfully review and consider it.For more depth on this, read Hunters of the Harvest, chapter 15, App D and Small Group Study.

Louis Posthauer is the executive director of Hunters of the Harvest Ministry. He has been actively involved in the local church for more than 37 years and currently serves as a lay leader and teacher at Living Word Church of the Nazarene in Houston. For more information, visit huntersoftheharvest.org.

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