#110 | Embracing Your Relational Reformation, Pt. 2 | Michel Hendricks

Travis and Michel Hendricks continue their discussion on the relational reformation that is taking place in the church. Far too often, our church models have been built on the best practices established by churches considered to be "successful" because they know how to attract a crowd. Many of these successful churches have more of a performance mentality that they have pursued in the worship service.

Many of these well-intentioned leaders have sought to get people to church thinking that they needed to have the service as a performance for people to come to and be part of so that they can hear the Word and come to know Jesus. But what if that model, while successful in the short term, is actually detrimental in the long term because it fails to take in a key part of our relational make-up?

The stats are out, that many are leaving the church and doing so for a variety of reasons. Some see it as a purification time, while others see it as a symptom of a larger problem-the church doesn't care about relationships the way that God does and doesn't understand how spiritual formation actually works.

Travis and Michel continue discussing his book, The Other Half of Church, which he co-authored with one of our previous guests, Jim Wilder. The book has become the go-to text for this relational reformation and rightly so because they have hit on something that many within the church have been saying and feeling for years: there is more and the Bible tells us all about it!

Listen in as they talk about how God has wired our brains for relationships and joy and how we can return to this relational joy the way that God intended!

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Takeaways:

• The essence of the church lies fundamentally in its ability to love both one another and those outside its community, as exemplified by Jesus' teachings.
• A relational reformation within the church is imperative, focusing on nurturing genuine relationships rather than merely measuring attendance or other metrics.
• The integration of relational skills into church practices is crucial; teaching individuals how to love, including their enemies, is often overlooked.
• True discipleship involves more than just knowledge; it requires embodying love and relational maturity, encouraging individuals to practice these principles within their communities.
• Churches must shift from a performance-based model to one that emphasizes relational depth, fostering an environment where individuals feel valued and cherished.
• The church's effectiveness in embodying love is directly linked to its members' emotional and relational maturity, which must be cultivated intentionally.