We Are Family Part 3 | Defeating Loneliness with Chris Schlotterbeck

Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. To get connected

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connect or hcv .church slash give. If at any

point during this message you feel called to

make a change in your life, text CHANGEME to

97000. Now enjoy the message. So good to gather

and laugh together. If you're joining us from

home, thank you for welcoming us into your space.

We are so excited that you're here and that you

are a part of our community of faith. So I'm

going to be addressing a topic today that impacts

all of us and is rampant throughout our nation.

I'm just going to invite the Holy Spirit to come.

Open in prayer and ask him to prepare our hearts

to receive all he has for us. Let's pray. Come,

Holy Spirit. Jesus, we are just so thankful that

we can gather together, that we can worship you,

that we can point others to you. Move in this

place this morning, God. Soften hearts. Prepare

hearts. Open our minds to be changed, to be challenged,

and to move forward in our relationship with

you. In Jesus' name, amen. Just want to remind

everyone real quick, today and next Sunday, we

are collecting gently used shoes for our Souls

for Souls that we partner with every single year.

So clean out your closets. If you have those

shoes, you can bring them in this week. Later

today, you can bring them in next Sunday. Last

year, we sent nearly 2 ,000 pairs of shoes all

around the world to make a difference in people's

lives. So on Wednesday, I received an email that

I can pre -order my new iPhone 17, which will

release later this month. I got to thinking how

much the world has changed since this phone was

created. Think about it. We are literally walking

around with the internet in our pockets. We have

the ability to connect with anyone at any time

all around the world. I now use these devices

all the time. I'm preaching from an iPad. I use

an iPhone to connect with all of you. My whole

life, or at least everything that's important

to me, is stored in an iCloud. Well, at least

I think it is. It's up there somewhere, hopefully.

Android people, I get it. You don't like the

iPhone, don't want an iPhone. Your phone is better.

I get it. But, let me throw out a but here. you

still remember the first time the iPhone was

released. So just go with it, okay? Just go with

it. The iPhone's name and list of products comes

from the simple word I, which stood for Internet

Individual Instruct, Inform, and Inspire. I,

I, I, I, I. And I think what it did over time,

whether Steve Jobs intended it or not, gave way

to another I word that is now gripping our society,

and it's the word isolation. Now, I am in no

way blaming Apple or technology creators and

inventors. I just believe that when humanity

is given the chance, all of us will move towards

individualism and isolation. And in today's world,

this has been made so possible and is so prevalent

that many people, simply stated, are stuck. Here's

the current reality in the United States of America.

We are struggling with a pandemic of loneliness.

According to the U .S. Surgeon General, 50 %

of adults in the United States that's 18 and

older report being lonely. Friends, that's a

crazy number. That means all of us gathered here

together watching online have either felt it

or are feeling it. Or know someone that is currently

struggling with loneliness. According to this

report, people that struggle with loneliness

typically move more often. They relocate. Social

media usage and doomsday scrolling has increased

significantly. One in three adults 18 and over

report they are online almost constantly unable

to unplug from their devices. In just 2005, 5

% of adults reported they used social media for

a large portion of their day. Fast forward to

2020, it was up to 80 % of adults reported high

use of social media. Now, 2025, moving into 2026,

it's 85%. According to the American Journal of

Medicine, the more time we spend on social media,

the more people report they are lonely. And what

is interesting about this stat is that many people

get on social media hoping for the opposite.

They want to connect. They want to meet people.

But statistically, the more time spent online,

the lonelier we get. The consequences of loneliness

are increased risk of premature death by 26%.

Loneliness has that type of physical effect on

our bodies. Now, in this same article, it is

reported that a person can be in the best shape

of their life, exercise daily, eat right, take

vitamins, but if they're experiencing loneliness,

the negative impact on the body is the equivalent

of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. And please understand,

it's not just the physical effects. Loneliness

causes major depression disorders like anxiety

and suicide. We can be famous and be lonely.

We can be rich and be lonely. We can be married

and be lonely. We can be single, dating, working

our dream job, have over a million followers

online and still be lonely. Church, this is not

God's plan for our lives. In fact, at the very

beginning of the Bible, God addressed this issue

by saying, it is not good for man to be alone.

In Genesis 2, verse 18, it is not good for a

Genesis 2:18

woman to be alone. So we're in the middle of

our series, We Are Family, and last week we discussed

the calling that God gives us once we start following

Him. Part of that calling is to go and share

the good news, to build his church, which we

learn the powers of hell will not stop or conquer

it. And in doing this, we build community with

one another that fights off the effects of loneliness.

See, God desires that we, the church, live differently.

That we live in an uncommon way that helps people

to connect with something much bigger than themselves.

Now, to understand this point, we have to go

all the way back to the start of the church,

which is coming up on nearly 2 ,000 years, theologians

tell us, which leads us to our first thought.

See, God desires his church to grow. God desires

his church to grow. Jesus dies on a cross, paying

the price for all of our sins, releasing this

uncommon grace into our lives. He is buried and

on the third day is resurrected back to life.

Over 500 people witnessed and connected with

the resurrected Jesus, declaring him to be the

one and only Son of God, to be the Savior of

the world, the way, the truth, and the life.

After 40 days, he ascends back into heaven and

tells his followers to live on mission, to go

and wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. So

there's 120 followers of Jesus that's about to

become the first church we read in Acts 1 verse

Acts 1:15

15. During this time when about 120 believers

were together in one place, Peter stood up and

addressed them. At the beginning of Acts chapter

Acts 2 · chapter mention

2, the Holy Spirit falls on this 120 followers.

Peter stands up to preach the very first sermon

ever spoken. And the first church is about to

be born, Acts 2, verse 41. Those who believed

Acts 2:41

what Peter said were baptized and added to the

church that day, about 3 ,000 in all. So from

day one, we have this church in Jerusalem, and

it's a megachurch from the very start. So many

people are down on megachurches, but God designed

and blessed and started the first church as a

megachurch. By chapter 4, the church continues

to grow, Acts 4, 4. But many of the people who

heard their message believed it. So the number

of men who believed now totaled 5 ,000. Now historians

will tell us they were only counting men at that

time. So if you add women and children, the first

church at this point, Acts chapter 4, is close

Acts 4 · chapter mention

to 20 ,000 people. God's church is growing real

fast. God's church is growing in Jerusalem. And

two chapters later in Acts 6 we read. So God's

message continued to spread. The number of believers

greatly increased in Jerusalem. And many of the

Jewish priests were converted too. So remember

we had 20 ,000 people. But now chapter 6 more

and more people are hearing about Jesus. Beginning

a relationship with him. The church is exploding.

25 years later. Paul comes to visit this same

church in Jerusalem and listen to what they say

to him, Acts 21, 20. After hearing this, they

praise God. And then they said, you know, dear

brother, how many thousands of Jews have also

believed and they all follow the law of Moses

very seriously. Now that word thousands written

here in the Greek is the Greek word myrios, which

is defined as tens and tens of thousands. So

historians and scholars all agree and tell us

that the church at this point, one church in

Jerusalem 25 years in is right around 100 ,000

people. And as I was reading that and studying

that this week, I'd be, wow, I think our church

is big. So I asked the question to myself, how

are they pastoring this church? Because we have

a few people. But we don't have those kinds of

numbers. And here's your answer, which leads

us to our next thought. The church practiced

the theology of love. The church practiced a

theology of love. Acts 2, 42 and 44, all the

believers devoted themselves to the apostles'

teaching and to fellowship and the sharing of

meals, including the Lord's Supper, and to prayer.

And all the believers met together, verse 44,

in one place and shared everything they had.

The people were devoted. They devoted themselves

to one another. And last week, I challenged all

of you to be devoted to our community of faith,

whether you're here or watching online. So we

need you. Get involved. Plug in. Get on a team.

Join a growth group. Whatever it takes, be connected.

Today happens to be Team Up Sunday. Every month,

we do Start With Why and Team Up. And my wife,

Jess, shares with you the opportunities to get

involved. As I was praying about Team Up this

week, I felt like and was challenged that Team

Up shouldn't be, hey, go find Jess at the Welcome

Hub. She'll get you plugged in. No, if you're

not on a team, Team Up will be right here directly

after this gathering. You don't even have to

leave. She'll come up on the stage. She'll share

with you all the opportunities to get involved,

and you have an opportunity to plug in and join

a team. So don't leave if you're not on a team.

Get connected. But it doesn't stop there. Acts

4, 33 -35, the apostles testified powerfully

to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and God's

great blessing was upon them all. There were

no needy people among them because those who

owned land or houses would sell them and bring

the money to the apostles to give to those in

need. So notice, we have this church with hundreds

of thousands of people. They're meeting all over

the city in the temple courts. Different temple

courts. They were gathering to worship together.

Then they would meet in different houses for

smaller gatherings for fellowship and connection.

Right? The people met together at different times

for all different reasons. What was the central

focus? Jesus. And we read here, no one was needy.

Everyone was taken care of physically, spiritually,

emotionally. Right? This church was not struggling

with loneliness. They were connected. They were

literally a family as God calls us to be family.

And it doesn't stop there. Acts 9, 36. There

was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha, which

in Greek is Dorcas. She was always doing kind

things for others and helping the poor. And notice,

always doing kind things. Tabitha was known for

extensive acts of charity and kindness, particularly

in providing garments for widows and the poor.

I mean, fast forward to today, in an HTV, we

have a knitting group. A knitting group. And

this group, this very group, you're going to

realize we have a knitting group. They are knitting

me a shirt to wear on Sunday mornings. I don't

know how excited I am about wearing said shirt,

but obviously you are. And I've already committed

to it, so I will. Thank you. So if you like to

knit, join our knitting group on Friday. I never

thought that would come out of my mouth when

pastoring the church. Join our knitting group.

And crochet. Must be a member. See? Oh. Unfortunately,

Tabitha became sick and died. The community,

though, sent for Peter. Peter prayed over her.

She was miraculously healed by the power of the

Holy Spirit, brought back to life. Her resurrection

was a significant event in the early church because

many in the entire town believed in Jesus. Again,

this story highlights the importance of what?

Good works and compassion in the lives of Jesus'

followers. See, the church was simply practicing

a theology of love. They were loving each other.

And unfortunately, I believe the American church

has gotten away from this simplicity. How do

I know that? I was having a cup of coffee with

several pastors. this week, and I was becoming

a part of a new organization in Hagerstown so

that we can further connect and empower churches

to love others. And they asked me a simple question,

Chris, all of the churches that I know about

are closing the doors, dying, have no new people

coming. Why is it you have no room in your church

for new people to fit? Because it seems like

new and new people are always coming. My response

was simple. We love people. We love people right

where they are. We welcome them in. You are welcome

here and are welcome to become a part of our

family. But I also want you to recognize that

the early church grew not just because they took

care of the poor, the forgotten, and the marginalized

in their society. They challenged one another

to grow. They looked at one another inward and

they challenged one another to grow in here so

that out there we will do those things. Acts

2, 42 and chapter 4, 32. All the believers devoted

themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship,

to sharing in meals, including the Lord's Supper,

and to prayer. And then in chapter 4, all the

believers were united in heart and mind. Notice

they devoted themselves to the Bible and applying

it to their lives. In other words, they pushed

one another closer to God. They wanted to see

the church grow spiritually. While at the same

time, they were practicing fellowship. What does

fellowship mean? It means they were helping one

another in their time of need. They were picking

one another up. And see, if we put these principles

into practice and live this way, I believe we

can begin to defeat the negative impacts of loneliness

and isolation. That it can happen in here and

then pour outside of these walls so that we're

making an impact in our culture. But we must

see that God desires that we, HTV, are united

in heart and mind. That we're first focused on

one another. We're caring for one another. We're

reaching out to one another. While at the same

time, then reaching out to our local community

that is struggling with isolation, loneliness,

and depression. Which leads us to our four simple

action steps defeating loneliness. I believe

that if we put these steps into practice in here,

in our community faith, and outside of these

walls, we will defeat the enemy's lies that we

are all alone. That no one cares about us. That

we are forgotten. And the first is, church, we're

called to encourage. We are called to encourage.

Hebrews 10, 25. And let us not neglect. are meeting

together as some people do, but notice, encourage

one another, especially now that the day of his

return is drawing near. Now that word encourage

in the Greek is the word parakaleo. And when

we break that down and we separate the two words,

it's defined as first para, which means make

a call, and then kaleo, which means being close

and personal. So you put them together. God desires,

HCV, that we have relationships with one another

that are close and personal, connected. That

we reach out and we make a call to one another

to determine how our family is doing. God wants

us to be vulnerable and honest. He desires that

we share openly about our needs and our struggles

and receive encouragement in return. 1 Thessalonians

5 .11 says, encourage each other and build each

other up. just as you are already doing. But

to do that, everyone hear this, we have to learn

to be real and authentic with one another. We

have to reach out and ask for help. Did everyone

hear that? We have to reach out and ask for help,

while at the same time, we have to reach out

and help and encourage others. Right? I pointed

to you last week and challenged you. We have

our growth groups they just launched. We have

over 30 groups that meet all throughout the week.

We need 60 groups. We need new people to launch

new groups so that more people can what? Connect

and be connected. And please understand, when

it comes to growth groups, if you're not in a

growth group, chances are someone's not going

to randomly call you and invite you to a group.

You've got to put in the work. You've got to

search the different groups. You've got to attend

different groups. You may not like one, two,

or three, but find that four fits you. But it

takes effort. It's a two -way street. Listen,

I've been pastoring this church for coming up

on 20 years this spring. We will celebrate our

20th anniversary as a community of faith, which

don't worry, we're going to have a big party.

It will be a lot of fun. HTV does know how to

party, so that's coming. I've been pastoring

this church for nearly 20 years, and I know what

it means to not receive encouragement. On any

given week, I may receive one word of encouragement

from thousands of you that call this place a

community of faith. One. If I receive one. Why?

Because everybody expects the pastor to do the

encouraging. But the last time I checked, I'm

in this church too. We all need encouragement.

It's a two -way street, right? There's hundreds

of you, thousands, in fact, that gather every

single Sunday. I high -five you on the way out.

You all know my first name. Chances are I don't

know 70 % of your first names. Why? You've never

introduced yourselves. See, it's a two -way street.

We have to learn to be open and honest because

Galatians 6 .2 tells us, share each other's burdens

and in the way you obey the law of Christ. If

you think you are too important to help someone,

you are fooling yourself. So I love how Paul

challenges all of us, get over yourself. You're

not that important. It doesn't matter who you

are. Encourage, man. has to become a part of

our relationships with one another in the church.

And with our friends and our family that are

not in the church. The problem is, many of us

don't like to share our hurts and our struggles.

The problem is, we hold on to our hurts, our

habits, you know, our hang -ups like a badge

of honor. We stomp them on our chest and say,

yes, I was abused. That's not something we should

champion. But yet, that's how we live. Yes, I'm

an addict. No. God doesn't want you to be an

addict. He wants you to be free. We can't hold

on to these things like a badge of honor. They

destroy us. See, statistics tell us that people

genuinely share about 90 % of who they are with

other people that they trust. However, they hold

on to about 10 % and never let it out because

of embarrassment and shame. And listen, embarrassment

and shame. Our tactics of the enemy that wants

to destroy us. Because in the back of our minds,

there's this fear that if we are honest and open

with others, they'll no longer want to be my

friend. They'll no longer respect me. They'll

judge me. And what does that lead to, church?

Isolation. Loneliness. Or if it's not that, if

it's not fear and shame, we believe people are

too busy. Oh, they're just too busy. They have

so much to do. Or they don't care about me. Right?

All lies to the enemy. And I want to challenge

you this morning. Stop making excuses and plug

into community. We have to get real. We have

to begin to share our pain. Because when we share

our pain, we will quickly realize that everyone

struggles. All of us have temptations. All of

us make mistakes. All of us sin. See, there was

only one perfect person in this world that ever

walked this earth, and his name is Jesus. And

that's why we gather to celebrate and sing praises

back to him. Friends, we have to first encourage

one another, which leads us to our next step.

We have to involve scripture. 2 Timothy 3, 16

-17, all scripture is inspired by God and is

useful to teach us what is true and make us realize

what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when

we're wrong, teaches us to do what is right.

God uses it to prepare and equip his people to

do every good work. Church, we have to be sharing

scripture with one another. We have to be sharing

scripture with those that are not a part of the

church. Because here's the reality. If we're

not sharing the Bible, if we're not talking about

the Bible with one another, you know what that

means? We're just hanging out. And it's good

to hang out. It's good to high five. But why

not encourage one another to change? We have

to get the Bible. We have to get the truth into

our hearts. When we're in our growth groups,

we need to be sharing the Bible. When we're on

our sports teams and playing softball, we need

to be sharing the Bible. It's got to become a

part of... Who we are. Now some of you are thinking.

But Chris you said. Share scripture with those

that aren't in the church. That's right. It's

an open door. To destroy their loneliness. Well

Chris how do I do that? Well first you listen.

See quite often in our society. We don't know

what it means to listen. Listen to each other.

You first listen, then you encourage, then you

speak a simple verse that speaks to their struggles.

But Chris, I haven't read the Bible. I don't

understand it. Come on, man. Excuses. We have

to stop. making excuses. We live in 2025. We

all have phones in our pockets. Download the

YouVersion Bible app. Get on a devotional plan

and learn what the Bible is all about. It's real

simple. You're like, Chris, I don't want to use

my phone. I don't want to go digital. Okay, do

you have a bulletin? Does anybody have a bulletin?

Wave it. Make some noise with it. Look at them.

There you go. Yeah, get crazy. Yeah, you have

a bulletin. Good. Did you know on the back of

that bulletin, is a devotional plan for you to

follow that follows up my teaching from Sunday

all week long. It challenges you to read different

verses. It challenges you to think about those

different verses. You can choose one verse to

focus on this week, read it, study it, and apply

it, then use that verse to encourage others.

That's how it works. The Bible changes lives

because the Bible is truth. But church, we have

to make a choice to want to grow. We have to

make a choice to want to grow. So we've got to

encourage scripture, which moves us to our next

step, prayer. Acts 2, 42, all the believers devoted

themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship,

to sharing a meal, including the Lord's Supper,

and to prayer, exclamation point. James 5, 16,

confess your sins to each other. Pray for each

other so you may be healed. The earnest prayer

of a righteous person has great power and produces

wonderful results. See, God challenges us. If

we need to be forgiven of our sins, then we go

and talk with him. But when we have a sin in

our life that's causing us all kinds of issues

and problems, then we need to go and talk with

a brother or a sister. We need to talk to a Jesus

follower that you are sharing life with and receive

the prayer that you need. Why? I just read to

you why. The earnest prayer, listen to this,

of a righteous person has great power. That means

the Holy Spirit empowers us and produces wonderful

results. That means prayer is answered. I don't

know about you, but I want great power and wonderful

results flowing out of my life. I desire that.

And listen, if you're not in a relationship with

other Jesus followers, I need you to commit to

start doing that today. You know, jump on a group.

Get in a growth group. Challenge yourself to

change. Because that's where the rubber meets

the road. That's where you meet others. That's

where you rub shoulders. And it's so, so important.

Now, a couple quick thoughts about prayer. We

have to begin to ask one another what they need

prayer for. Just simply share, how can I pray

for you? It doesn't take that long. When we gather

on Sunday, simply saying, how can I pray for

you, should become an important statement that

all of us make. But it's life -changing. And

listen, if you ask someone, how can I pray for

you, and their response is, pray for my coworker,

pray for my neighbor. Say, okay, what is their

name? Get their name. But don't allow them to

leave without asking, how can I pray for you?

Because too often we push off, right, out of

nobility. I'm going to be noble. It's not about

me. I'm going to humble myself. Pray for my neighbor.

Listen, that's great that you want to pray for

your neighbor, and I want to pray for your neighbor

by name. I need their first name. But I also

want to pray for you because the most likely

person to reach your neighbor is you, and you

need to get healed, and you need to be open and

honest about your struggles so you can reach

your neighbor. We have to be willing to share

the needs that we have with others. Don't avoid

the question. Respond to the question because

there isn't a day that goes by that we don't

need prayer. Number two, the prayer hands emoji

is not prayer. Just saying. Prayer hands emoji

is not prayer. Everyone just nod. Yeah, you're

right. It's an excuse. It's a cop -out. Like

if you say, hey, pray for me. I need this prayer.

And you list. And all of a sudden you get prayer

hands emoji back. Be like, bro, you didn't pray.

Call them out. You didn't pray for me. You just

sent me in a picture. Like if you're going to

respond with a text, type out your prayer. And

send it to them in Jesus' name. Or better yet,

call them and speak it to them over the phone.

Prayer hands emojis, let's get rid of them. Finally,

if you're with someone, like we are right now,

or you're out in the cafe, and someone needs

prayer, don't high -five them and be like, I'm

praying for you this week. Don't do that, because

you know why? Because you're going to watch football

today, your team's going to lose, and you're

going to forget you're supposed to be praying

for Fred. And then you're going to get to work

tomorrow, and you're going to get overwhelmed

and stressed with all the work that's in your

life, and you're going to forget about Fred,

and Fred's not getting prayed for. Stop for a

minute, place your hands on their shoulders,

and pray. Pick up the phone, make a phone call,

and speak into their life. Better yet, we're

the richest nation in the world. We all have

cars. Jump in your car. Go to their house. Open

up their door and pray on the front doorstep

for them. That's what prayer should look like

in the church. Which leads us to our final step.

We've got to encourage, right? Scripture, prayer.

Number four, next. Hebrews 10, 24. Let us think

of ways to motivate one another to acts of good

love and good works. Motivate simply means to

challenge. Think of a spur on the boot of a cowboy.

See, spurs aren't designed to hurt the animal.

Spurs are used to push the animal to do what

they're already designed to do, right? The bull

is already going to buck because they don't want

someone on their back. Who does? The spur simply

gives them a little nudge to make it happen.

We need to do the same with one another. We need

to push one another in our relationship with

Jesus. Because if we don't, listen, we become

stagnant and we fall away from God. That is why

next or what's next is so important. Proverbs

27, 17. As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens

a friend. You say, Chris, what does that mean?

What does that look like? How about this? How

about being around people and asking them a simple

question? Have you been reading the Bible lately?

Why not? Why haven't you? Start a plan. Let's

read it together. I'll start a plan with you.

What's your prayer life like? What prayers do

you need? Do you need me to pray for you? Who

have you been praying for? How about this one?

Why haven't you been baptized? And if they say,

oh, well, I'm waiting to get baptized in the

river, say, Come on, man. Do you realize we can't

even eat fish to come out of the Potomac River?

And some of you are making the excuse that you're

not getting baptized until you get in the Potomac

River. I mean, God bless you and all, but there's

a lot cleaner water around. Like, if God's calling

you to get baptized, take a step of faith and

get baptized. Stop making excuses. Why haven't

you been in church? I've missed you. You haven't

been regular. Where have you been? Are you too

busy? Let's make God a priority. Because God

has so much more for us. We need to ask one another,

how's your marriage? How's your kids? Stop making

excuses. We have got to become a people that

come together as a family and connect with one

another in fellowship. Stop using, I'm too busy.

I don't need it. I'm just as busy as all of you.

We're all busy. I get it. But God has more for

us. But the most professional excuse, oh, Chris,

I tried it. It didn't work. So many people use

that same phrase over and over again. I tried

it, Chris. It doesn't work. Oh, okay. If you

tried it and it didn't work, tell me why I just

read scripture after scripture after scripture

after scripture of the church trying it, living

it, and it working. Come on, man. Now, some of

you get what I'm saying. Come on, man, was a

common saying from Randy Moss on episodes of

SportsCenter. And the premise of these episodes

is they find an athlete every week that makes

a boneheaded play, makes a mistake that they

should have learned in Little Lake. And now they're

professional athletes getting paid millions of

dollars. And they make these boneheaded mistakes.

And then the reporters get together. They find

these little clips. They show it. Everyone laughs.

And then they go, come on, man. Essentially saying,

you know better. You are better than that. Church,

we know better. We know we need each other. We

know we need to be connected. We know we need

encouragement and prayer. And we know we need

to be sharing scripture and challenging people

to grow in their next steps. Simple truth. True

or false? Well, I've made it real easy for you

to remember. Are you ready? Check this out. E

-S -P -N. Hey, guys! When you're watching ESPN

later today, allow that to remind you, wait a

minute, who am I encouraging? Who am I sharing

scripture with? Who am I praying for? What's

next in my life? Ladies, when that song goes

off and you get chills down your spine because

you hate it, allow that to remind you. Who am

I encouraging? Who am I sharing scripture with?

Who am I praying for? What's next? One final

verse to close our talk. Ecclesiastes 4, 9 through

10. Two people are better off than one. For if

they help each other succeed. If one person falls,

the other can what? Reach out and help. But.

Someone who falls alone is in real trouble. And

there's too many people in the church that are

in real trouble. And God desires that we be the

church and we come together and see lives changed

here so that we then go out there and watch a

move of God like we've never seen before. Amen?

Will you stand with me? So listen. Listen, this

is a special time. This is an intimate time.

This is a time of life change. But at the same

time, I'm going to ask all of you to be real

bold and be real honest right now. If you're

here this morning or you're watching online,

it makes a difference to me. And you're struggling

with loneliness, being lonely, or some form of

isolation, I need you to put your hand up real

high like this. Like reach for the sky. Reach

for the sky. As high as you can. There's a lot

of people in here. I need you to reach for this

guy. Reach for this guy. Put your hand up. There

you go. Thank you. Thank you. Be honest. Who

cares? We're just going to pray for you. It's

not going to hurt you. Okay, here we go. Don't

put your hand down until someone is praying with

you. Do you understand? Go. Men with men, women

with women. Now. Quickly. I need every hand down.

My friend John back there needs prayer. Men,

get around him. Let's go. I have a lady up here

in the front. I need a woman right here in the

middle. Come on. Be the church. Be the church.

Anybody else? Are all hands covered? Got it,

got it. Now, hold on. Don't start praying yet.

Don't start praying yet. Wait. Jeez. Listen,

I need to give you instructions. Okay, everybody's

covered. If you're praying with someone, I need

you to introduce yourself to them by first name.

Introduce yourself. I need you to ask them why

they need prayer, what they need prayer for.

Obviously being lonely, but what is the cause

of it? And then number three, I need you to get

their digits so you can call them, text them,

and pray for them this week. Do you got that?

Do you got that? Okay, go. All right, now for

the rest of us, listen, just a word of encouragement.

Last Sunday, I beat myself up because I didn't

close our gathering by praying for people that

are distant and far from God. I don't know if

you noticed that or not. That's probably the

first Sunday since we've opened this building

that I didn't pray that prayer. I was beating

myself up. I was negative. I was like, God, forgive

me. I'm sorry. I forgot. I got all excited about

20 -somethings. Four people gave their life to

Jesus last Sunday. Even though I didn't pray

the prayer. It was almost like God's little way

of saying, it's all good. It's all good. I got

it covered. But I'm going to pray that simple

prayer now. And listen, if you're distant and

far from God, this is your opportunity to come

home into his family. Amen? Let's pray. Jesus,

I'm broken. I'm full of doubt, shame, regret,

sin. Change me. Forgive me. I believe. You're

God's son. I believe you died for me. Make me

new. Set me free. Fill me with your spirit. Empower

me to serve others. In Jesus' name, amen. If

you prayed that prayer today, listen, we're not

done. If you prayed that prayer today, see me.

I want to encourage you and give you next steps.

There was a couple words of knowledge I want

to share. Our prayer team's here on my right

to pray for you. You have left knee pain. You're

struggling with emotional pain from your past.

You have arthritic pain in your left hip. You

have pulsating pain in the tip of your fingers.

And one more, listen. For those of you that are

here this morning and you're currently in a recovery

house, you know who you are. God is challenging

you to put these steps into practice so you can

walk free from your addiction. No more struggling

with a substance that is tearing you down. Get

real and make Jesus a priority in your life.

Amen? Alright, so if any of those are here, our

prayer team will be here to pray with you. Next

week we're going to close with Moses lifting

his hands in worship. And it's going to be an

incredible Sunday. Listen, don't leave if you're

not on a team. Team up happens right here, right

now. Just sit back down. Kelsey and my wife will

be out to teach it. I'm going there. Brian's

keeping that door shut till I get there. God

bless you guys. Have a great Sunday. But back

then, I was deep I was deep, I was deep, I was

I was deep in the dark, he didn't leave me there

Now I step in the light, I don't need a fear

Had to die to myself just to see it clear All

life in its hands, I'ma leave it there, yeah