PURPOSED RELATIONSHIPS | PASTOR MATTHEW JOHNSON

"If this is your home church and you're not signed up for a connect group, you are hurting the body of Christ." – Pastor Matthew Johnson

Pastor Matthew Johnson continued the series by reminding the church of a sobering truth. Every person is facing a threat against experiencing life at its fullest.

At the most basic level, we all face death. Our bodies will not last forever. That reality sits quietly in the background of our lives. It creates urgency. It can rob us of peace and joy.

Beyond physical death, there is the brokenness of sin. Each of us has desires that pull us away from how God designed us to live. We chase what culture promises will satisfy us.
Over and over, we discover it does not.

Scripture also teaches that spiritual forces work against us. Jesus said in John 10 that the thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy. But He also declared that He came so we could have life to the fullest.

That life is not experienced in isolation. It is experienced through His church.

Jesus called His followers to become His physical representation on earth. He built His church as a community with a purpose. An unstoppable force empowered by His Spirit.

But for the church to become that unstoppable force, it must be healthy. And health requires connection.

Pastor Matthew described how wild it is that the church even exists.

Jesus brings together people from different backgrounds, races, ages, political views, and life stories. In almost any other setting, many of those people would never gather in the same room. Yet Christ forms them into one body.

That diversity can feel complicated. It can feel frustrating at times. But Jesus looks at His church and calls it good. It is exactly what He wants.

The church is not built on sameness. It is built on shared purpose.

In a culture that is increasingly divided and isolated, that kind of unity stands out.

Pastor Matthew pointed to research from the United States Surgeon General that described an epidemic of loneliness and isolation. More than half of Americans report feeling lonely.

That isolation affects mental health, physical health, and even life expectancy.

Loneliness increases risks of depression, anxiety, heart disease, and early death. It is comparable to smoking fifteen cigarettes a day.

Our culture has lost what some call the third place. Home is the first place. Work is the second. The third place is community.

As church attendance declines and people replace real connection with digital interaction, isolation grows. The results are visible. Anger increases. Division increases. People process life through deep wounds.

Jesus offers something different. He calls His church to model real community.

And Ecclesiastes 4 gives us a clear picture of why that matters.

Ecclesiastes is often seen as a depressing book. The writer searches for meaning in pleasure, wealth, and achievement. Over and over, he calls it meaningless.

But in the middle of that search, he finds something that does matter.

Relationships.

Pastor Matthew walked through four truths from Ecclesiastes 4 about why relationships are essential.

The first truth is simple. We accomplish more together.

When two people work together, the result is greater than either could achieve alone. We gain perspective. We gain encouragement. We gain accountability.

This applies to physical goals, emotional growth, and spiritual calling.

If we believe we are the hands and feet of Jesus, then we want to be the best version of that calling. Scripture teaches that the best version of ourselves is found in connection, not isolation.

The mission of bringing heaven into our families, workplaces, and communities is too big to carry alone.

The second truth is personal.

We will all fall.

Some falls are physical. Others are emotional, mental, or spiritual. We may experience loss, discouragement, anxiety, or spiritual dryness. Sometimes we fall because of circumstances.

Sometimes because of our own choices. Sometimes because someone else hurt us.

When we are alone, those moments can feel overwhelming.

Ecclesiastes says that when one falls, another can lift him up.

The best time to prepare for a fall is before it happens. That means building intentional relationships now.

Pastor Matthew shared how people in connect groups often receive immediate care in moments of crisis. Their community shows up at hospitals. They provide meals. They offer prayer and support.

That kind of care does not happen by accident. It happens through intentional connection.

The third truth describes two people lying down to keep warm. In ancient desert travel, nights were cold. Travelers would share body heat and blankets for survival.

This was not about romance. It was about practical help.

In relationships, we help carry daily burdens. Galatians 6 teaches believers to bear one another’s burdens.

When we carry someone else’s burden, something deeper happens. Our hearts become connected. Shared struggle forms strong bonds.

Pastor Matthew reflected on seasons of ministry where stepping out in faith together created lifelong friendships. When people walk through difficulty side by side, unity grows.

God often answers our prayers for help through people. We cast our cares on Him, and He carries them through community.

The fourth truth speaks of protection. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

We face real spiritual threats. We need people who can see what we cannot see.

Healthy relationships act like mirrors. They help us notice patterns, habits, and blind spots.

They warn us when we are heading down a harmful path. They pray for us. They speak truth in love.

Protection requires trust. Trust requires intentionality.

Without connection, we are vulnerable. With connection, we are strengthened.

Pastor Matthew then asked a challenging question.

When we hear teaching about community, do we think mainly about what we need or what we are providing?

It is natural to think inwardly. Do I have support. Do I feel connected. But the church is not built only on what we receive. It is built on what we give.

The body of Christ becomes healthy when each part does its work.

Some people believe they do not need deeper connection because they already have friends. Others say they already have Christian community outside the church.

Pastor Matthew made an important distinction.

Community is valuable. Christian community is valuable. But body of Christ community is different.

Body of Christ community consists of people who have been placed together by God for a specific calling. According to First Corinthians 12, we are baptized into one body. We are positioned by Jesus for a shared purpose.

When we connect intentionally in our local church, we strengthen that body. When we remain disconnected, the body suffers.

Pastor Matthew spoke plainly. If The Tree Church is your home and you are not connected in a connect group or serving team, the body is weakened.

That statement is not rooted in guilt. It is rooted in calling.

He shared how he prays for the congregation every week. His heart is not only for those in the seats but also for those in the community who do not yet know Christ.

For Lancaster and Logan to be changed, the church must be healthy. Health requires relationships.

Connection takes sacrifice. It requires time. It may mean sitting in rooms with people who are different from us. It may stretch our comfort.

But through that sacrifice, strangers become family. Unity grows. The church becomes stronger.

When the body is healthy, it becomes an unstoppable force.

Where is God calling you to step deeper into connection?

Are you prepared for the moments when you will need support? Are you offering support to others? Are you helping protect and strengthen the body of Christ?

Jesus designed His church to confront death, sin, and spiritual opposition. That design includes you.

Will you respond?

If you are looking for a church in Lancaster or a church in Logan, we would love to welcome you to The Tree Church.

We gather every Sunday at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM at both campuses.

Lancaster Campus
Lancaster, Ohio

Logan Campus
Logan, Ohio

No matter where you are in your faith journey, there is a place for you here. Come experience worship, biblical teaching, and intentional community as we pursue Jesus together.