{"id":737,"date":"2019-01-10T06:00:20","date_gmt":"2019-01-10T06:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/nextsteps\/?p=737"},"modified":"2019-01-09T02:02:59","modified_gmt":"2019-01-09T02:02:59","slug":"5-practical-ways-life-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/nextsteps\/2019\/01\/5-practical-ways-life-together.html","title":{"rendered":"5 Practical Ways to Do Life Together"},"content":{"rendered":"
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rawpixel<\/span><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The following is a devotion from my message series\u00a010 Steps to Freedom<\/a>. I hope these devotionals help you experience lasting freedom in Jesus!<\/em><\/p>\n

STEP SIX: day 4<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Do life\u00a0<\/i>together<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

How exactly can you begin to do life together with other believers? Here are five specific ways to get you started:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

    \n
  1. <\/b>Unplug and go offline.<\/b> Technology has many valuable advantages but it is an absolute relationship killer. Doing life together doesn\u2019t happen through a phone or an email. Unplug from your electronics, and do something offline with other people.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. <\/b>Have people over to your house for meals.<\/b> This is an ancient practice that goes back to the first century believers (Acts 2:46). Instead of making your house a fortress designed to repel those on the outside, create an environment to create community. Go old school: have people over to your house for meals.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. <\/b>Join a small group.<\/b> Not all small groups are created equal. Some go to one extreme where they study the Bible and download incredible content but no one does life together. The other extreme is where the group does activities but they never dip beneath the surface. Find and join a group that does both.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. <\/b>Discover your spiritual gifts and leverage them to make a difference. <\/b>Your spiritual gifts are your God-given opportunity to make a difference. All spiritual gifts are designed to be used in the context of community. Discover your spiritual gifts and leverage them to do life together.<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. <\/b>Identify where your biggest need for freedom is and have 2-3 people praying with you for that on a regular basis.<\/b> You need people. You know you\u2019re doing life with others when they know your deepest struggles and are walking with you through them.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Who can you invite over to your house in the next two weeks to share a meal with them?<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Are you in a small group? If not, where can you find one to join?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      You can read other devotional entries\u00a0for 10 Steps to Freedom\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      The following is a devotion from my message series\u00a010 Steps to Freedom. I hope these devotionals help you experience lasting freedom in Jesus! STEP SIX: day 4 Do life\u00a0together How exactly can you begin to do life together with other believers? Here are five specific ways to get you started: Unplug and go offline. Technology…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":607,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[316,2],"tags":[22,293,359],"class_list":["post-737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-10-steps-to-freedom","category-next-steps","tag-community","tag-life","tag-together"],"yoast_head":"\n5 Practical Ways to Do Life Together - Next Steps<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How can you begin to live in community and do life together? 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