It happens every Sunday. I see them walking in. There’s a look. They are new. They don’t know where anything is or whom to ask for help. Their heads are on a swivel, searching. Their quest for the sanctuary, children’s ministry, or bathroom camouflages the more profound spiritual longing to be known and loved, to belong. God made us to long for what he made us to live for — and God-honoring human relationships lie near the heart of his intention for us.
Yet some who attend church gatherings struggle to find believers with relational bandwidth or genuine interest in them. Perhaps the greeter welcomes them, but they hear a similar salutation at Walmart. Similarly, the service’s “turn and say hello” moment fails to meet the relational need that disconnected people crave. It is quite possible to attend and even be involved in a local evangelical church without forming relationships beyond the level of acquaintance.
