“More of Them”

Sacred Community Series – Part 2b**

This week Pastor Mark leaned into what makes a sacred community so different from a regular one. Community happens by accident, but sacred community takes work, intention, and heart. It asks more from us, because it gives more to us.

He opened with a reminder that relationships don’t magically appear. You have to move toward people if you want depth. Scripture says it plainly: if you want friends, you must show yourself friendly. Sacred community is precious, rare, and shaped the same way diamonds are — time, pressure, and depth.

And because it’s so valuable, the enemy works overtime to destroy it. He’ll make you too busy. He’ll stir up offense. He’ll whisper that you're a burden or convince you to isolate when you feel weak or tired. But that’s the exact moment you’re supposed to lean in closer. Let your people carry the heavy stuff with you. Galatians tells us plainly to share one another’s burdens. And nowhere in Scripture does God tell us to handle life alone.

Pastor Mark called out a lie many of us believe: that struggling makes us a problem to others. But isolating yourself when you’re hurting only leads you further into pain. Proverbs says the one who isolates themselves acts against wisdom. We belong to each other — when one part of the body suffers, we all feel it, and when one part rejoices, we celebrate together.

A big part of this message was learning the difference between burdens and loads.

A burden is a heavy, unexpected weight no one is meant to carry alone.

A load is normal daily responsibility — something God expects each person to handle themselves.

Trying to carry someone’s load for them doesn't actually help them grow. It can even enable them. Carrying someone’s burden is support. Carrying their load can become rescuing, fixing, and shielding — which keeps them from maturing and keeps them from trusting God.

Then Pastor Mark shifted to something encouraging: new research showing that belief in Jesus is rising across America. There are 30 million more people committed to Jesus today than just a few years ago. Even more surprising: young men are leading the charge. Gen Z and Millennials are showing a hunger for real discipleship, prayer, serving the poor, learning God’s ways, and forming healthy relationships.

People everywhere — especially the younger generations — are craving inner peace, hope, healing, forgiveness, purpose, and truth. All things that only Jesus can give. And Pastor Mark reminded us that Jesus has already trained and equipped us to walk in these things and to teach them to others.

Our purpose is the same as His: to help people find the full, abundant life Jesus promised in John 10:10.

So why does God need more of you?

Because there is about to be more of them.

And sacred community is how we get ready.