UNLEASHING THE POWER OF CONNECTION

Are you connected?

Pastor Tayo Adeyemi

Senior Pastor of New Wine Church

Sunday 31 October 2010

Foundation Scriptures: Psalm 68:6 & Psalm 92:13

In the concluding part of this series, Unleashing the Power of Connection took us to the basics of connection power, by examining some fundamental principles of connection.

We were reminded of the key points of last week’s message, particularly the importance of tapping into the power of connecting at small group level being the key to drawing maximum benefit from attending church.  He stressed the importance of having a shepherd who is responsible for you.  A shepherd is someone who knows your name, whose voice you recognise, who values you as a person, reaches out to you in your time of need and strengthens you in your walk with God.  We were encouraged to take advantage of the shepherds God has appointed in the house at various levels.

Are you connected?

Pastor Tayo Adeyemi began today by drawing our attention to the fact that the pages of the Bible are punctuated with spiritual laws which are not highlighted and as such are easily missed.  But these laws are there – hidden within the Bible stories that we are all too familiar with. 

One of such is the Law of Connection.  This law simply states that everything that works is connected to something.  For anything to thrive and flourish it has to be connected.  Relating it to our church life, Pastor Tayo Adeyemi stated that if we are to flourish, we have to do more than just come to church; we have to be planted in the house of the Lord.    If you see a believer who is thriving and productive, it is because they are connected.  Every one of us was created to be maximally productive, to be the best that we can possibly be.  This Pastor Tayo Adeyemi said is the true definition of maturity.

To help us attain that maximum level of productivity, God has established a series of connections for us.   Pastor Tayo stated that this law of connection holds true across the entire spectrum of creation.   So for plants to flourish, they must be connected to the soil and not merely placed on the surface.  Same holds true for fishes, in other to thrive, they have to be connected to water.  If it is true of plants and fishes, it is also true of people.   This law is ingrained into the DNA of creation.

Thrive and Flourish

Using the analogy of reproduction, Pastor Tayo Adeyemi noted that the moment an egg is fertilised inside a woman, it must establish a connection in the womb to survive.  If this connection is not successful, there will be a miscarriage – loss of life and potential; an abortion of destiny.  But if successful, the foetus grows in the womb and becomes an entity in its own right, distinct from its mother yet it must maintain connection through the umbilical cord to survive.  As insignificant as that connection may seem, if broken will result in life being lost.

When the baby is born, the connection with the umbilical cord is broken, but immediately another type of connection is established and continues in one form or another through life.  Pastor Tayo Adeyemi noted that as we mature, our connections become more sophisticated, less obvious but not less important. 

Three connections; Four spaces; Five truths

Pastor Tayo Adeyemi  went on to establish the three types of connection we need as human beings to thrive.

1.                   Communication:  for a person to be balanced and well adjusted, he needs to communicate with others.  That is why God said in Genesis that it is not good for man to be alone.  Communication goes beyond listening and talking, it involves sharing in common our thoughts, feelings and ideas. 

2.                   Companionship:  the word comes from two Latin words; ‘com’ and ‘panis’ which when translated means ‘to eat bread together’.   Pastor Tayo Adeyemi noted that in every culture around the world, sharing of meals together is a very significant social activity.

3.                   Comradeship:  this means ‘to share the same space’.  For us to be truly connected with others, we need to share our thoughts, food and space with them.

There are 4 spaces within which these three connections can take place.  These four spaces are where we live and develop relationships.  They are also the four spaces where we grow spiritually.

1. Public Space: contains 20 or more people with minimal interaction between them.  Here people do not know each other’s names and are not required to.  Example is the stadium.
2. Social space: contains between 5 and 20 people.  They usually know each other’s names but not necessarily their business.  Social space is usually the best place to meet and know people.  Examples are staff lounge at work and Cell Groups.
3. Personal space: contains 2 to 5 people. It is a private space where everyone knows your name and details about your life.  Outsiders are not welcomed unless hey have been invited.  Example is a group of friends having dinner at a restaurant.
4. Intimate space:  in this space, there is only room for 2 people who know more than just your name and your business.  They know your secret as well.  Marital relationship is one example.

Pastor Tayo Adeyemi drew our attention to the fact that contrary to popular believe, the Cell Group is not an intimate space but a social one.  It is a place where friendships are formed.  While these friendships may develop into intimate relationships, this usually happens outside the Cell Group.  He stated that an invitation to be a part of a Cell Groups is basically to form friendships, grow together and connect with God.

He also gave 5 truths about the four spaces mentioned above.

i.                     we grow spiritually in all four spaces

ii.                   we need relationships in all four spaces

iii.                  one space is not more important than the other

iv.                 all four spaces are inter-connected

v.                   there is a deficit of social space.

In conclusion, Pastor Tayo Adeyemi encouraged the congregation to take advantage of the social space provided by the Cell Group to meet people and grow in their walk with God.  It is possible that your next breakthrough is attached to the connection you make in the Cell Groups.