Meaningful, healthy relationships need the right kind of environment to flourish. Before we can expect to nurture genuine assimilation, some things gotta go! Just as tender plants require special care and the absence of things that assault growth, so do groups of believers who desire to cultivate relationships. Centuries ago, as God led the ancient Hebrews into the Promised Land, He specifically instructed them to clear the territory of the foreign tribes and to rid themselves of the influence of Canaanite civilization. From this example, we can draw an analogy for today. If we truly desire to grow deeper, pull together, and go further than skin-deep superficiality in our relationships, we must remove those things that hinder true community.

Joshua 23; Judges 1; 1 Corinthians 12:12–18

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