The Dance

"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." — Philippians 2:3-4

Every relationship you have is aimed at one of two goals — connection or distance — and most people never stop to ask which one they're actually pursuing. The marriage that's gone quiet, the child who stopped coming home, the friendship that cooled without a fight — none of it happens by accident. Pastor Mark tells of a newborn calf whose mother rejected her at birth and refused to nurse her, and how, even after another mother stepped in, that calf will never bond with her own mother again.

In Part 3 of Building Strong Relationships, Pastor Mark draws from Luke 15, 2 Samuel 13, and 2 Timothy 1 to introduce the posture of the Dance — pursuing connection even while someone else is pursuing distance. You'll learn to spot the tools of connection and the tools of disconnection, why proximity isn't the same thing as intimacy, and how to keep your hand extended even when the other person is still swinging.