Growth Steps: Step 2 – To Belong!
You are not meant to be alone? 
No one is meant to be alone. You were created to belong. Belonging is a basic need that you are driven by. Whether you are aware of it or not, you truly, deeply desire to belong, to feel loved and a part of something greater than yourself. Belonging satisfies a core need within you; it fulfills your desire to know who you are, because who you are is connected.
We want you to be with us!
A part of who you truly are is about the people you love and that are close to you, the people that you are connected with. You require a place in the world where you belong, where you can be yourself and where you can develop spiritually. You require a place with people where you can be appreciated, valued and loved for who you are, both the you with your gifts and the you with the weaknesses.
Be a part of our family!
The moment you begin your relationship with Jesus Christ you also begin a relationship with other believers. You become part of God’s family, and in God’s family you are connected. God did not intend for His children to live alone, but rather live in a family as a community of believers, interrelated with each other and part of something much bigger than themselves. That “something” is the Church. Let Lakeland Church become your family!
Steps for Connecting to the Church:
[1] Following Jesus in Baptism
At Lakeland Church it is our goal to help you move forward in your spiritual journey and to provide you ways to discover all that God has for you as you follow Him. The spiritual measure God uses is not performance or perfection, it is growth. Growth happens differently for everyone but it always involves moving forward. One of the most important steps you can take as a follower of Jesus is to be baptized. Will you be baptized as a personal declaration that you have put your faith in Jesus to follow Him?
[2] Worshiping Together
When you commit to making your relationship with Jesus a priority, everything starts to look differently. We start to become aware of our need to be with others who encourage us in our faith and to be taught the Word of God and how to live it out. Will you join us each Sunday morning for meaningful times of connecting with God and a message to inspire you in your faith journey during the week?
[3] Committing to be a Member
We become what we belong to. We encourage every attender at Lakeland Church to become a church member and to take the step of committing themselves fully to the Church family. As a member we are making the commitment to take ownership of each other’s spiritual growth and the ministry we share together at Lakeland. Will you take the step to become a member?
[4] Forgiving those who have hurt you
Now that Jesus has forgiven you of your sins, you may be able to begin thinking differently about forgiving the people in your life who have hurt you. Once you experience his grace, the natural next step is to extend that grace to others. “…be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ Jesus has forgiven you.” – Ephesians 4:32 Being able to forgive other people is essential to experiencing the fullness of life that God has in store for you. Will you begin the journey of extending the grace of forgiveness for others?
