Relationshifts: how modern culture affects connection, communication, and expectations

There are a few things that every human being on earth knows to be true. We all agree that water is important, that the sky is blue, that great white sharks are awesome, and that mosquitoes were a mistake. We also all agree that human beings seem to be wired for relationships. Some people believe that we are “made for” one particular person (our “soul mate”), others are less specific and simply believe that we were “made for” each other in general. Humans need other humans, we all agree on that.

Ironically, though we agree that we all need relationships, we also all agree that relationships are exceedingly difficult. We need relationships but, truthfully, we’re pretty bad at them; marriages fall apart, friends become frenemies who become enemies.

This difficulty has always been the reality, but our generation seems to be uniquely challenged due to constant technological advances that continuously impact how we relate with one another. As technology transforms our reality, we find ourselves navigating multiple ever-shifting relational landscapes. Three shifts, in particular, are changing the way we date, relate with friends, and relate with spouses: how we are connected to each another, how we communicate with each other, and what we expect from one another.

Over the next three weeks, we are going to explore these three relational shifts and how they are affecting friendships, dating, and marriage. We will look at the positives and negatives of each shift, and what the scriptures has to say about how we relate to one another in the midst of our changing world. What we will discover is that while society is changing, neither God nor our basic needs are. We continue to need, and God continues to provide community, intimacy, and fulfillment.

Each week, after discussing both the shift and the scripture, we’ll discuss a step that can help us navigate our various relationships in a manner that reflects the truth of the scripture.

I want to personally invite all of you to join us for this exciting new series. If you can’t be there in person be sure to bookmark this link, where you can follow along with the series online. I hope you will join us!