From the Home Place

February 1, 2026

At 3:15 this morning, it is 21 degrees, headed for 53 for a high. Bad weather sure won’t be an excuse for anyone to miss church today!

Yesterday, Miss Deb and I were blessed to get to have lunch and then play cards with my niece and her husband, and a couple who have been a blessing to me for most of my life. My family and friends may be just a tad bit crazy, but that helps them to get along with me.

My oldest sister Lolly’s husband John used to run a sheep shearing crew many years back. Jimmy was one of the men who worked on that crew. When I was a youngster, I started by tying fleece for these guys. I can still hear the hum of four shearing machines running all at the same time. I can smell the stench of sheep enclosed inside of a building, each waiting for their turn to get their annual haircut.

I can see the sweat running off the end of the shearer’s noses as they pushed hard to attempt to shear their one-hundred head of sheep each, each day. Which meant that I would need to tie several hundred fleece of wool each day that I worked with this group of men.

For the most part, they were young men, in the prime of their life. Full of energy and mischievousness. These guys were constantly pulling pranks on each other. Yet, in spite of the constant teasing and the competition to see who could shear the most sheep each day, they were a band of brothers. A brotherhood that would last for the rest of their years.

I have been blessed to work with many different crews of men throughout my years. There is just something about a group of men who labor together to accomplish a job. Whether that be in the military or in every-day work, a band of brothers working for a common goal is great to be a part of.

Yet today, for a variety of reasons, the brotherhood seems to be lost among most men, and women. We have become such individuals, doing our own thing, that many today do not know what it is like to play a part in a group of people accomplishing something together.

Over my years in the pastorate, I’ve noticed the same kind of struggle within many churches. People may draw together to “worship” together, but it is very difficult to get them to “work” together. It doesn’t matter if it’s a church workday, a special event or a Sunday, it seems that the same small group of people do the majority of the work within and through the local church.

It has been proven over and over again that 20% of the people do 80% of the work and also give 80% of the finances to keep the church operating. Why is that? I mean if 100 people call this place their church home, shouldn’t 100 people consistently show up work, give and worship together?

I would suggest the answer lies in understanding a brotherhood, or sisterhood of if you prefer. For so many years, Satan has worked hard to convince people that their faith is a “private” faith. Yes, your salvation is your individual story, but from a biblical point of view, the moment you are born-again, you become a part of a much larger body of believers. A large group that is to have the common purpose of seeing others come to Jesus for salvation, and service.

A group that is to worship and work together to advance the kingdom of God. And there we may have just found the error. Read your Bible. Seldom does an individual accomplish great things for God, all by themself. Even Jesus had His band of brothers, we call them “the disciples.” This group of twelve men accomplished much, under the direction of Jesus. He taught these men, and us, that Christians are to be interdependent instead of independent.

May I suggest that we, the American church, need to get back to a brotherhood working, praying, giving, laughing and crying together to advance God’s life-changing work! For too long we have individually worked to do “my” part to build “my” church, instead of banding together to advance His church.

Remember these words of the Apostle Paul: We are to “encourage one another,” “build up one another,” “spur one another on to good works,” and “love one another.” It is extremely difficult to practice any of the “one anthers” of the Bible if my primary focus in upon the three stooges of my life – “me, myself and I.” Biblical faith needs to get back to being part of a brotherhood!

So, don’t just take yourself or even your family to church today, go there to be reminded that you are a vital part of a larger group. After all, “all of us together can accomplish much more that any of us alone.” God has called you to salvation not just so you can get to heaven, but so that you can be part of a brotherhood advancing His kingdom!

Celebrating the brotherhood with you, Neal