Bella Vista Church :: Rockford, Michigan


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Contact Us

Address:
5100 Belding Rd.
Rockford, Michigan
(p) 616.874.7727
(f) 616.874.7859

Sunday Services:
9:00 am
10:45 am

Need Prayer?
To request prayer for any need, email the BVC Prayer Connection. If you do not have access to email, call the church office and your request will be sent for you.

Emergency Cancellations and Closings
In the event of severe weather conditions and warnings, church offices and events may be closed and cancelled. Tune in to WCSG 91.3 FM, WOOD 1300 AM, 105.7FM, WOOD TV Channel 8, or WZZM TV Channel 13 for reported cancellations. Closing of Rockford Public Schools DOES NOT necessarily mean that Wednesday evening events and activities are cancelled. Decisions to close or cancel will be made and broadcast prior to 4pm.

The Dynamics of 'One Another' Living

Acceptance

One of the indicators of the supernatural work of God in salvation is the ability for brothers and sisters in Christ to gather together with genuine love for one another regardless of background, social status, race, gender, or even personal condition. Everyone is unified around the person of Jesus and cultural obstacles are overcome. The love of God poured out in our hearts results in genuine affection and unwavering commitment even in the face of suffering and death.

love one another (John 15:12, 17; Rom. 12:10; 13:8; 1 Thess. 3:12; 4:9; 1 Pet. 1:22)
accept one another (Rom. 15:7)
greet one another (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Pet. 5:14)
have equal concern for each other (1 Cor. 12:25)
submit to one another (Eph. 5:21)
bear with one another (Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13)
confess your sins to each other (James 5:16)
forgive each other (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13)

Protection (Shielding Concern)

The enemy of our souls hates to see the progressive working out of God's salvation in a community of Jesus-followers. He will do anything he can to disrupt unity, exploit weakness, and create conflict in the body of Christ. He fights against the prayer of our Lord that we be "brought to complete unity". Our adversary wants to deceive and destroy us, and the negative "one anothers" remind us of our need to be alert and protect each other. There are some things we need to avoid in our relationships so that the enemy does not gain a stronghold.

stop passing judgment on one another (Rom. 14:13)
do not slander one another (James 4:11)
don't grumble against each other (James 5:9)
refrain from "biting and devouring each other" (Gal. 5:15)
stop "provoking each other" (Gal. 5:26)
stop "envying each other" (Gal. 5:26)
do not lie to each other (Col. 3:9)

Support (Strengthening Encouragement)

By God's grace, we are all on the path of Christ-likeness, though we "enter" at different places and "move along" at various paces. We face incredible opposition by the world, the flesh, and the devil, and we need strength, challenge, understanding, and encouragement for the kingdom journey. God has designed us (as a new community) to find these things in each other. Out of love for one another, we help each other in becoming like Jesus and representing him well to our world. We learn together to live obediently to God's Word and we prepare one another to face the daily battle.

build each other up (Rom. 14:19; 1 Thess. 5:11)
teach one another (Col. 3:16)
encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 3:13)
admonish one another (Rom. 15:14; Col. 3:16)
speak to one another (Eph. 5:19)

Service (Tangible Love)

We can not only encourage one another to be like Jesus, we can be Jesus to one another. In our relationships, we learn to put the needs and interests of others ahead of our own. As Jesus served us even to the point of death, so we serve one another with joy and abandon. We certainly offer our gifts, passions, and resources in service, but we also give our very selves to "wash one another's feet" as an expression of deep love and concern.