Next Level Relationships | Part 1 |Big & Small: Next Level Fellowship

Arise churches plight is not unlike that of a group of porcupines that the famous philosopher Schopenhauer once used to illustrate a point. He explained that a group of porcupines were marooned one bitter cold night in the middle of a large frozen field. There was no way to escape the biting wind. They could not borrow into the frozen ground. As they huddled together to keep warm, their sharp quills began to pinch and hurt. The closer they moved together, the more the pain increased. Some of the animals could not bear the pain and drew apart to sleep alone. In the morning those porcupines had frozen to death. Only the ones who withstood the difficulty of becoming close survived.

There is often pain in the process of becoming close with other Christians. Personalities, styles, and character flaws will often rub you the wrong way. But make no mistake, as we come together we find the warmth and strength to survive every storm life throws at us!