IN - connection with each other

Mark 6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

Remember the Up In Out strategy?  The Up strategy includes things like Prayer which aligns the team and individual to God's heart. The IN is the rhythm we have when we fellowship with each other. This happens either indoor or outdoor. Since we are a family of disciples, it is important to loosen up, eat, play and have fun times. It should not be business as usual during those times but the aim is to connect with each other deeply. 

Jesus called his disciples to rest and have times alone with them. He visited their homes and saw their kinsmen. The Bible for example records that he healed Peter's mother in law. It means he had gone to visit Peter. He dinned with them on various occasions. And what do you think transpires over dinner? Fellowship,  laughter and connecting. During In times, two things happen Play and Eat together. Play time together as a family brings joy and fun and in the process. It also builds trust and strengthens the emotional bonds of the family. There's power in eating together. Sharing a meal creates a sense of belonging and opens hearts for deeper conversation. Even the quietest church member will open up when there's something to eat in fellowship time. This funny and out of context but to bring the point home, even the prophets after getting full and satisfied prophesied! Ezekiel 3:3-4.

A family on mission needs organised and random moments where they meet to have fun. This creates teamwork and gelling. Moments to celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversaries, newborn babies, graduations, purchase of a house, sports, video games, weddings, film watching etc. If such meetings are not included in the family, everything about the mission will seem so formal and less interesting. No one will know each other's history and there won't be any memories to look back on. It is during those times that the members will see themselves as friends and not just colleagues who meet to accomplish a task at hand. If someone for example is only contacted when there is a prayer meeting and not checked on during the week or helped when they are facing trouble, or invited over to a meal in a friendly environment, they may feel used or unimportant and end up leaving the church or missional family. 

New church members who don't find a belonging in church will look for it somewhere else if no care is given them and if they don't bond with the other old church members. Watch out for church members who do not connect after church, sooner than later they will feel out of place and leave. Nowonder many hope from church to church seeking for connection. 

Endeavour to have IN rythms in you missional family that bring synergy to the family.

Further scriptures 

Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Ezekiel 3:3-4 And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat [it]; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.