All people are, by nature spiritual and relational: at our core, we are vertical (built to connect with God) and horizontal (built to connect with people). These realities are beautifully depicted by the vertical and horizontal beams of the Cross, and by Jesus’ definition of the two greatest commandments: to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

We then are spiritual beings, formed for spiritual life. John 4.24 teaches that God is spirit and that His worshipers must worship Him in the Spirit and in truth. Galatians 5.16 counsels us to walk in the Spirit so that we do not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Spiritual beings we are.

And we are also relational beings, formed for relationships with others. In Eden, God told Adam that he was to relate to God, to Eve and to their children in meaningful ways. Sin broke these relationships, but not instruction or the design: God created us for relationships and it is His redemption on the Cross that enables us to enjoy healthy relationship with Him and with each other.

What may surprise some is the fact that God has formed each of us with not only the need, but the ability to have authentic spiritual relationships: He has formed us with the ability to enter into, enjoy, empower and be empowered by spiritual relationships that others that bring together the Vertical & Horizontal aspects of life.

But here’s the kicker for the church.

Studies show that while people overwhelmingly value spiritual life and authentic human relationships, they see organized religion as antithetical, even an obstacle, to spiritual life and relationships. Though we in the church advertise ourselves as spiritual and relational, the world says of us:

“No, not true: Christians are neither relational nor caring. All Christians do is attend church services for themselves and then disappear back into their own lives;”

“No, not true: Christians are not spiritual. I went to church hoping to meet people who are finding answers in life, people who are living for higher purpose and deeper meaning than self, but all I heard were same conversations I heard at work.”

This has led to the fastest growing religious demographic in America today, the “I’m spiritual, but not religious” self-identifiers, those who, from the church stay away because, they say, “organized religion gets in the way.”

The irony is that if anyone in the world should be able to do spiritual and relational, it should be the church, the Romans 12, I Corinthians 12 body of Christ.

It’s time we stop the hype about us and talk about it.

But it’s time for more than a conversation – and ideas-only, theoretical coffee shop talk that ends before we hit the door.

It’s time for a convert-sation – it’s time to walk out the door of the coffee shop conversation and into actually sharing a spiritual and relational journey with others, a blending of the vertical and horizontal aspects of life into one holistic, healthy, and life-giving “convert-sation” about and IN Jesus. It’s time we truly live the Cross Life of Jesus Christ.

Are you ready for the convert-sation?