The Cheers theme song still always makes me smile: “Where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came…” Why? Because it speaks to my heart, revealing a longing I believe is in the souls of all, a longing for a friend.

But what if the issue is not “finding a friend” but becoming the kind of person who attracts friends?

Starting January 13, we will begin a series entitled “7 Marks of a Life-Giving Friend.” Our major milestone for the 2012-2013 school year is that each person at Cornerstone Church takes steps to grow as and become a life-giving friend in God’s family. Thus, we are going to do our first topical sermon series in a long while and look at 7 different Bible passages and 7 different marks that should be reflected in our lives so that we can be life-giving friends.

Here are the ways you can take advantage of this new series:

1) Attend each Sunday service from January 13 to the end of February. Come prepared to listen, pray, take notes, and make immediate application. Let’s come and adore God with God’s people and sit under His Word.

2) A weekly small group. We have 7 different groups meeting throughout the week to look deeper and more personally at the marks of being a life-giving friend. Contact Pastor Matt to get involved in one of these groups.

3) Daily Bible Reading. Many of you are reading the Bible from cover to cover this year (see this link https://cornerstone-marion.org/2012/12/26/article-ii-the-word-of-god-sermon-series/ with options for reading through the Bbile ). Others are going to be reading one to two chapters a day with this reading plan: https://cornerstone-marion.org/docs/Reading_Plan_Spring_2013.pdf

4) Find a way to serve in God’s family. One key mark of a life-giving friend is sacrificial service. Who are you serving? How you are sacrificing for God’s family each week?