I’m being a little parrot. 

I’m repeating what Perry said, who was repeating what Rick said. Rick was speaking about spiritual growth only occuring within community:

• A huge myth is that you can become spiritually mature on your own. We can only grow in community. Americans have gotten so into isolation that we don’t believe this.
• If you are not in community then there are at least 58 commands in the Bible that you can’t do.
• You learn to love by being around unlovely people.
• Knowledge makes us feel important…but love IS what is important.
• Most churches are full of people who talk and relate to others in childish ways.
• Maturity is relational – not intellectual. Jesus said that to love God and love others are the two MOST IMPORTANT commands.
• A person can attend church all of their life and never mature…they are cranky, rude, irritable…how can some people attend all of their life and not love people?
• Discipleship is about turning the audience into an army!
• How do you know when a church/person is mature?  Simple – when something is mature it bears fruit!

The parrot has spoken…