Servants > Friends > Brothers (John 15.15 and 20.17)

Jesus has given us the progression for becoming authentic brothers to our fellow pastors in Pierce County. The first step is to serve them. Once we have done that faithfully, our fellow pastors will think of us as Jesus thought of his disciples, "I no longer call you servants ... I have called you friends." Then, as we live out a true friendship, our fellow pastors will recognize us as real brothers.

Yes, we are already brothers judicially, for we have all been adopted into God's family through the blood of Christ. I don't wish to diminish the value and importance of that legal relationship; it provides the basis for the experiential one. However, it sometimes rings hollow when we call one another "brother" but have never served one another nor walked together as friends.