This column is a combined effort between myself (Julie) and a sermon my husband Joe preached on 2/4/07. If you are intending on becoming more involved in your church, or looking at full-time ministry, I hope this column will be meaningful.

God did not create us to live apart from others. When the desire is to be a "hermit" (whether in a cabin in the north woods, or a high-rise in a 'megalopolis') something has gone wrong. God said in Genesis 2:18, "It is not good for the man to be alone," and when Eve entered the loneliness picture Adam exclaimed: "This is it!" (Genesis 3:23).

As Christian...