"Hey Bro!"

Being new to the New Life team, I've teased the rest of the guys on the pastoral team about how often everyone uses the word bro.

"Hey, bro!"
"How you doing, bro?"
"Good to see you, bro!"
"Good job bro!"
"Praying for you bro!"

I'm not used to the general title and it's funny to hear people use such a common word so often, without really realizing it. Right, dude?

Over the short time I've been able to interact with the leaders here, I'm seeing more and more that this isn't just a flippantly used cliché. It's a bonding word – it's a relational word that concisely gets to the deep relationship these men have. Someone in a meeting a couple weeks ago said it was a "brotherhood." This explains why some of the guys like the Lord of the Rings "Fellowship" so much. Monday morning's pastoral meeting is like a weekly gathering of the Council of Elrond.

This brotherhood isn't just something interesting to observe, it's a privledge to be apart of. I feel a deep sense of honor knowing I am member of this brotherhood now, part of this Fellowship. Not as much history as some - but definitly just as much a bro.