God did not intend for us to live in isolation.
From the dawn of creation, from the moment He said, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18), humans have lived in community. Yet despite the clamor of modern life, many believers do experience isolation, bereft of true community.
Scripture is full of references to godly community. Among other things, we are to
- meet together (Hebrews 10:24-25)
- eat together (Acts 2:42-47)
- help one another (Galatians 6:2, Proverbs 17:17, Romans 12:13)
- be unified (Psalm 133:1, Ephesians 4:1-6)
- find Christ in the midst of community (Matthew 18:20)
This month at Do Not Depart we will explore the ins and outs of Christian community. Why does God call us into community? How can we find Christian communities? What should those communities look like? What do we do when challenges arise within communities?
We want to encourage you to be a vibrant part of a community of believers, because you were created for it!
Do you belong to a community of believers? What blessings have you found as a result of committing to community? Please comment to join the discussion!
Community continues to becomes increasingly important in my life, too. I’m looking forward to this month’s posts!
I’m looking forward to this series, too. I find that my community continues to morph in different phases of life, but my need for it remains constant.
You’re right Lisa. Different needs in different seasons.
Even as an introvert, I have learned that I really do need the community of believers. Wonderful friendships have been formed through the local community of believers, especially through our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group.
I too am an introvert. I think some introverts thrive in online communities where they can take breaks without appearing rude. But it is so good for us to be stretched by becoming involved with face to face communities. I’m glad you have developed such a strong community around you.
I agree Caroline, and there are more and more ways to find Christian community as the internet expands!
Community is so vital in our lives. Community pushes us toward personal growth after we have been in a nurturing environment.
A close group of supporters who love us while holding us accountable make it more difficult for the enemy to pick us off. Without people surrounding us we are a much easier target. In our experience in ministry, we have found that few people seem to desire godly community. Any suggestions to foster that in others?
That’s a great question Amy. It seems to me that most things come back to one-on-one interactions. If an individual is feeling cared about by someone, he or she is more likely to respond positively to being pulled gently out of a comfort zone. Jesus focused very heavily on the 12 disciples. I think the modern American church tends to think in broad swathes… massive efforts, mega-communities. I see more focus on individual investment in the gospels. This is deep, but not necessarily wide, community growth. Ultimately that investment is reaped in folks growing to the point where they are able to turn and invest in a handful of other people themselves, and so on. This can eventually lead to an exponential result, but the initial effort is a true heart effort and individualized. What are your thoughts on this?