People are everywhere! Even so, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in our own lives that we don’t take the time to really get to know others. We might mingle between worship songs or catch up in the break room at work, but that probably isn’t real, authentic community.
Here are four reasons the Bible says community is so great.
1. Community is encouraging.
Being in community gives you the chance to be around people at different stages of their faith journey—and to bear their burdens alongside of them (Galatians 6:2). That’s awesome, because everyone has something to teach and to learn. In fact, it creates the ideal environment to be a Barnabas (friend), pursue a Paul (teacher), or train a Timothy (student).
What it comes down to is lifting each other up, learning from one another, and being the friend each of us needs. That’s how Hebrews describes community:
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV).
Community should never feel boring or forced. In fact, it should be the exact opposite. Psalm 133:1 (NIV) tells us, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
Our culture can sometimes portray Christians as a pretty boring bunch. But that couldn’t (or shouldn’t) be further from the truth! Believers can be goofy, witty and just really fun to be around. Yes, community has a higher purpose. But it should also be enjoyable!
The Bible says the Holy Spirit is present whenever believers gather together (Matthew 18:20). A great example of this was the early church of Acts, which made a habit of meeting together, eating together, and worshiping together. As a result, “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46–47 NIV).
Being in church on Sundays is definitely important. But if you want to be a Christ follower, be one every day in the context of all your communities. That’s where you’ll see ministry happen.
We’ve probably all been to a wedding where the officiant recited the familiar words of 1 Corinthians 13, which ends with, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Paul held love above all else in his letter to the Corinthians. And he did the same with his letter to the Colossians: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:13–14 NIV).
Community is life-giving—and essential to following Christ. Scripture says that’s because we’re better together than we are alone (Romans 12:4–5).
It can be hard for some of us to commit to community, especially if we’re guarded or prefer solitude. But community is God’s desire for us—and a sign of a mature faith. Because at the end of the day, when we grow in our relationships with others, we’re growing in relationship with Him!
People need healthy relationships to win at life.
In other words, we need the accountability and support that come when others invest in our lives. Centuries ago, King Solomon explained it this way: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).Here are three important lenses to help keep a proper perspective. The first is the Ownership lens, which reminds me that God owns it all. I’m just a manager of His stuff for His glory.
The second is the Magnification lens, which reminds me that wealth always makes me more of what I am. If I’m a jerk, wealth will make me more of a jerk. If I’m generous, wealth will make me more generous.
Now, the third filter is the Community lens, and that’s where relationships really make a difference. Leadership and relationship coaches have been known to say that everyone needs a teacher, a student and a friend. As Christians, we might tweak it just a little bit to say that everyone needs a Paul, a Timothy and a Barnabas.
Your “Paul” is the mentor who pours his life and wisdom into your life, while your “Timothy” receives the same blessing from you. Each of these are pretty easy. love to sit at the feet of people who are further along the journey than you are, and have some incredible mentors through the years. Be a natural teacher, so pouring Your life into someone else really energizes you. But one of the best decisions one can ever make is to surround yourself with an incredible group of “Barnabas” friends.
Invest in one another.
Talk about our struggles together. Study Scriptures together. Read books together. Basically, do life together.
When a member of your Spiritual Group calls you out on something, take it very seriously. Their words carry weight. Why? Because they’ve invested in you, and they’ve earned the right to speak into your life.
God works through each of the relationships in our lives. He uses a Paul to guide us. He uses a Timothy to help us mature. And He uses a Barnabas to challenge us.
In response, we should always be learning, teaching and loving.We should be iron sharpening iron.
Have you ever known anyone who wasted his or her life?
Someone who began with great potential because of God’s gifts of intelligence or creativity or personality & yet never lived up to the promise of those qualities?
Here is where Americas future is at stake in which looks to follow it's bad leaders mindsets as admired Examples worth perusing. Someone who began with great potential because of God’s gifts of intelligence or creativity or personality & yet never lived up to the promise of those qualities?
No comments:
Post a Comment