In the last year, I’ve had multiple conversations with quite a number of people, especially young people, regarding community. There are so many aspects to this, but our conversations always venture towards the church community. In exploring, we’ve found the major reason for not committing to a church to be based on some horrid experience they’ve had and/or not seeing the need for such a community.
What then is the essence of community?
Community: the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common. (Google)
Recently, on Instagram, I shared how I opened my home to an acquaintance at the start of the Ukraine war. Now, we’re sisterly in love, but it was a lot of intentionality and work, despite having common interests. Having to open ourselves to our different perspectives and nuances was tough but worth it.
In like manner, no matter your previous experience, community always takes time and intentionality to build.
A biblical example of community
The book of Acts has community as a recurring theme. Quite a number of times, we see people coming together to share meals and help each other. We also see the Apostles in multiples going together to evangelize.
Even when Apostles Peter and John are threatened to stop preaching the Gospel in Acts 4:18-22, they return to their community where they ask for prayers for boldness to continue in evangelism.
Acts 4:23-24 NIV
[23] On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. [24] When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
Kindly read Acts 4:23 to the end of the chapter.
We’re living in times of hyper-independence. Where the rhetoric being drummed in is “You can survive on your own.” Surely, there are things you can do alone, but to be isolated in the name of independence is costly.
As someone who’s camped on some ends of independence, I can tell you it’s not all that. Yeah, for a while, it’s nice, but you end up forfeiting helpful support. Support that puts your mind at rest and is right there, in the midst of the turbulent times.
Reasons for a church community
Here are some reasons for community (church) I’d like to share with you:
1. Jesus is particular about the local church (Ephesians 5:28-32). Who’s the local church? You and other believers within that assembly.
I hear someone thinking, what about my online church? Your online church is amazing. However, attending a local church keeps you accountable and builds you. In other words, you get to grow together with the brethren in your local assembly systematically.
2. You get to grow together with others. How? In character and love through service to others. As someone who’s served in Church for some time, I can assure you that you will grow. Honestly, you’re stretched in ways you didn’t know existed.
The joy in this is that you become more like Christ.
3. You build an amazing friendship base that can be nurtured inside and outside the church. Well, a number of my friends are from my church community. To say the least, we all have unique personalities, but we love Jesus and each other.
How about my bad experience with community?
Learn from it and let it go. As much it may be tough to learn from the ugly experiences you’ve had, you have to heal and let it go.
What if you never get an apology? Or you hold on too tightly? You’ll be the one stuck there.
Honestly, I don’t understand what you’ve gone through. However, I know & understand what God’s intention for you is as a part of His church.
Apostle Paul would say in Ephesians 5:25-27 NIV:
[25] Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her [26] to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, [27] and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
In essence, Christ gave himself up for you and continually washes you with the word. Mind you, He’s also doing it for every other member of his church. So while there once was the option to hold on to the hurt, you should decide to forgive and see them just as Christ does. (Ephesians 4:32)
Thank you for reading this article. I’m glad we could go over them together. Please share with friends and family. Let’s all learn on the essence of community together.
Read previous article: A mind settled on Jesus
Thank you for reading – Funmi
