Community
“A Christian fellowship lives and exists by the intercession of its members for one another, or it collapses. I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me. His face, that hitherto may have been strange and intolerable to me, is transformed in intercession into the countenance of a brother for whom Christ died, the face of a forgiven sinner.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer
What is community? I went to Wikipedia and found this: “The term community has two distinct meanings: 1) Community can refer to a usually small, social unit of any size that shares common values. The term can also refer to the national community or international community, and 2) in biology, a community is a group of interacting living organisms sharing a populated environment.”
This last week, I was away at a conference at Higgins Lake, Mich. The conference was four days long, and the course title was “Water Operations and Management.” I know, it sounds like fun, right? There were about 120 pupils that attended this required class.
By day two, I missed my wife and kids, and when Wednesday rolled around, I missed our Faith Family. You see, even though there were many people around me, it was clear to me that we didn’t share similar values or beliefs.
However, one of our instructors was a born-again believer who I was able to share dinner with a few times, and we talked and shared our faith to others who sat with us. As we shared our story of what Jesus had done for us, others gave us confused looks and one even said that he didn’t need God for his crutch. (I replied, neither do I — I need Him as a stretcher!) You see, I found community at a conference 250 miles from home with someone who had similar values and the same God.
God places us in community in bodies of local believers called the church. As you read this, you might be thinking that church has done you harm, that you have scars from fellow church members. I always tell people that God’s plan for the church is perfect, but His people are not. I love the way that the Prince of Preachers Charles Spurgeon put it.
“Give yourself to the Church. You that are members of the Church have not found it perfect and I hope that you feel almost glad that you have not. If I had never joined a Church till I had found one that was perfect, I would never have joined one at all! And the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect Church after I had become a member of it. Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on Earth to us. … All who have first given themselves to the Lord, should, as speedily as possible, also give themselves to the Lord’s people.”
To paraphrase what Spurgeon said, yep, the first time we walk into a perfect church, we jack it up because we are not perfect — and neither is anyone else. This should bring you comfort. We all need what Jesus was sacrificed at the cross for — salvation from ourselves and salvation in Him.
Going back to our second definition from Wikipedia, “in biology, a community is a group of interacting living organisms.” The Church is those who are living life together, who are interacting daily and weekly. It is those who are there during the good times and bad times, those who stick with you through thick and thin, those who love you enough to confront you in love when you’re wrong.
I think of some verses in God’s Word that bring this thought home.
In the Gospel of John 13:34-35, Jesus says, ” ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’ ”
In Matthew 18:15, Jesus says, ” ‘If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.’ ”
God’s will for your life is community, to be in a group or church where living organisms are interacting. I hate to tell you that Facebook is not that community (do you really believe that all of your 600 Facebook friends are really doing life with you?).
In Hebrews, we see how important it is to be a member of a local body. Hebrews 10:25 reads, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”
So find a church body that will love you enough to confront you in love when you’re wrong, a body that will be with you through thick and thin and through the good times and bad times. And remember, sparks might fly as Proverbs 27:17 reads, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” It might hurt, but it’s His plan.
I am so grateful to God for the Faith Family that He has placed me in. God has done a beautiful thing among us — He has given us a love for one another; He has created a place of safety to be real without the fear of being judged.
I leave you with this quote by A.J. Chilson, “The church that I go to might just as well be my home. The people I go to church with are more like family. Where else can I get this show of love?”
Running this race with you, Pastor Dave