Hanging out with friends and feeling like you belong in some group. Having someone who you can spill all your secrets to, a trustworthy friend you can lean on who will support you no matter what.
Doesn’t that sound great…?
Have you ever heard the saying ‘Two heads are stronger than one’? Well, there’s a similar statement in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. ‘Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.’
A God-centred Community:
Looking at the verse above, it shows how a community of God will lift each other up if any one person falls. They will be there supporting each other to the best of their own ability, because they are stronger together in comparison to when they are alone. Yes, it is important to have a strong one-on-one relationship with God, but a Christ-centred community is just as important for your spiritual growth. Without it, it can be difficult to live out your faith for God, making it harder to overcome your struggles.
In general, a Christ-centred community is a gathering of believers who prioritise Jesus as their one and only foundation who can strive together to grow spiritually in God. In Colossians 1:18, it talks about how Christ is the head of the body (the church) meaning that He is in authority and power. From this, we may learn how we can serve each other as a community through Christ’ examples such as humbling ourselves, or how Jesus knelt down to wash His disciples’ feet.
Characteristics of a Christ-centred Community
What are the main characteristics of a thriving community of God?
- Discipleship and growth
- Through both prayer and sharing our faith with others, we grow together in our understanding of God’s Word. It is only by God’s grace that we have been given a spiritual ‘family’ so we may follow God’s paths and not be led astray. The fellowship we have with other believers of Christ, further creates a sense of belonging to encourage us to mature in our faith.
- Unity in Christ
- To be united in love and faith with Christ at the heart of the community.
- Mission and spreading God’s Gospel
- This third characteristic shows how the church seeks to share the gospel to the world, by reflecting God’s love and truth to others through our everyday actions like acts of kindness. They will act as a light to the world.
It’s easy enough to talk about what the church should look like in theory. But what does it look like in real life?
Acts 2:42-47 (the early church of Acts) presents a meaningful real-life example of a thriving community of faith. It describes a community of believers who were all devoted to listen to the apostle’s teachings, fellowship, prayer and breaking of bread. They met together regularly in the temple and in their homes sharing their faith amongst each other, praising God and shared deep commitment to caring for one another. This passage demonstrates how the early church created a growing, connected community of believers who were devoted to God’s word, each other and the needs of the whole community. Despite their growth, they still faced struggles, for example the false teaching, complaining and disagreements about ministry, immorality and persecution for their belief. Yet it was through these struggles that the community was sanctified, and their continued love for one another that allowed them to be an example to the community around them. Yes, the church and community does fail, but it is by God’s grace that it can turn back to Him and it’s our role to pray for the church and its leaders. It shows how important the community of God is and how the spiritual community was supernaturally formed through the saving work of God.
Application
You may start to feel the increasing social pressure against Christian morality as time flies by, but God made the church and community to grow to experience the struggle together and have a place of belonging in the church. It’s a counterculture that we need and so long for. So, we must participate in ministry, join a youth/cell group, love one another at church by talking to new people, pray for others and even help out with basic things. If we are not gathering with the people of God, we’re not just failing to show up but also failing to encourage others to love, do good works and persevere in their faith. So, join or continue your fellowship with God’s people so that they may strengthen your faith along with you strengthening theirs.
Colossians 3:16
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.”
