The Blessings of Community
“The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone….’”
Genesis 2:18 (NIV)
You were designed by God to function best in community. Even before sin ever entered the garden, God, the Creator, said something wasn’t good about His perfect creation. As He looked at all He created and said was good, He noticed something missing. Even though Adam had fellowship with God, he needed someone to do life with on his level. God said it was not good for him to be alone. God never designed you and me to live in insolation. When God created Eve and brought her to Adam, He gave them both the command to be fruitful and multiply. Why? Because we were made to live in community. Even, as Christians, we are called the body of Christ, a priesthood of believers, and the family of God. All of these descriptions point to community, doing life together with such demonstrative fellowship that a watching world is attracted to Christ by the way we love one another! This became the distinctive of the New Testament Church. Look at how Luke describes the church from its birth in Acts 2:40-47 (TLB)
“Then Peter preached a long sermon, telling about Jesus and strongly urging all his listeners to save themselves from the evils of their nation. And those who believed Peter were baptized—about three thousand in all! They joined with the other believers in regular attendance at the apostles’ teaching sessions and at the Communion services and prayer meetings. A deep sense of awe was on them all, and the apostles did many miracles. And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other, selling their possessions and dividing with those in need. They worshiped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness, praising God. The whole city was favorable to them, and each day God added to them all who were being saved.”
There’s great blessing in a community of faith! I hope you are part of a church like that! It’s not so much about a place we go as it is the people we connect with. The word for church in the New Testament has nothing to do with a building but everything to do with community! It’s the people of God united and gathered to accomplish the work of God in our world! It’s the only organization that will last forever! It’s the only organization over which Jesus Christ is the founder and CEO! He is the head of the church, and we are the body. As a body, we are connected to one another. The passion of the New Testament church led them to worship together in large groups, meet together in small groups in homes where they did life together, sharing meals, and celebrating communion with great joy and thankfulness! The atmosphere of those groups was so attractive that Luke says the whole city of Jerusalem was favorable to them and, each day (not weekend), God added to them all who were being saved! That is a powerful community of Christ followers!
If you are not a part of that kind of community of faith, I want to encourage you to check out the difference church can make in your life this weekend at a Woodlands Church Campus near you. We are hosting a huge Fall Kick-Off Membership Class with free lunch on all campuses following the last Sunday morning service on Sunday, August 27th. We have a place for your whole family. You can register today and join us. Experience the blessing of community with other Christ followers. It will change your life!
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.