Communities…all of us live in them…we are part of families, neighborhoods, cities, counties, states…you get the idea. You likely give your communities little thought because you simply exist in them, and you always have. Church is a community, too. While weekly sitting in a row and intently listening to powerful messages impacts us, stepping in and circling up with a small group of like-minded people has the potential to shape us. In His sovereign wisdom, God created us to live in the context of community for connecting, comforting, challenging, and changing us in preparation for eternity with Him. So, when you and I step in and circle up with other Christ-followers in groups, we bring glory to God and walk more fully in His plan for us.
Reason #1: You Are Created for This!
I recently watched a few episodes about island living where the people being interviewed planned to purchase an island to sequester themselves from modern-day life. Interestingly enough, none of them intended on being on the islands all alone. Each person meant to “seclude” themselves with others who had the same goal. The episodes were in stark contrast to the seclusion experienced by the main character in Tom Hanks’ movie, “Castaway”. The film captured the real essence of isolation and the sheer devastation it brings upon the human mind and soul. That’s because people were never meant to live life alone. This truth is repeated in Scripture again and again. It’s how we know we aren’t meant to be on an island in our Christian walk. God made people to reflect His image. In Genesis 1:26, we read, “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” We can’t overlook the plurality of God in this Scripture. Though God is One, He is a community within Himself. He is Father, Son, and Spirit (See Journey Church’s Blog post “What is the Trinity and Who do we actually pray to?”). As His image-bearers, He created us to live in the context of community, just like Him. The Genesis Scripture goes on to say that God announced it is not good for people to be alone and that we need help (Genesis 2:18). While the context is about the marriage covenant, the principle is the same…We need each other! In Acts 2:42-47, we see the community of Jesus’s disciples teaching His ways, participating in fellowship, and meeting each other’s physical and spiritual needs together. While He walked upon the earth, Jesus (God in the flesh), modeled community with others (ragamuffins like you and me). Certainly, believers are created for living life with other Christ-followers as a reflection of God’s design for His beloved creation.
Reason #2: You Need Connection!
I remember Journey Church’s “Transformation Stations” sermon series that moved our church from traditional Sunday School classes to radically intersecting each other’s lives through weekly meetings in Life Groups. My husband and I printed invites for other married couples asking them to “plug in” to the Life Group we would host in our home. In retrospect, we had NO IDEA how God was about to transform our lives through many, many people He allowed us to share life with over the years. Each person who has ever stepped into a group with us has radically shaped us in one way or another. Being a part of Life Groups for nearly twenty years has allowed us to connect with God and people on intimate levels we didn’t know were possible. We gained influence in each other's families, even with members who weren’t following Jesus. Group discussions centered around biblical principles and practical application continues to be the main source of encouragement and the catalyst for growth in groups after all these years. Groups provide an environment for cultivating a deeper love for God and practicing on the people within them the “one another” principles we read about in the Scriptures. Group connection is real-time practice that is difficult to replicate in other community contexts. When the disciples asked Jesus about the most important goal of following Him, He replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39). These two commandments may sound simple, but the truth is, we need each other to work this out practically on a day-to-day basis. This is HARD WORK! Loving God above ourselves and loving others sacrificially is not our natural response. Connecting with God and others in the context of small groups helps us grow in relationships (especially the hard ones) while strengthening us to love (even our enemies) in the way of Jesus.
Reason #3: There’s Comfort for the Uncomfortable!
One of my favorite passages of Scripture is Psalm 40. It begins, “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” The image is a picture of the strong and powerful hand of God reaching down into a deep, slippery mess of a hole that a small and seemingly insignificant little person (me or you) fell, slipped, or jumped into, unable to gain the footing to climb out. Everyone goes through difficult, overwhelming, or painful circumstances. Group members can provide comfort for each other similarly to the way Christ has comforted us in our afflictions. (2 Corinthians 1:4). As a part of the church, you are a foot, an ear, or a hand of the Body of Christ. Through groups, we care for each other. When life feels like a slippery pit, those who circle up in a group with you provide comfort, and you do the same for them! And when groups serve our cities together, they further extend the hand of God to those in need of physical and spiritual encouragement all around us.
Reason #4: You Need a Good Challenge!
You may be thinking, “I don’t need another challenge! I have enough challenges already!” But that’s exactly the reason you need a GOOD one! Doing the hard thing seems to have the biggest payoff. My sons’ football coach would often wisely call out to the team, “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.” Of course, he would say this about repetitious drills and strenuous physical exertion in the smoldering Florida heat and humidity. His daily mantra helped push them to become district champions. I stored his insightfulness for any challenge that requires a step of faith. Though life isn’t the same as a football game, we are all running a race set before us and we need others to challenge us to keep our focus on Jesus every day (Hebrews 12:1-2)! It might not feel comfortable committing to meet with a group of people you may not know. There’s a chance you may not hit it off with everyone in the group, but there’s an equal chance that you will! It’s a little awkward to knock on the door of a house you’ve never been. It’s risky. But that’s what faith is…it’s taking a step toward becoming more like Jesus and not knowing the outcome in advance. That’s what it means to follow Jesus. There’s no doubt that committing is the biggest challenge. But stick with it and you’ll see the blessing from it. What you gain from taking an active role in group life is worth every bit of the commitment!
Reason #5: Change Looks Good on You!
God illustrates every season by offering an aspect of beauty, wisdom, and power that the others can’t. Christian community is like that, too. As you step into a group, God is painting a beautiful picture of this season of your life with these specific people. Through time with them, He’s changing you into the masterpiece He’s created you to become. If you want to experience the transformational change God has for you, here’s a powerful way to start:
- Sign up for a Life Group before the last Sunday in August.
- Commit to growing in love for God and others.
- Attend your location’s Life Group Meet Up to meet your leader and group members.
- Participate wholeheartedly with the group for the duration.
You are meant for community. Your participation in group grows your spiritual intimacy with God and in relationships with His people. As you step in and circle up, you’re taking a step of faith to live out the Gospel as Christ demonstrated through His earthly life and ministry. There’s no better commitment than that! So go on…get connected to a Life Group community!