Galatians 6:2

Bear one another burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Proverbs 17:17

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Matthew 18:20

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.

As you may have already read, ACF Church has a goal this year to see everyone who calls ACF their home to be in a group or on a serve team. The skeptic may think it’s because we want to bolster our numbers and have more people to do our work. It’s easy to think, “They have a big staff and so many people come to ACF. They don’t need me.” But that’s not the reason we want to see everyone serving or in a group — we want to see everyone in community.

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The above verses all have something in common — they call us to be in community to serve one another, carry one another’s’ burdens, love one another, correct one another, and gather together with one another. In coming together, we become stronger and more effective, bringing each of our gifts and purposes, in conjunction with our experiences, to complete a whole picture.

You see, our God is a God of community. He lives in community as a triune God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Because we are made in His image — the imago dei —we are made for community — we are part of a whole.  

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This is how community works — when we are serving and living our lives together in community, we serve as the whole body, suffering and rejoicing with each other, bearing each other's burdens, and realizing and walking in our purpose as a part of the body of Christ.  

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Not only do we need community, but the community needs us. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” God created and prepared us for a purpose — each one different and unique in the body of Christ.  

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This is why our life group leaders are so critical to our church. One of my jobs at ACF Church is to oversee our small groups. I get to see on a regular basis how the body works together, each in their own gifting and purpose, to support, love, and serve each other. Recently, we had a group member who needed to travel for very critical surgery. Her life group is coming together, collecting the money for airfare and incidentals and supporting her through the whole process. WOW — that’s community. That’s the body serving and caring for each other — carrying one another’s burdens. How beautiful is that?

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Another aspect of community is seeing Jesus through other peoples’ eyes. Have you ever thought of that? I highly encourage my leaders to stress the importance of members coming to every group meeting — as much for the rest of the group as for them. Because you see, I see different aspects of my Savior through other peoples’ viewpoints, experiences, and thoughts. When a person misses a meeting, the rest of the group misses out on an aspect of Jesus.  

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I found a quote on the Internet, author unknown, that I just love: “This is what should inspire us to be engaged with other Christians, with all of their foibles (and ours too) and problems. We need one another to fully see Christ. This is why we need to be involved in what I refer to as “burden-bearing fellowship” with one another. When we buy too deeply into the America stream of individuality and privacy we cut ourselves off from the opportunity to know Christ better.”

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Want to grow in your faith? Want to be more like Jesus? Join a group. People learn in rows but grow in circles. You will see and experience aspects of Jesus that you never would have on your own. Can’t find a group at ACF that fits your needs? Lead one. Through serving as a leader, your journey will accelerate, and you’ll learn things you didn’t even know you didn’t know.

Father, Son, Holy Spirit, thank you for modeling community. Thank you that you have designed us to live life with others — caring, loving, and supporting each other. Thank you that I can rejoice with them when they are rejoicing and mourn with them when they are mourning. Thank you that, through the eyes of my friends, I grow closer to you. We love you precious Jesus, and it’s in your name we pray ~ AMEN!