Christ Centered Communities
Introduction
Every day we are surrounded by people: going to school with our different classmates, working alongside our coworkers, or hanging out with our friends. It is clear that we were made to dwell with other people, to have relationships with them so we won’t feel isolated and alone. God created humans to desire relationships with other people and to live in community. However, it is extremely important who we decide to spend our time with. Being involved and surrounded in Christ centered community is something that can draw us closer to God, make us more like Christ, and give us the strength to share the Gospel with others.
Why Should We Find Community?
One of the reasons why community is so important is because of the idea presented in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” We are there to build each other up through accountability and encouragement. In Hebrews 2:13, we are called as Christians to “exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of [us] may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” In addition to that, the people we are around can influence who we become. If I am constantly around people who are not following God, they could tempt me and lead me astray. However, if I am constantly around people who love and uplift one another, I will gradually do the same and so on. As many of you may relate, temptation is difficult to overcome alone. So when those obstacles come, why not go to our brothers and sisters who will point us back to our Lord who will eternally provide for us?
Not only does God want us to surround ourselves with other believers in order to strengthen our faith, He also uses other people to reveal pieces of Himself to us. Genesis 1:27 says “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;” Every person we come into contact with has something special about them because they were created in the image of God. By allowing ourselves to continuously dwell in Christian community, we can learn more about parts of God that we haven’t seen before. This process allows us to become more like Christ.
Christian Community also brings us into the reality that God originally created for us. Throughout the Bible, Jesus uncovers common idols such as money, lust, anger, and much more, that blind man from the truth. Unfortunately, those words sound familiar because they are the very same sins humans deal with today except, there are so many more distractions now. If Satan cannot tempt us, he will use Instagram, TikTok, Youtube and any other distractions to keep us busy and prevent us from glorifying God. Being a part of Christian community helps us realize how far we have veered off the path. It helps us realize the truth that God has given us a purpose and has a plan for our lives. Ultimately, at the end of the day, removing these distractions can help us fix our eyes on Christ, our Savior, and the salvation He has gifted us.
What Does Community Look Like?
Christ centered communities can look a variety of different ways. It could be being a member at your local church, meeting up with your small group, or even getting plugged into a Christian campus organization. However your community looks, it is important to spend time with them and to be intentional with that time. The book of Acts shows the early church remaining in constant fellowship with each other. Acts 2:46 says “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” These people were new believers, and they were overwhelmed with joy to be in God’s presence. If they can be so joyful to where they celebrate together, how much more should we, who have been in God’s constant grace, be loving and want to spend time with one another?
When we spend time with other believers, God can use them to love us, and to help keep us accountable in our walk. In the book of Hebrews, the apostle Paul is writing to the Hebrews and he says in Chapter 10, Verse 25, “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.” Just like how devotions and prayers are our precious personal time with the Lord, when we meet with our fellow brothers and sisters, we ought to carry each other's burdens and encourage each other. Whether that looks like popping over at one’s house to stay away from temptations or crying with a group of friends over a lost one, we should cherish our brothers and sisters and uplift one another.
Conclusion
One of the ways Satan attacks us in our current world is by trying to make believers feel isolated and alone. He wants us to feel like a failure if we haven’t been to church or a small group, and he discourages us from returning to community simply because we haven’t been in a while. He lies to us to get us to believe these things. However, what he is telling us is just that, lies.
We at SWAT want to encourage you to participate in the local church or at least, some sort of Christian community and be persistent in consistently going. Life is distracting, but God did not create us to do it alone. He has provided a way of relief, like He always does, and that is through community. If you need any information in local churches or small groups in your area, let us know! We would love to plug you in with one. Also, don’t forget, SWAT is YOUR community too! We want to do life together with you and be in prayer with you, so don’t hesitate to reach out.