Word of the Week: Community

This winter we have planned a number of men’s events that have no direct spiritual emphasis. Some of our women’s events have been similar- so it’s fair to ask “why do this?” Why have events that don’t involve some study of God’s word and prayer? We forget about the power of another means God uses called fellowship, or community. One thing God uses in our lives is one another. So, when we are together doing something fun, our relationships develop and deepen, and a ground work is laid for further work. Some number of us aren’t ready right now for an intense Bible study. The trust level needs to grow before we are ready to allow others into our lives, even to the level of sharing a prayer request.

A few years ago, I learned that for some people community comes before Christ. In other words, they meet some people who follow Christ, start hanging out with them and enjoying their friendship, and end up later on following Jesus. It requires no great spiritual commitment to eat wings with somebody, or watch a basketball game. Finding out that those people aren’t really Martians (because at first the idea of being a Christian seems very alien to many) leads to exploration of who Jesus is and why people believe in him.

All that to say, something can be VERY spiritual and Christ like without being a directly religious event. It can lead to bigger and better things for Christians and others!

Have a great week,

Don