What is Christian Community?

What is Christian Community?

A community is a group of people, living in the same place, feeling a sense of fellowship as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals.

What is fellowship? It’s a friendly association around shared interests.

Within these definitions, a Christian Community is really a gathering of believers – people who have repented of sin and live as followers of Jesus – within the same geographic area, in friendly association, and sharing interests – interests like evangelism, fellowship, baptism, missions, ministry, and discipleship.

What did Jesus do when He began His ministry? Look at Matthew 4:18-22. Jesus called two sets of brothers to be his disciples. And, that grew to 12. And, these men, and probably others who not as set apart, traveled with Jesus. They became a Christian Community. They were connected; they were involved in life together.

Now, we turn to Acts 1 – the disciples are now referred to as the apostles. They are still together. In chapter 2, following Pentecost, Peter launches into his famous sermon to the people, where in v. 40, “Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, ‘Save yourselves from this generation that has gone astray.’” Beginning in v. 43, “(then at the close of Peter's sermon) a deep sense of awe came over them all” and v. 45 “they sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. They worshipped each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And, each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.” Do you see the community in that – people engaged in life together?

Christian Community took a giant step forward, and what was born then continues today through the Universal church, through the Baptist denomination, through Lexington Baptist Church, and into our Sunday School class. We, in this class, we, are a Christian Community. We live in the same place, we share lives – highs and lows – that are generally similar, and our interests and goals – sociologically – would be very similar.

Now we go over to Acts 6. The community was rapidly multiplying, and there were rumblings of discontent. Those who spoke Greek complained. Those who spoke Hebrew complained. The Greek-speaking Jews said their wives were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So, the disciples called a meeting. They said, “It is insane for us to be administering a food program. We should be teaching and preaching the word of God.” So, a committee was formed, and this committee was anointed to judge. Organization occurred, giving us a glimpse of the community's seriousness. One of these on the committee was Stephen.

Stephen was arrested and then he preached a lengthy sermon, infuriated the Jewish temple leaders, and was stoned to death. This launched a season of persecution against the church, but guess what – it didn’t dissolve the church; persecution strengthened the church. The community was strengthened by adversity and persecution. Forged by fire. That is a central theme to following Jesus – persecution and adversity leads to a deeper faith.

I was about 12, and was at home alone one evening – my parents had gone to dinner and a movie – and my brothers were at my cousin’s house. A prisoner on a Georgia chain gang escaped and was on the loose in our rural part of the county. Of course, I had no idea, but my granddaddy called and told me to get my things ready – he was coming to get me. And, he did. And, back in his house, I watched as our little community came together. Everyone turned all their lights on, men loaded their guns, some women loaded their guns, conversations took place by telephone – back and forth.

I had seen all these people come together in the Brookwood Baptist Church cemetery, just up the road, when someone died. But, this was different. This was sharing life in a different kind of way – in fear and trouble. Arm-in-arm, shared geography, shared ideology, shared commitment to family, and looking out for one another. (Community looks out for one another).

My grandfather suddenly realized that his renters, who lived in a remote house he owned down at the end of his farm, had no telephone. They did not know the potential crisis at hand. And, so he and my uncle Coy, and cousin Billy, drove down to the rental house, and brought the family back to my grandfather’s house.
It was community. To this kind of commitment and caring for one another, we lay the layer of Christianity.

Now, it’s possible for you and me to be involved in Christian Community that overlaps several different churches in Lexington. Not all of my Christian friends attend Lexington Baptist Church. Within the worldwide Universal church of Christ, I am in a macro community all of these believers – all over the world.

For the purposes of our discussion this fall, we will look specifically at our Christian Community – this Sunday School class, primarily. And, why membership and participation are important. In fact, we are going to look toward a new chapter in January 2014, building a database of everyone's spiritual gifts, skills, hobbies and interests. Beginning in 2014, what we do together is going to look and feel different, moving into really being community the way the New Testament calls us to be. We are going to be on this journey together and invite people to join us.

And, yes, we are going to talk about formal membership. Yes, we are going to stress membership because in Acts 2:41, “Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to that community. They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship.”

That’s the earliest statement of the earliest “church” as we know it. People were added and they joined, and a byproduct of that was devotion.  Devotion is defined this way: “Love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity or cause.” You and I will quickly say, we are devoted to family, but when’s the last time you and I claimed devotion to Jesus and to His prescribed Christian Community? Get ready. Be praying now about your future with this class. Membership and Devotion – not to me – but to Jesus and to His people will be an expectation . . . as it should be for all those involved in Christian Community.