Communi - te'

Over the past year I have really begun to try to understand this idea of “community”. What does it mean and what is the point, especially when it comes to the church.

I think in some minds church is where a community of believers gets together to fellowship and love one another. While that may be partly of it, there is a whole lot more to “Christian community”.

First, the community exists because of Jesus Christ. He is what the apostle Paul called, “the head” of this body with the body being those who have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord, been forgiven of their sins, and entered into a relationship with Him.

Therefore, it does not matter that your ethnicity, income level, country of birth, or gender may be different. Christian community is centered on the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. If a community is centered on the Lord Jesus Christ then it is imperative we know Him, his message, and his reasoning, and his plan. In short, we are to be disciples of Jesus. A disciple is someone who spreads the doctrine or teaching of another. (www.m-w.com )

So a Christian community is a group of disciples that are held together by the common bond of Jesus Christ seeking to know Him and his message better that it might spread the message to others.

All of that to say this…a Christian community will come to understand that the message of the Gospel changed those in the community. Now that community exists to take the same message that has changed it to a world that needs that very same message. So you could say in the end that the community has a very distinct purpose…to live and share the message of the Gospel for those not yet in the community. It is like the entire body of Christ is missionary that lives to spread the message of Jesus Christ.

It is crucial to understand the culture so that there can be communication in words and ways that people can understand. The Gospel is always relevant so it demands that I communicate it in a way that people can understand no matter the culture or the people group. BUT, let us not become so consumed with trying to be relevant that we forget the true message of the Gospel. The Gospel has never changed throughout the centuries because the need of mankind has not changed. We have all sinned against God and Jesus Christ came and died on a cross to take the penalty for our sin that if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and by faith receive His forgiveness then God saves us, changes us, brings us back into relationship with Him and with other believers. A Community of believers (church) that embraces this truth will take the message of the Gospel as individuals and as a group to their world will actually transform it…transformed community transforming its world.