The Importance of Church Community

My wife and I had a lot of time to talk over the holiday break, and we came to a realization about the current church we attend: that because the members live so far away from one another, it is very difficult to get to know any of them. I honestly thought about it and said that even if we stayed in the area for another three years and attended the church during that time, I doubted that we would know them any better.

You often here church folks (especially new churches) talk about wanting that Acts 2 type of church, but usually it's folks that favor manifestations of ALL the spiritual gifts. What is often missed, however, is the key to why the church thrived (and had to because of the persecution) at the beginning--the strength of community which God sustained by His Spirit. They did life together--not just Wednesday nights and Sunday morning and night, but were with one another. Part of the means of grace that God gives in sustaining you through the race is the presence of other Christians.

My wife and I had this at the Beach, and we miss it. If we had never attended Green Run Baptist, then I would think that what we are experiencing now is normal--but having experienced true Christian community and the proverbial breaking of bread with a very special group of people, we want that here. It's the everyday support that we really don't have here--to hang out with friends and watch a TV show or get together for another reason that's not Bible study/Small group. That's why we're going to try a church this weekend that's a little closer to home.