It was God that created each of us for community. He demonstrates unity in community with the Father and with the Holy Spirit, and calls us to do the same. Solomon reminds us of this in Ecclesiastes 4, “Two can accomplish more than twice as much as one, for the results can be much better. If one falls, the other pulls him up; but if a man falls when he is alone, he’s in trouble” (4:9-10, TLB). Simply put, we are better together! We need one another!
We gather together as a large group to celebrate on Sundays and then to grow together in smaller groups throughout the week. Within these smaller community groups we are encouraged, built up, and discipled to grow in our relationship with God and with each other. Jesus also demonstrated this in his relationship with his disciples. He journeyed with them, cried with them, rebuked them, prayed with them and for them, loved them, trained them and released them to disciple others as he had discipled them. I firmly believe that smaller groups provide a context for believers to discover and use their gifts. It is a place for them to be contributors and not simply consumers. It is also a place where information has the opportunity to lead to transformation.
May we not miss this opportunity to journey together with other believers. Our faith was never meant to be lived alone. Gathering takes effort, but there’s incredible power when we meet. “We should think about each other to see how we can encourage each other to show love and do good works. We must not quit meeting together, as some are doing. No, we need to keep on encouraging each other. This becomes more and more important as you see the Day getting closer” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
