Connections
We live in a day and age where making connections with people happens in a very different way than it did even 20 years ago. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, life was different. The only way to spend time with people was to leave the house. If I wanted to hang out with friends, I had one of two options. First, I could go downstairs to the kitchen, get the phone, and call my friend's house to see if they wanted to play outside. Second, I could actually go outside and knock on doors to ask them. When I wanted to watch a movie, we’d hop in the car and go to the local video store, browse through the movies, and have to agree on one movie to watch together. If we were lucky, we’d get to pick two movies, making the process a little easier.
All of this required building relationships with people, though. We had to know each other’s likes and dislikes. We had to have discussions and make choices on what we wanted to do. Sometimes, we even give up our wants for the better good of the group. Fast forward to the present day, and the way we connect with people is entirely different. If we want to watch a movie, we don’t even have to leave our homes. We can do a shared movie with friends all from our own homes and watch it together. We can talk all the time without standing within three feet of the wall in the kitchen or, if you were lucky enough, within range of the transponder of the cordless phone. I don’t say any of this to knock the digital world we live in. I say it because even though the connections are so simple, they lose part of the authenticity, love, and care that can come from a tight-knit community.
Community
Having been involved in a larger church for roughly 25 years of my life, I understand how easy it can be to get lost in a larger body. It’s a reason why we have the four core values that we have here at Bay Life (worship, belong, serve, multiply). We don’t want anyone to feel lost or disconnected and we believe the best way to do this is our core value that We Belong. This isn’t something that we came to because it sounded like a good idea, either. We believe this because God’s Word commands us to be connected. Not just connected with other believers at a large service but to truly do life together with a community of believers. Webster’s Dictionary defines community as a unified body of individuals. As I read that definition, the word unified jumps out at me because the early church truly gave us a model of this in Acts 2:42-47.
Early Church
Acts 2 gives us a picture of how the early church functioned. After the Holy Spirit came upon the people on the day of Pentecost, the church exploded exponentially. Verse 42 tells us that the people were devoted to the apostles’ teaching (learning), fellowship (gathering together), and prayer. What we see happening is the body of Christ being unified. They all had a passion for learning as they listened to what the apostles had to say. Not only that, but they gather together to further their conversations. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” There was a purpose behind their gathering, and that was to grow in Christ. To hear what others had to say and to sharpen one another through their discussions and prayer. This is a beautiful picture of community, but it wasn’t all that was happening.
Sharing is Caring
While there was a major emphasis on spiritual growth within the early church, there was also an emphasis on care. Verses 45-46 tell us that they sold possessions to give back to one another and ensure no one was in need. The more interesting piece in this is that selling their possessions to give back wasn’t forced on them or an obligation; it was a choice. Members of the community saw needs, and they met them, and this would continue in the church to the point of people even selling their land to help make sure there was no one in need. This level of care is not done out of pity or guilt; it’s done out of love. It’s another reason why the early church was able to have such a flourishing community.
Practically Speaking
So, what does all of this mean for us today? I’m glad you asked that question. It all points to the value of belonging to a community of like-minded people. People who share in your values. People who want to grow together in God’s Word. People who want to challenge, encourage, support, care for, and genuinely love one another! This is the value of belonging. Not just on the surface but diving deeper into our faith. Being vulnerable with our struggles. Being authentic in our lives. Not just looking to receive but looking to give back.
It’s having that group of people that you can spend time with and laugh with.
It’s having the people around you who tell you when you need to be a better husband, wife, father, or mother—not out of judgment but out of love.
It’s having the people you know will be there when that bad diagnosis comes in—the ones you want around you to love on you, to be a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen to.
It’s being the support that continues to show up for you as you walk through the loss of a loved one.
It’s providing a meal or multiple meals even when there’s extra stress or illness in your home.
It’s sending and receiving that encouraging text or call completely out of the blue.
This is what belonging looks like and so much more!
Wrap Up
Here’s where I want to leave you. If you’ve been debating whether to get into community with other believers, now is the time. Plug into your local church and get in a smaller group. There is literally no better time to do it than right now! For those of you who are in a life group, small group, or whatever your church calls them, I’d love for you to share this blog and post how your group has made an impact on your life. Personally, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it hadn’t been for a life group at my church. It was in my group over 20 years ago that I was challenged to get outside of my comfort zone. To dive deep into Scripture. To share what God had done and was doing in my life. To pray for others through struggles in their lives and be a community of people who loved on, cared for, and supported each other along the way. While my group today isn’t the same group of people as it was 20 years ago, the purpose of the group remains the same, and I’m privileged to do life with them.
