Respondents to a recent Barna Group survey listed the following as key elements of their church life: connecting with God, experiencing transformation, gaining new insights, and feeling cared for. All of those things happen as individual believers come together and use their gifts to bless and edify one another.
So often the idea of a “personal relationship with God” is emphasized in our experience with Jesus. While personal salvation is vital, the New Testament reveals that believers in Jesus are to be linked together within a faith community.
After the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-3), the early church experienced true community in Christ. As they met together, they received teaching from the apostles—instruction from God’s Word that helped them to grow and mature spiritually (Acts 2:42; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). They also knew fellowship or koinonia—a close relationship experienced together (Acts 2:42). This loving relationship included sharing whatever they could with their brothers and sisters in Jesus (Acts 2:44-45).
As they worshiped together and enjoyed the Lord’s Supper (breaking bread and drinking wine in remembrance of Jesus—Luke 22:14-20), something special happened: they tasted joy (Acts 2:46). This was the joy of selfless giving and living in Jesus—something that could not be conjured up on their own. And as they were “praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people . . . each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). What happened to those new believers? You guessed it; they became a part of the new community of faith.
If you’re not attending a local church, perhaps due to negative experiences in the past, it’s time to reconsider your decision. God intended for us to give and grow within a community of believers.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Deuteronomy 31:1-8
More:
Read 1 Peter 4:9 to see what believers in Jesus should offer to one another.
Next:
If you attend a local church, how well are you doing in living out the early church’s example? Why is it so important for us to be part of a Christ-centered faith community?
Gene on February 25, 2013 at 7:15 am
It is both encouraging and challenging to read of the early Christian church. What a great example in Acts 2 of what it should be. I can’t imagine what my walk would be like without the church in my life and my family. There are tough times in churches and I’ve seen my share of divisions and hurt people, but these problems pale in consideration of lives changed and the work done by God through the church. Tom, I believe true fellowship experienced in church is a glimpse of what heaven is like.
tom felten on February 25, 2013 at 8:52 am
Gene, you’re right, being in a healthy, loving church community is a little taste of heaven. May God help us be the type of people that will help grow healthy communities that glorify Him!
mike wittmer on February 25, 2013 at 11:08 am
This is such wise counsel in our individualistic age. As the use of technology continues to push us away from each other and the rich, meaningful community that previous generations took for granted, we must recover the church as our true and most lasting family.
One question that I am unable to answer: how can we claim to be connected to the head if we’re not connected to his body?
tom felten on February 25, 2013 at 3:52 pm
Great question, Mike. And a healthy, functioning body will have all its parts doing what they’re designed to do. How are each of us living out our spiritual gifting in a way that’s enriching the Body of Christ?
winn collier on March 2, 2013 at 7:12 pm
ah, love this image of ‘tasting joy.’ Hadn’t seen it that way before.