Community
Friendship. Belonging. Love. Call it what you want, we all crave it. Especially when challenged to do something hard, none of us wants to stand alone. In William Shakespeare’s The Life of King Henry V, the monarch encourages his weary English troops as he speaks fondly of a “band of brothers” who will be envied by other men once the battle is complete. The “happy few” who contend shoulder to shoulder discover a bond that outlasts the current challenge. Community and Adventure are inseparable within the local church.
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“He appointed twelve... that they might be with him.” - Mark 3:14
Take the Community challenge:
- What are you struggling with today? What is bringing you joy? Who else knows the details of this? Unpack the phrase: “Be somebody with someone.”
- An African proverb states, “Alone I have seen many wonderful things, none of which are true.” Why is it essential to read the Bible and experience the Christian faith in community with others?
- React to this observation by Basil Pennington: “We do not readily fit together. We are like a bunch of porcupines trying to huddle together for warmth, who are always driven apart out of fear of the wound we can inflict upon each other with our quills” (Thomas Merton: Brother Monk). What past hurts might prevent you from opening up to others?
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Those who walk in the Way of Jesus are instructed: “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love” (Colossians 3:13-14). Paint a picture of a local church where this command is lived out.
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