From Community For Community

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All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer. Acts 2:42 NLT

Chelsea was just a year out of Pittsburg State University. She is a young adult who is not married. She’d been attending Indian Creek Community Church for the past two years. She found her way back to God and was baptized last year.
I saw Chelsea at the Lenexa BBQ cook off where, with her eyes wide she pulled me off to one side and said, I can’t believe what happened at my community group last night!

She proceeded to tell me she had gone to her group with a bit of an attitude because things hadn’t been going smoothly for her lately. She was frustrated with God and had some doubts about whether He cared about what she cared about. She was amazed that when she shared openly with the group, they listened and took her doubts to heart. They connected with her at a soul level. They discussed her concerns with honesty and to them there were no dumb questions. She found some answers that night, and she learned that her group was there for her. She felt she heard God speak to her through her group that night.

That was encouraging, but it was just the beginning of the story. Later the same night the group rallied around a couple who were in financial jeopardy. They pooled their money to pull together a house payment. Then they went out together to eat ice cream and celebrate. That’s community at its best! Everybody needs it!
We shouldn’t be surprised that community is central to the life of a disciple. Here’s a clue--God is three-in-One, Father, Son and Spirit. That’s community from the very beginning. Need more evidence? God designed people to live in families. Still not convinced? When you become a Christ follower you are added to the family of God. Community is the way God designed life to be lived.

Here is a question for you, Are you living in community?

Gary Kendall
www.livingsent.net/devotionals
Week 4, Love People, Day 4, Devo 19