Community Is . . . Being and Doing Together
Scripture Reading — Acts 2:42-47
All the believers were together and had everything in common.
I love the idea of community. At the first church where I worked, I taught about community so much that the students started to roll their eyes whenever I said the word. And yet, every time we discussed it, we would talk about something different. It also applied to everything that we did. When we played games together, we were building community. When we ate together, we were building community. When we studied God’s Word or talked about a current topic and applied our faith to it, we were building community. When we served others in our church or neighborhood together, we were building community. When we prayed together, we were building community.
The early church, described in Acts 2, is a great example of this as well. Whatever the believers did, they did it together and built community in the process. From the big things in life to the small things, they did them together and learned about who they were and who God is at the same time.
Being part of a community is important. It gives us the opportunity to be honest and vulnerable. To build others up as we are being built up. To discover our gifts and talents as we help others do the same. To learn from others as they learn from us. And to see a larger picture of who God is in the world around us and in ourselves.
Let’s explore together what community is.
Father, help us on this journey of learning together as we think about community. In Jesus, Amen.
About the author — Bret Lamsma
Bret Lamsma is Director of Faith Formation at First Church in Denver, Colorado, and has served churches in Michigan and California in youth, emerging adult, inter-generational, and educational ministries. Bret and his wife, Julie, have two children, and he enjoys hiking, disc golfing, and cheering for the Chicago Cubs.
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