“Community: Valuing Each Other” (Part Three)

After grace as a value of the church, the three “action values” have to point up to God, together toward each other (“community” or fellowship or love), and outside toward the world (outreach or evangelism).

This week we are majoring on community or connections that are positive between the people in the church.  This means we make sure the church has the mood of love that is the best setting for this and then as leaders we provide groupings!  Safe places where people can be built in their faith and enlarge in service as they are connecting with friends.

I personally have always believed the church should provide both medium-sized groups (over 8 in number) and small groups (up to 7 in number).  In the medium groups there is study of the Word with strong application and understanding.  In the smaller groups, there can be the added discipleship element of accountability, if it is men with men and women with women.

Some reminders about all of this:

1. Probably best not to make the common mistake of saying our fellowship or “community” should look like that described in Acts 2:42-47.  First, few will want to have “all things in common” as the early church did.  Second, the special circumstances of that time are just not duplicated today.

2. Fellowship or community is not always a “felt need.” People do not often go around saying they are looking for community.  However, they do know when they feel at home, have good friends, and are loved.  That is when the place becomes “my church.”

3. Someone on staff should feel responsible for improving the opportunity for connection and community in the church.  This will always be asking the questions that need to be answered:

• Do new people learn about opportunities to study the Bible with a smaller group (7-30) where they can make friends and grow?
• Do medium (8-80) and small (3-7) groups get exposure/publicity in the worship services?
• Do Sunday school classes or Adult Bible Fellowships and home groups get reminded about how to create true community in their meetings – the mood, people responsible, reasons?
• Does the preaching pastor talk about the community he enjoys and why it is important.
• Do church lay leaders know why it is important for them to model being in a community in the church?
• Do leaders of groups know church policies about “lesson plans” and how much to use the Bible?

4. Community or a sense of friendships does not happen automatically.

5.  Sometimes church leaders (staff or elders or “governors”) fail to envision or plan church community opportunities because they already have theirs or are too busy.

6. A church sets the proper “love mood” in the worship services, and from up front.

7. The Bible very clearly wants us to find true community, unity, love, and personal friends who will edify them.

8. Community is not really meant to happen in worship services over 80 or 90 people.  The right mood can be set there, and the publicity for groups, however.

So there it is, way too many facts about community in one sense but I hope some good reminders!

Take this with love:  many pastors – I’ll say this again – think that all of this care and love and fellowship is going to happen without leadership from the center of the church, the pastor’s office.  After 43 years of pastoring, I think it needs to be managed and that the best way is to have people care for others with whom they meet.  People they see.  People they study the Bible with.

That is, as opposed to meeting with one group with an elective subject, with another on a care subject or discipleship, and another on Wednesday evening.  Life is too quick and short, and we need relationships where you get to know others and also hear them talk and hear some of their pain as they ask questions or discuss a verse or life itself.

One Response to ““Community: Valuing Each Other” (Part Three)”

1. cameronbyrne says:

   June 15, 2010 at 3:53 pm

   Hi Pastor Larson,

   I just want you to know how much you and your wife meant to me. There is seldom a day that goes by when you all don’t pop into my mind. Your home was a haven for me because of all the turmoil in my home when I was growing up in Wooster. You probably don’t remember me but I went to church at Grace Brethren in Wooster. Laurel Burkholder was my best friend and how I ended up going to your church. Anyway, I just wanted you to know this. I didn’t know how to get ahold of you to tell you this in an email so I have to do it publicly on your blog. I hope you don’t mind.

   Debbie Smith
   (now I go by a nickname my dad’s mother gave me “Cameron” and my last name is Byrne)