Community plays a crucial part in discipleship and mission. What does community look like in your student work?

Real friendships are key to us becoming who we are created to be. It’s where “iron sharpens iron” and our church communities need to be producing authentic friendships. It is also how those who don’t know Jesus start to recognise him. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35 NIV).

Community was a key part of the early church. We have the beautiful description at the end of Acts 2 but also passages like these:

“You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honour.” (James 3:18 MSG)

“Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (Philippians 2:1-4 MSG)

The thing I’ve been challenged with about building community is that my attitudes on the inside makes a real difference. How do I view the people around me? How much do I value them and their needs over my own? How interruptible is my life? Am I looking for opportunities to love people? What am I giving of myself and where am I holding back?

How do I respond when hard times hit - do I reach out or retreat?

Because true community costs us. My husband and I bought a house last summer, moving closer to our church and onto an estate. The most obvious cost is that our food bill has increased 3 fold since we moved. But the greater cost is our lives - laying them down so that others can experience God through you, whether they know him or not. Our society is incredibly individualistic and culture tells us to do whatever is best for you. True community is the exact opposite of that - it's about the other.

Community is about our everyday lives. Most of the time we don't have to do anything dramatic. We just have to keep our eyes open for the opportunities to bless people, to connect, to share life. One thing that has definitely helped me is knowing who I am committed to. We can’t share life with an infinite number of people! Who is God asking you to be committed to? I’m fairly certain it will be both those who know Jesus and those who don't.

So how do your students view community? Is there a sense of being committed to each other or is it currently more a group of individuals? Are they sharing life with those that don’t know Jesus yet? Can I challenge you to challenge them at the beginning of this new year! 

"Community is a way of being present to another person so that another person can be present to you. It’s a quality of being, a style of relating. It makes room inside of you so that there is room for others within; it frees you so that you can get out of yourself and connect with others. You become touched and touchable, supporting and supportable." 

Henri Nouwen