Having a Community
Yesterday my husband, Pat, and I attended the 3rd annual Naval Academy Crew Alumni Reunion and Spring Kickoff Banquet. Pat loved getting to meet his former coaches and teammates and the added treat was getting to meet a number of current crew members. I heard throughout the evening that being on the crew team was the highlight of their time at the Naval Academy. The community they shared and the friendships that developed has and will carry them throughout the many long years after graduation.
As a believer, we are part of a community of believers and while on this earth, we are working together to fulfill God’s great commission. Building community shouldn’t be a given. It needs to be cultivated and pursued just as a team works together to stay in sync with the captain and coach. We need work together in unity and staying in sync with the Holy Spirit’s guidance and the game plan provided by the Word of God.
What is Community? The short answer is that the word “community” is a compound word: “com” means with and “unity” means being unified or having a common union. God wants believers to dwell in unity. The Bible says how good and pleasant it is when we dwell together in unity. (See Psalm 133:1)
Just as a team works together and shares the same purpose, we as believers need to follow our game plan found in Philippians 2:2-5:
Agree wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.
Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Decide to be more actively involved in building community while serving the kingdom. You were designed for community and even though the community is partial and imperfect at times, enjoy getting to know your team mates.
Yours for His Kingdom,
Cindy Dennis
