The absence of community in the life of a Christ-follower is like a hidden cancer in the body. At first you don't notice it, but over time it begins to hurt the body and the "body of Christ". As time passes the self takes center stage. Self-sacrifice, sharing, mutual encouragement, help, serving, giving and the joy of others give way to self-protection, preservation and desire. Anger, bitterness, pride, envy and even depression can accompany a loss of community. When community is lost everyone loses. The individual loses accountability, physical, emotional, spiritual and much needed prayer support. Not to mention the opportunity to look beyond self and see the hurts and wounds of others. When I hear and see the pains/problems of brothers and sisters in the body my issues don't seem nearly as important, or big as they were before. And being part of a community means that I am not alone in my pains and struggles. The spiritual body hurts when someone they love and care about goes AWOL from community.
You can't "do" community by yourself. Self is the polar opposite of community. Doing life together means we are together. We invest in each other. We spend time together. We grow together. We serve together. We minister together. We pray together. We laugh together. We cry together. We aren't islands floating alone in the big sea of humanity. That is a prescription for drowning.
After all these years I continue to be amazed by people who leave the body when they need it the most! I don't understand why you would leave a group of people who have invested in your life, care about you and genuinely want God's best for you just because you are struggling with something. I don't know about you, but I need community most when I am struggling. I need to lean on people who see things more clearly because they are more objective. I need their prayers, advice, hugs, and listening ears. I just need them to be there. And that means I need to be there when they need me. Punting on community is really the product of an immature faith, or worse, spiritual arrogance.
Now authentic community isn't for wimps, or the faint of heart. It is tough. It takes work, patience and a commitment. It means we don't always agree. We learn how to practice love to people with whom we even disagree. It means you go when your tired, or don't feel like it. You don't let work, distance, or the calendar get in the way. The truth is that we ALL make time and space for what's important to us. When we lived in Indianapolis as a lay couple, we drove 45 minutes one way to be part of a faith community and small group. Sure there were times we didn't feel like going, or wanted to sleep in, but we were part of something bigger than ourselves and we made a commitment. Maybe that's the difference between today and 25 years ago-----perhaps we live in a culture that no longer values commitment. Amazing how people will never sleep in, or blow off work, but won't think twice about doing it with their faith community. You know who hurts the most when Christ-followers fail to live in community? God.
I know I hurt God weekly when I sin and live by the flesh instead of the Spirit. I have to constantly confess those issues and sins then work to avoid repeating them. But I am not going to hurt Him by intentionally rejecting the very community He created for me. If you've never been part of authentic biblical community this probably makes absolutely no sense. Let me encourage you to jump in and try one. There's a body that needs you, and you need them! If you have checked out of a biblical community go back. I guarantee they miss you and will shower you with love.
My favorite Winnie the Pooh scene from A. A. Milne, is a picture of Piglet sidling up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh?" he whispers. "Yes, Piglet?" "Nothing," said Piglet, taking the old bears hand. "I just wanted to be sure of you." That is the epitome of community. Somewhere there's a group that just needs to be sure of you!
("Huddle" graphic from KL Communications website)
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