Community

We believe that by faith, created by the working of the Holy Spirit with the Word of God, a person is brought into a living and personal relationship with the crucified and risen Lord, Jesus Christ. In this relationship to Christ a Christian enjoys all the benefits and responsibilities of salvation. But every other Christian also enjoys this same relationship to Jesus Christ. Thus, according to the Bible, a special relationship also exists between Christians themselves. Christians are related to Christ himself, and in Christ they are related to one another. The notion of an isolated Christian living apart from other Christians is never entertained in Scripture. This relationship among Christians is often called “fellowship” in the Bible, and this personal fellowship among Christians, based on their common relationship to Jesus Christ, is what makes the church.

The fellowship we enjoy with other Christians brings with it certain responsibilities toward one another. Indeed, Jesus teaches that it is by our love for one another in the church that the world will be able to tell that we are his disciples. The reality of our relationship with each other in the church will reveal the reality of our relationship with Jesus. We cannot say we love Jesus, if in fact we do not love our brother and sister in Christ. This love that we are to show one another is described in many ways in the Bible. Because of the fellowship that exists among Christians in the church we worship and serve God together; we rejoice and weep with one another; we share each other’s spiritual and material burdens; and we speak the truth in love to one another in order to encourage, instruct, and correct each other. As we do so, Christ is honored and we are built-up to maturity by our life together.

We believe that at least two things are necessary, practically speaking, if we are to maintain this fellowship and see it flourish in the church. First, each of us must be aware of the great privilege and responsibility it is simply to be in the presence of another Christian. We take this for granted far too often. Many Christians in the world cannot enjoy fellowship as easily as we can. Whenever we are together, whether formally or informally, planned or unplanned, we must see this meeting as an opportunity to be used by God in the life of another person. We must be willing to have God use this other person in our life as well. Second, we believe the history of the church has amply demonstrated the wisdom and benefit of Christians in the church meeting together in small groups to pray, to study God’s Word, and to serve each other and the world together. Such small groups are themselves Christian communities within the larger church. They are in fact smaller expressions of the church in which worship, fellowship, growth, and outreach occur. These small groups are an essential part of our vision for the spiritual health of our congregation and its ministry to the two cities area.

On Sunday evenings (except the first Sunday of the month) we meet in various homes for smaller community groups. These groups are a great way to get to know people better, discuss how to apply the morning sermon to our lives, and just hang out with others in the church for a while.

At present there are two groups that meet on Sunday evenings, one at the home of Alex and Bobbie Pothen and one at the home of Adam and Liz Brice. There is a third group that meets during the week at the home of Cos and Rachel Gardner. Community groups do not meet the first Sunday of the month. Check the calendar for directions or contact the church for more information.