Posts Tagged ‘community’
The Importance Of A Local Community Church San Antonio TX
What is the community Church or Christian community?
Biblically, the original word for “church” is ekklesia, the Greek word for “assembly” or “gathering”. The church community refers to the “local gatherings of believers” who are devoted to the teachings of Christ and also renowned for its love for one another.
With this one can easily say that the Church community is simply those who love Jesus Christ and live in fellowship with each other. When the world sees this love and devotion in action, they will see the true love of Jesus Christ and by so doing find themselves attracted to the Church and Christ too.
Belonging to a community church is more than just attending services on Sundays. It is about becoming a full member of that community, connecting with the people, fellowshipping with them, supporting them, sharing in their troubles and celebrating their joys.
Being part of a local community Church is not only to gain a sense of community among other believers, but it is also to continue growing in your Christian life and also help with the growth of the Church (which is Christ’s mission here on earth).
In this piece, we’re going to list the importance of a Christian Church community and all the blessings that come from being connected to a group of believers. But before we go into that, let me clear the air on something – Solo Christianity.
Why you can’t serve the Lord alone
Yes, many Christians live as though they believe in “solo Christianity” and that is sad. Some of the consequences of solo Christianity are spiritual stagnation, unhappiness, and depression. The fact is Christians rarely survive spiritually when they are apart from other Christians. According to an illustration, it is like a glowing ember removed from the fire of which it is a part of. Soon enough it cools and dies off (while the other embers remain hot and glowing)
Love can’t operate in a vacuum – I believe everyone will agree with me when I say that Love requires someone to love. One of the major reasons why solo Christianity is not ideal is because love is at the very root of God’s character.
John 4:16 – “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.”
Love seeks out someone to love, share and bless. Love is never solitary or isolated, it requires a community to operate, and that is the Church Community we’re talking about. Jesus believed in this so much as you can see in John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
The Importance of a local Community Church
- You will experience mutual acceptance among completely different group of persons.
Rom. 15:7 – “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”
- You are able to motivate others to love and good works while being motivated by others also.
Heb. 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
- You’ll be able to express your sincere love for Jesus.
1John 4:19-20 – “We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
- As a result of corporate worship before God, you will receive mutual encouragement and growth both spiritually and otherwise.
Col 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
- You also learn to grow in humility.
1Pet. 5:5 – “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”.”
- Being a part of the Church community makes you become increasingly aware of God-given opportunities to grow in kindness and forgiving others.
Col. 3:13 – “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
- You taste of the encouragement of harmony.
Rom. 15:5 – “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus”
- You gain opportunities to witness testimonies and see God’s answers to prayer not just in your life but in the lives of others.
2Thess. 1:3 – “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.”
- You also gain opportunities for joy, unity, mutual comfort, encouragement and peace amongst the community.
2Cor. 13:11 – “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”
- You will receive confrontation from others in the Church community; this makes you less vulnerable to the hardening deceitfulness of sin.
Heb. 3:13 – “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
- There is mutual instruction, encouragement, and correction which you would benefit greatly from.
Rom. 15:14 – “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.”
- The community grants you a good number of opportunities to put to death your judgmental spirit.
James 4:11 – “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.”
- Since you’re of course dealing with other humans, you will be giving so many opportunities to help develop your level of patience.
Eph. 4:1-2 – “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love”
- You have to freedom of confessing your sins to a brother or sister in the Church community, and you have the benefit of not being judged but been prayers for.
James 5:16 – “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
- You benefit from a newfound freedom that you’ll use to serve others.
Gal. 5:13 – “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
TV, the internet, radio, books, etc.; nothing can take the place of being a part of a local community Church of believers. The Bible describes the Christian community in four different ways, which is as a family, a body, a flock, and as the Church.
Described as a family
Being part of the Christian family as seen in the following verses.
Galatians 6:10 – “Let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
The idea here is that the Bible states clearly how the local community Church should relate to each other which is simply doing what’s best for the next person. Family care for each other, help and support each other. Family also forgives and encourages each other, and that is what the Church must do as well.
As a body
Being part of a body is another way the Bible described the Church community.
1 Corinthians 12:12 – “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”
Ephesians 4:16 – “from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
The Bible makes it completely clear in those verses that the different parts of a body cannot decide to be independent of the others – they work together. Each part has an essential role to play in the overall survival of that body and in other for it to function efficiently.
As a Flock
John 10:11 – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
That good shepherd is Jesus Christ who died that each and every Christian can be saved. The sheep are the Christians all around the world – we are all part of the flock of Christ.
This idea of shepherd does not only reflect in the Bible but is today carried over around the Church communities. The word “Pastor” literally means “Shepherd” – designated to each group of Christians, whether big or small. These Pastors are giving the responsibility of the flock assigned to them.
Acts 20:28 – “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”
All Christian leaders were giving this responsibility, whether they are called pastors, priests, elders, ministers or overseers – they are all Christian leaders thus, regarded as shepherds tasked to care for the sheep of Christ.
As part of the Church
In the bible when Jesus made reference to the word church, he was not referring to just the building we call church today. Let me explain what I mean
The Bible word “church” means “the called-out ones” – those who have been called by God and are gathered together out of the world. In the context of the Bible, a church primarily refers to a gathering of people and not just the physical structure only.
This is to show how important the gathering of the brethren is, being a part of a local community Church fellowship.
Hebrews 10:25 – “Let us not neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
You can see that there are many benefits and blessings of being part of a community Church San Antonio TX. These blessings range from growth, encouragement, care and brotherly love to healing, protection and meeting great role models that’ll help you reach new heights spiritually.
Now while you are thinking about all you can receive from a local community Church San Antonio TX, it is good to understand that you also have a lot to offer and the Christian community Church San Antonio TX will not only make you realize your potentials, but will give you an opportunity to maximize it.
Still thinking about the local community Church San Antonio TX to be a part of? Join us at our local community Church San Antonio TX soon at Pentecostal Life Church.
We are located in a suburb of San Antonio called Schertz TX.
Our current facility is located at 1201 Oak Street, Schertz, Texas, 78154
We meet Sunday 10:30 am & Thursday 7pm.