All for One

Last week was our "All for One" theme week and what this was talking about was 'Every believer for the purpose of Christ". The main focus of this week was community and how important it is for a body of believers. We really focused on Hebrews 12:1-2 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of believers, let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. Who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." What these verses are saying is that we should fix our eyes on Christ and hold each other accountable in everything since we are surrounded by so many believers. I'll go a bit more in depth in the following paragraphs.

First, let me talk about the importance of having a community and then what to do with that community. We are called to have fellowship with other believers, that's why we go to church on Sunday. Church shouldn't be a chore but a blessing. Think about it, this is a place where we go every Sunday and are surrounded by people who believe the same thing that we do. We don't have to put on a mask or try to impress these people because they are in the same boat we are. Where else can you go and have there be so many people who agree with you that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior? Why would we not want to seek friendships here? Why would we want to get in and get out only to return to our lives in the world? God calls us to have fellowship for a reason, so that we may experience one another as Christ intended for us. A solid Christian community is one where you can be open and not fear being judged or despised because, chances are, other people are struggling with the same things you are. There is so much I want to say on why community is important but I can't put it all into words right now for you. If you want to hear some more in that area, shoot me a text, e-mail me, or give me a call and I would love to talk more with you about it.

Now, what to do when in that community. Building a great community, like anything worth achieving, is hard. You have to be willing to be vulnerable and be willing to face sin in your life. If you don't have one of these communities, here is how you start one, seek people out. You need to take initiative and pursue people, pursue relationships, and pursue vulnerability. I can promise you this will be uncomfortable, especially if you have been in the same place for a while and haven't done something like this before. You need to take the initiative because other people won't. Really try and dive deep into peoples lives and care about what is going on. Share with them your struggles or what God is teaching you. Odds are that you will have to be the one leading the charge and be the first one to be vulnerable. When you feel comfortable, begin confessing sin with that person or community so that they can keep you accountable. James 5:16 says "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." This is a crucial step in building that great community. This will build trust and help you in whatever sin you are struggling with.

I think that is all for this post, if you have any questions or want to talk more, please feel free to contact me and I would be more than happy to talk! I encourage you to seek out a strong community whether that be group of 2 friends, a small group, or a congregation, I hope that you can find people to talk to and have that deep community.

God Bless and Go Blue!

Tedd Sheets Jr.