Community

Hey guys. So hearing Kevin’s story about his conversation at the gas station really opened my eyes to the power of a biblical community. I’ve always considered it to be a blessing to be a part of this lifegroup, yet, I never stopped to think how we could be a blessing to others. According to HMCC, the overall purpose of lifegroup is to “experience the fullness of life in a Biblical community where the Gospel is radically lived out.”

Is his story not a testament to this statement? Praying for the lost, lifting up the weak, encouraging the hopeless. Spreading the good news.

We may have been unaware at the time, but God was using each of us, whether indirectly or directly, to reach out to Chris. As a lifegroup, people should see something different in us. Love. Joy. Community. Whatever it was that Chris saw in us that day, it must have been fueled by God’s grace.

Acts 2:42-47 is a great verse that describes the “Fellowship of Believers.”

v42: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

v43: Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

v44: All the believers were together and had everything in common.

v45: Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

v46: Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

v47: praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those were being saved.

The last verse is the one that strikes me the most, as it really magnifies the purpose of “outreach” in terms of our lifegroup. As we saw in Kevin’s recent experience, and as we will hopefully see in our upcoming broomball outreach effort, the purpose of lifegroup is not just to enjoy the blessings and favors to ourselves, but to also reach out and share those same blessings with others. God will provide, and God will find ways to “add to the number daily those who [are] being saved.” However, it is through our actions and our way of life that this can occur. Real community exists, so long as we know where to focus our energy and foster it.

When we extend our love to others, people will take notice. By simply being a part of G-Series and “radically living out the Gospel” in a biblical community, we will be able to draw others to Christ.

After hearing what had happened with Kevin at Dunkin Donuts, I told the rest of my car on the ride back. None of us knew who this guy was. None of us knew his story. We didn’t even know all the facts yet, other than the fact that Kevin talked to a young man who seemed to be a bit depressed. Nevertheless, through God’s grace and the love of G-Series, we all lifted up a prayer for him. As each of us went around the car praying for him, all I could do was smile, for I knew God was working through us at that very moment.

v47: And the Lord added to their number daily those were being saved.