What is Christian Community?
Churches use several “buzz” terms in their advertisement to create a “welcoming environment.” One of these terms is “community,” but what is community? Do I need the church to find this community? Can I find a community elsewhere? What makes a church community different than anything else? As is everything, we need to make distinctions and use clarifying language to describe what community means within the local church context. Many churches use the designation community as a wet blanket to throw over any event they do in an attempt to make everyone think are in a community, or they are a part of forming a community; however, Scripture chronicles a different way, a proper way for us to view actual community.
The word community means a group of unified individuals with common interests living in a particular area. Understanding this identifies that everyone can have community if they are willing to seek it out; however, the Christian community is different. The difference is the object of what brings individuals together: sports, jiu-jitsu, running, shopping, coffee? However, for Christians, the item that separates our community from others is Christ. Christian community is built in and through Christ. Christ is the center that gathers other believers together and unites us with each other because we all share in the same salvific grace (Phil.1:7). However, there is one item I have noticed as a trend over my years as a pastor regarding believers moving into a new area and seeking a local church they can attend and what they prioritize, community.
Sadly, the priority of many, not all, is the singular focus of finding a friendship community and not on spiritual growth.
The importance of community is essential, but is it critical? Is it vital? Is it necessary? I believe that it is, yet it should be placed in its proper place of prioritization. The priority of finding community seems to be the Christian cultural drum. Yet, when asked what they mean by community, they typically describe this as finding friends, or they define the community they seek as other people in the same stage and season of life they are in, and if they do not have that, they will leave. Sadly, the priority of many, not all, is the singular focus of finding a friendship community and not on spiritual growth. The desire for friendship overrides the necessity for spiritual growth and maturation in understanding and growing in their knowledge of the Word. We, as Christians, are not just called to find friends but to grow in all aspects of our salvation (Eph.4:15).
Let me be clear: there is nothing wrong with desiring and seeking friendships within the local church; many of my closest friends are at the local church; however, a reexamination in defining friendship needs to be explained. The desire for individuals in the same stage and season of life is necessary but not essential. Paul gives us an example of Christian fellowship, community, and friendship in Titus 2. In this section, Paul outlines the ideal Christian community in which the older train the younger in all aspects of Christian living. This is not done in a lecture-styled format but in a communal aspect.
Additionally, Acts 5:42 describes the situation for the early church as they would meet together from house to house. What is missing within these verses is the distinction between the same season and stage of life. Friendship is what you make of it within the context of what brings a community together.