Called to Be A People // ideas on community

One of the conversations we’ve been having a lot recently is what we do with this idea of community. Some people love it, some people hate it. Some people are good at it, and some people are really bad at it. Some who are good at it also hate it. Some who are bad at it also really love it. Community is vital to the life of the believer. Community cannot be neglected. Community is necessary to live the way God called us to live.

I heard some teaching this weekend that solidified some of these thoughts for me. It was a podcast where Jeff Vanderstelt was teaching on how we are saved to be a people, called to be a nation. This does not look like, I’m going to go be alone now. I thought about what this looks like. God promised Abraham that he was going to make his offspring into a great nation, a picture of the people of God. In the New Testament, Paul writes over and again, “to the Saints in…,” “to the saints at…” Peter says, “to God’s elect…,” Peter also says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Jeff said that we talk in very individualistic terms, “I have a quiet time…,” “I do this…,” “I…” Its not that Christ didn’t save you and that there are not elements of our life that are individual focused. But, God saved us to be a people. The only way that we can be a people is if we do life with people. I know there is no ‘s’ on that word, but the phrase “a people” has a plural idea to it. You cannot have a people without multiple individuals. You cannot have a people or community without interacting with people. You have to live life with people. And yet, we often just go rogue and try to do it on our own. If anyone could have done it on his own, it would have been Jesus, but He didn’t. He purposefully surrounded Himself with people, with community, that He could pour Himself in to.

These are my thoughts so far on community based on what I heard Friday. I knew I wanted to write this post then, but it didn’t happen until now. But, want to hear what you have to say about community, being saved to be a people, and what that requires of us.