Community

I believe God designed us for community.  Jesus surrounded Himself with community in the form of His disciples.  His life revolved around being with people and loving on them.  As Platt puts it:  It is a glorious privilege to be a part of the universal body of Christ, united across the world and across history in a heavenly community.  But it is also the New Testament pattern for us to be a part of a local body of Christ, a gathering of brothers and sisters in a particular location where our Christianity comes to life in commitment to one another.  By the design of God, the local church affects every facet of our Christian lives.

We gather together every Sunday for that kind of community within the church setting. It's prime time to experience growth in knowledge, have the opportunity to serve others, and gather support and encouragement from fellow believers. It's the launching pad for our week in our day to day "normal life". I believe it's an incredible gift from God, and it is necessary.

This past Sunday at our Victory Church Theater Campus, we not only had an amazing time of worship, but we also had an incredible time of baptism and fellowship afterwards.  I loved watching the baptisms and hearing their testimonies...some of them would tell you that you wouldn't want to have known them a year ago. They are lives that God has changed, and there was a TON of rejoicing going on! I love seeing God work in people's lives!!

I also loved the fact that we were able to combine those baptisms with a time of fellowship this past Sunday.  Saying you believe in Christ is one thing, but opening yourself up to other people, getting involved, and putting action behind your faith is a whole other ballgame.  I know it's been such a huge blessing and encouragement in my life to get involved and get to really start knowing this group of people that God's brought together.

Platt goes on to explain:  Being a part of a community of faith involves being exposed to the life of Christ in others.  Just as we are identified with Christ and his church in baptism, we now share life in Christ with one another.  This is foundational in making disciples, and we will multiply the gospel only when we allow others to get close enough to us to see the life of Christ in action.

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 

I am excited to see how this community of believers will grow together in Christ.  I am excited to see how this community of believers will deepen their relationships with each other.  And most of all, I am excited to see how God will used this community of believers to move outside our Sunday morning walls and reach others for Him!