IS COMMUNITY JUST A BUNCH OF FRIENDS?

“Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this. Whether it is a brief, single encounter or the daily fellowship of years, Christian community is only this. We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

So, what’s the difference between getting into a community group and having a group of friends to sit with at church and go grab dinner with on Friday nights? There can be a big difference.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting friends, especially if you attend a larger church where getting lost in the crowd is easy. While both groups of friends and church small groups involve fellowship and connection, the primary focus and purpose differ: friendship groups are built on shared interests and social activities, while the primary purpose of church small groups is to foster deeper relationships, encourage spiritual growth, and provide a space for discipleship and accountability through fellowship, prayer, and shared learning.

Being in a biblical community goes far beyond surface-level conversations and an occasional Bible study where everyone goes around the circle and gives a Sunday school answer. Biblical community is where spiritual transformation can happen on a deep, intimate level.

Belonging to a local church is an essential part of the Christian life. And belonging means so much more than regularly attending a worship service. We are to live in close connection with other believers to share in their joys and struggles while allowing them access to your life. It is knowing their joys and struggles and encouraging them in all seasons toward loving God and others. Godly community helps us grow in love and be encouraged to do good works through the Spirit. But we will only be able to do this when we regularly meet together. This is where small groups become vital.

Small Groups are the best place to connect if you want to grow in your relationship with Jesus. A small group will help you develop significant relationships with others who can encourage and challenge you to consistently apply the truths of God’s Word to each area of your life. They are gifts of God given so that we might “warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.” (Hebrews 3:13).

Think about it: every small group is a microcosm of ‘the “big church.”  The small group meets regularly, worships, shares, feeds on the Word, and reaches outside their walls into the community.  The small group is a powerful, self-sustained group that is a part of the bigger body.  However, what the small group has that the bigger body does not is the ability to know people intimately, aid in the discovery and cultivation of spiritual gifts, and learn to be more Christlike.

It is good to have friends, but it is even better to have a group of people who truly know and accept you, who are actively concerned with your well-being, and who help you grow. That is biblical community, and it is so worth it.

Discussion Questions:

1. Small groups are where relationships develop, and people are encouraged and supported. Agree or disagree and why?
2. How can small groups help make you more Christlike?