There's the weird uncle, the silly brother, the whiny sister. There's the annoying character traits that Grandpa passed down to dad, which you are freakishly seeing in yourself...but, it's your family. You take the good WITH the bad. And it's worth it, because you're family. It sure beats waking up, day in and day out, alone, unloved and solely responsible for providing for yourself.
The same is true when it comes to the family of God. The family of God is like a drawer full of mismatched socks. There are insane variances in this family and yet you need these people. Because you're family.
Maybe you are new to the Christian faith, or maybe you've been flying solo for a while, trying to make it as a follower of Jesus Christ. But I am here to tell you that you need Gospel-Centered Community. Gospel-Centered Community means having a group of friends and mentors that will love you like family and will encourage you to live your life for Jesus. You need the family of God.
You need people in your life to show you the tangible love of Christ.
You need people in your life to whom you can show the tangible love of Christ.
You need people in your life to speak the truth to you about yourself.
You need people in your life to whom you have to tell the truth about themselves.
You need people in your life to pray with you, cry with you and challenge you to live your life for something more than yourself.
You need people in your life to pray for, cry over, and challenge to live lives for something other than themselves.
You need the family of God. We prefer to spend time with people who are just like us, but we need the family.
Acts 2:42-47 is what we pray Greek Impact's Community looks like...
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 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, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Don't you crave being known and knowing others who have similar struggles and joys within the Christian life and being committed to each other in grace and truth? You need it, even if you don't know you want it. It's for sure worth it.
"Community without mission is cancer."--Tim Keller
We, as Greek Impact, want to link arms and reach our entire frat/sorat for Christ, our Greek Village, our Campus, city and world!
Will you link arms with us?
Some questions to ponder:
What's your biggest road-block to Christian Community? (fear? lack of knowing other Christians? etc?)
How do the benefits and needs of community over-turn your roadblocks? What is God calling you to do?
How might you and your friends devote yourself to the reading of God's word together over break and/or back at school?
Who might be people you could gather to pray with over the break and/or back at school?
What people, ministries, or organizations do you need to sacrificially give to in order to experience this type of community?
Who could you have coffee/lunch/dinner with that you could encourage?
How could Greek Impact and your local church help you connect to Gospel-Centered Community?
Do you have Christian Community? How can you be a part of it growing even more?
Read THIS article about "Gospel-Centered Community Groups" to get started.
Listen to MEN in COMMUNITY or WOMEN in COMMUNITY or Gospel Community
Or listen to Spiritual Friendship by Tim Keller.
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