Follow Me Week 9
- Heritage Church
- Jun 30
- 4 min read
TRANSCRIPTION:
Welcome back! Today we officially begin Part 4 of the Follow Me Book: LOVING like Jesus! Over the next 4 weeks we are going to dive into the importance of serving, giving, and sharing your faith with others. But this week we will be diving into something a lot of us crave—but often hesitate to pursue: authentic Christian community. Whether you're the life of the party or the quiet soul in the back of the room, we all long to belong. And if you've ever felt like an outsider in your own story—you're not alone.
I think we can all think back to a time where, even though we were in a room full of people, we felt lonely or alone. Maybe you were new to a friend group and their inside jokes and casual reminiscing left you feeling out of the loop or maybe you walked into church for the first time in a LONG time and though you felt greeted and welcome, you didn’t really feel SEEN! I know I’ve been there! The easy thing to do in these, and other similar situations, is to shelter in place! Put up those walls, keep your head down, and stay safely inside yourself! However, that response only leads to more days and nights of loneliness! And that is not the life the Lord desires for any of us to live!
From the very beginning God knew we would need community! Think all of the way back to the Garden of Eden in the book of Genesis in the Old Testament. Adam was there surrounded by the animals when God said “It is not good for man to be alone” and created Eve to be a companion and help mate!
We also see this truth echoed in the new Testament in Acts 2:42 which says:
"All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals… and to prayer.”
This verse gives us a little look into the structure of the early church and it is clear - Church was never about just attending services. Yes they gathered, yes they prayed, yes they worshipped. But they also devoted themselves to one another. That means they shared meals, shared prayer, shared purpose. They built something that looked a lot like family. And we must be intentional to do the same!
Now, don’t get me wrong. Walking into a church or a LifeGroup for the first time can feel intimidating. Maybe you're thinking, What if I don’t fit in? What if I don’t speak the “church language”? Trust me—you’re not the only one who’s wondered if phrases like "sanctified" and "propitiation" were part of some spiritual secret code. But here’s the truth - none of those “what ifs” matter when Jesus is in the mix! Why? Because Jesus is the great connector. Afterall, He’s the reason we gather. He is our common denominator. That is why a group of strangers to gather and somehow become like family! It’s not because we’re all the same, but because we all need the same Savior.
But let’s get practical for a minute. Obviously we all NEED Christian community in our lives but a part from sharing a meal together or worshipping in the same room as one another every Sunday morning, what does this type of community actually LOOK like?
The Bible outlines five key traits of true Christian community:
First, there is a Shared Faith – We’re all sinners in need of a savior and for all of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are all saved by grace. That’s our common ground - Jesus!
Second, it requires gathering regularly! – Hebrews 10 says, “Don’t give up meeting together.” That means that no matter how busy life gets, no matter how tired you are, no matter what other opportunities are presented to you throughout the week - going to church and meeting together with your Christian Community regularly is a must! Why? Because we need each other!
It is in these times of connection and community that we find Mutual Support – fighting battles side-by-side, like soldiers in the Lord’s army, we are striving for a Common Goal – To make Jesus known and glorify Him, and we are Unified in the Spirit – And i not talking just good vibes, but real unity through the Holy Spirit.
You see, when we isolate ourselves, we are prone to believe lies. Lies that we tell ourselves, lies said about us by others, and lies from the enemy. But in community, truth shines through. We are there to remind us and for others to remind us who God is, and who we are in Him even amidst the toughest battles and fiercest of life's storms. On the flip side, we also experience laughter, grace, correction, healing—and most of all, we are reminded that we’re not walking this life alone.
This week, as you dive into your daily study, I challenge you to reflect on the current state of YOUR Christian Community! Is it healthy? Great! Then ask the Lord to show you someone knew who He has placed around you that you can invite into community with you! Is it struggling? That’s ok! Ask the Lord to reveal to you areas for growth, healing, and correction. Is it even there at all? If, the answer to that question is no, than take this week to do a bit of investigation to discover what opportunities for Christian Community are available to you right now and make a commitment to reach out and begin to engage and find your people!
So, if you’ve been hesitant about community—or maybe you’ve been hurt by it in the past—I get it. But let me encourage you with this:
Jesus didn’t just save us to sit in solitude. He saved us into a family. A messy, imperfect, sometimes awkward—but always worth it—family. Because friends… we are better together.
LINK TO KIDS CHAPTER
LINK TO WEEK 9
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