Community: Growing Together Through Mission

Mission: The Next Ecclesial Minimum

In November, we will introduce the topic of mission, another of our ecclesial minimums, alongside worship and community.

Each of the ecclesial minimums is inextricably linked. Let me explain.

Worship leads us to love Jesus. Worship and genuine community help us to develop a real love for the Church and its people. Community is formed around our third ecclesial minimum, mission, where we learn together to love those who have not yet truly heard the gospel.

HOW MISSION SHAPES COMMUNITY

Mission exposes our shortcomings as we go into dark places to be the light, preach the good news and share the love of God.

When we debrief as a community after a mission activity, or even reflect on our personal lifestyle of mission, community becomes a safe place where we can be honest about our experiences.

Some might say, “I had no answers”, “I felt ashamed”, or “I felt like a fraud or hypocrite”.

This is where community becomes vital. We begin to speak the truth in love, encouraging and building one another up with the gospel. Community helps to form our Christlike identity, and it is here that the values of our Neighborhood Gathering are shaped.

Debrief, Learn and Grow Together

It is important to debrief after any kind of mission activity. We can share our experiences, listen to one another and learn from what we have encountered together. Jesus modelled this kind of learning as part of discipleship.

As we grow together, we need to cultivate qualities that help us support, encourage and strengthen one another.

Read the following list and wonder together: How might we practise these qualities and make them natural rhythms in the life of our Microchurch or small group?

15 Qualities to Practise in Community

1. Serve — Galatians 5:13

2. Accept — Romans 15:7

3. Forgive — Colossians 3:13

4. Greet — Romans 16:6

5. Bear one another’s burdens — Galatians 6:2

6. Be devoted to one another — Romans 12:10

7. Honour one another — Romans 12:10

8. Teach one another — Colossians 3:16

9. Submit — Ephesians 5:21

10. Love one another — John 13:34

11. Live in harmony — Romans 12:16

12. Be kind — Ephesians 4:32

13. Admonish one another — Colossians 3:16

14. Encourage one another — 1 Thessalonians 4:18

15. Confess your sins to one another — James 5:16

Make Encouragement a Natural Rhythm

Some of us are natural encouragers, and it comes easily to us. But not everyone finds it easy to build others up.

The Bible is full of encouragement, and the following verse specifically calls us to make encouraging one another a natural rhythm in our lives and our Neighborhood Gatherings.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

One of the best ways to help a group grow in encouragement, as well as in the other qualities listed above, is to model them yourself within the community. Practise them and see the effect they have.

Other Ways to Build a Strong Community

Another way is to reflect on one or two of these qualities in the life of Jesus as you share communion together.

Finally, pray without ceasing when you are together.

Community is the way forward as we seek to bring peace at a civic level.