Church as a Missional Community Pt. 2

In a recent post I introduced a series in which I was going to be addressing church as a missional community. This picture of what church should look like is in stark contrast to what is regularly seen today. I want to be clear that my intent is not to point out flaws for the sake of tearing down, but to draw attention to the specifics of the disconnect that we all already know exists between the churches we see in the Bible and the church we see today. God’s purpose in the church is His glory and greater joy, and that’s exactly where I pray this post leads us.

I want to address the ‘community’ part of the equation in this second post of the series. I find it interesting that in the Gospel of John our Savior says our love for one another will be how men know we are His. It is not our morality, religious performance, or the radio station we listen to that sets us apart but our love for one another.

Anybody can tweak the outward performance or the radio station dial but love is a heart issue. True love that we see exemplified in Christ is purely supernatural and can only be found in the church.

Many of you likely disagree with this statement initially so let me explain why it must be true. Churches are made up of diverse people with various backgrounds and walks of life. Some people are bubbly while others are reserved. To be frank, some people never shut up and other seem like they are in some sort of comatose state. Some people have a lot in common with us while others are just plain weird.

So sure, an unsaved guy can love his wife unconditionally with all his heart. However, I guarantee you that he cannot love the weirdoes and big mouths that make up church. It just isn’t natural or even possible without spiritual rebirth. Love rooted in the gospel “bears all things” including the people that, naturally, we wouldn’t even like.

We must continually check ourselves on this matter and not take it lightly. Your church attendance does not point the lost to Christ, but your love for your brothers in Christ will. This is a big deal.

If we are living life from a gospel-centered perspective then we realize that we have no valid excuse to not display love towards any one of our brothers. No matter how many times you have felt disrespected or wronged it does not even come close to how you and I have treated Christ. Think of all the rebellion and disregard we have shown Him, yet His love is absolutely unconditional. This is the love that must be on display within our churches.

I’m not just talking about smiling and shaking hands on Sunday morning while trading the typical pleasantries. Our love needs to run deeper. There must be a real concern for the spiritual state of each of our brothers and sisters and a desire to see growth within the body of Christ.

In the book of Acts we see raw, gospel community taking place for the first time in the post-Gospels era. The church is adding converts and making disciples daily. Almost everybody is completely new to this church thing, yet we see the most beautiful picture of community in some of the books earliest chapters. At the end of chapter two we find believers meeting together to discuss Scripture, socialize, eat, and pray.

This is one of the reasons I love the small group format. It encourages biblical, gospel community like we see in Acts 2. Small groups, however, is only the beginning. It is merely a catalyst that is intended to create a shift in the right direction.

The best part about all of this is found in vs. 44, where it says that they were all together and had all things in common. This does not mean they were all sports junkies or coffee addicts who had something to talk about when conversation started to drift to the awkward silence stage. It runs much deeper than that.

The church we find in Acts was diverse. We know this because there were people who spoke entirely different languages yet miraculously heard the gospel in their own tongue when it was preached by the apostles at Pentecost! It was the supernatural glue of the gospel that brought them together and gave them “all things in common.”

If you have been born again then you have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. In that same act of reconciliation we have been reconciled to each other, adopted to the same Father as brothers and sisters in Christ!

Make an effort to see biblical community take place in your church. Display the unconditional love of Christ among your new brothers and sisters. Invite a family over for dinner and take the opportunity to share your testimony. You will be amazed at how God will use something so simple for His glory and to the benefit of the Church he died to save.