Thriving Together: The Power of Community in Growth
Summary
In today's message, I shared a personal journey of transformation and the importance of community in both physical and spiritual health. Since 2018, my weight has fluctuated significantly, and I found that my success in maintaining a healthy lifestyle was deeply tied to being in community with others. Whether it was working out with a friend or joining my wife in a fitness program, the support and accountability of others were crucial. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, isolation led to depression and a loss of healthy habits, highlighting the vital role of community in our lives.
This experience led me to reflect on the spiritual parallels. Just as we rely on community for physical health, our spiritual health also thrives in community. Many of us have been taught to keep our spiritual lives private, but this can lead to a sense of isolation and missed opportunities for growth. The Bible shows us that God Himself exists in community as the Trinity, and Jesus modeled community by surrounding Himself with disciples. The early church also valued community, meeting in both large gatherings and small groups to practice the "one anothers" of scripture—loving, serving, and encouraging each other.
In today's world, despite being more connected than ever through technology, we face an epidemic of loneliness. Studies show that loneliness can have severe health consequences, comparable to smoking. The antidote to loneliness is connection, and as a church, we should excel in building relationships. Community groups at Current Church provide a space for accountability, belonging, and care, where life change happens best. These groups are not just about socializing but are essential for spiritual growth, offering a place to ask questions, share burdens, and celebrate joys.
I encourage everyone to consider joining a community group, even if it feels challenging. It's an opportunity to connect relationally and grow spiritually, improving not only your spiritual health but also your emotional and mental well-being. Let's prioritize community, lean into relationships, and live out the "one anothers" together.
Key Takeaways:
1. Community is Essential for Growth: Just as physical health thrives in community, so does spiritual health. Isolation can lead to stagnation and depression, while community provides support, accountability, and encouragement. We are created in the image of a God who exists in community, and we are designed to thrive in relationships. [04:23]
2. Biblical Model of Community: The Bible shows us that God is a community within Himself as the Trinity, and Jesus modeled intentional community with His disciples. The early church continued this practice, meeting in both large gatherings and small groups to live out the "one anothers" of scripture. [07:48]
3. Loneliness as a Health Crisis: Despite technological connectivity, loneliness is a growing health crisis with severe consequences. Studies show that loneliness can increase the risk of premature death, similar to smoking. The antidote is genuine connection, which the church is uniquely positioned to provide. [18:01]
4. Diverse Relationships Challenge and Grow Us: It's important to have relationships that challenge our perspectives and faith. Diverse friendships can help us grow spiritually and provide opportunities to invest in others' faith journeys. [18:55]
5. Community Groups Foster Life Change: Community groups offer a space for accountability, belonging, and care. They are essential for spiritual growth, providing a place to ask questions, share burdens, and celebrate joys. Prioritizing community groups can lead to significant life change and spiritual development. [24:17]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:43] - Personal Journey and Weight Loss
- [04:23] - The Impact of COVID-19
- [05:38] - Spiritual Health and Community
- [07:48] - Biblical Foundation of Community
- [09:14] - Jesus and His Disciples
- [12:29] - Early Church Community
- [13:56] - The "One Anothers" of Scripture
- [16:10] - Loneliness as a Health Crisis
- [17:06] - The Need for Genuine Connection
- [18:01] - The Impact of Loneliness
- [18:55] - Diverse Relationships
- [19:54] - Community Groups at Current Church
- [23:18] - Personal Stories of Community Support
- [24:17] - Life Change Through Community Groups
- [26:20] - Practical Steps to Join a Group
- [29:44] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 1:26 - "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness...'"
2. Acts 2:46-47 - "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, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people."
3. Mark 3:13-14 - "Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach."
Observation Questions:
1. What role did community play in the speaker's personal journey of weight loss and health? [01:43]
2. How does the sermon describe the impact of COVID-19 on the speaker's physical and mental health? [04:23]
3. According to the sermon, how does the Bible illustrate God's existence in community? [05:38]
4. What examples from the early church demonstrate the importance of community in spiritual growth? [12:29]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of God existing in community as the Trinity influence our understanding of human relationships? [05:38]
2. In what ways did Jesus model intentional community with His disciples, and why was this significant? [09:14]
3. How does the sermon suggest that loneliness can be as detrimental to health as smoking, and what is the proposed solution? [18:01]
4. What are the benefits of having diverse relationships within a community, according to the sermon? [18:55]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current community involvement. How can you intentionally seek out or strengthen relationships that challenge and grow your faith? [18:55]
2. Have you experienced loneliness despite being technologically connected? What steps can you take to foster genuine connections in your life? [17:06]
3. Consider the "one anothers" mentioned in the sermon. Which one do you find most challenging, and how can you work on it within your community group? [13:56]
4. If you are not currently part of a community group, what barriers are preventing you from joining one? How can you overcome these obstacles? [24:17]
5. How can you contribute to creating a welcoming and supportive environment in your community group, especially for new members? [19:54]
6. Think about a time when you felt supported by a community. How did it impact your spiritual or emotional well-being, and how can you offer similar support to others? [20:50]
7. What practical steps can you take this week to prioritize community in your life, and how can you encourage others to do the same? [26:20]
Devotional
Day 1: Community as a Catalyst for Growth
Community is essential for both physical and spiritual growth. Just as physical health benefits from the support and accountability of others, spiritual health thrives in a community setting. Isolation can lead to stagnation and depression, while being part of a community provides encouragement and support. Humans are created in the image of a God who exists in community, and we are designed to flourish in relationships. Engaging with others in a community setting can help us grow and maintain a healthy spiritual life. [04:23]
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." (Matthew 18:20, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life can you invite to join you in a spiritual practice this week, such as prayer or Bible study, to foster mutual growth and accountability?
Day 2: The Biblical Foundation of Community
The Bible presents a model of community through the Trinity and the life of Jesus. God exists as a community within Himself, and Jesus intentionally surrounded Himself with disciples. The early church continued this practice, meeting in both large gatherings and small groups to live out the "one anothers" of scripture—loving, serving, and encouraging each other. This biblical model emphasizes the importance of intentional relationships for spiritual growth and support. [07:48]
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally create or strengthen a community in your life that reflects the biblical model of love, service, and encouragement?
Day 3: Loneliness as a Modern Health Crisis
Despite technological advancements, loneliness is a growing health crisis with severe consequences, comparable to smoking. Studies show that loneliness can increase the risk of premature death. The antidote to loneliness is genuine connection, which the church is uniquely positioned to provide. By fostering authentic relationships, the church can help combat loneliness and promote emotional and spiritual well-being. [18:01]
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one person in your community who may be experiencing loneliness. How can you reach out to them this week to offer genuine connection and support?
Day 4: The Power of Diverse Relationships
Diverse relationships challenge our perspectives and faith, helping us grow spiritually. Engaging with people from different backgrounds and experiences can provide opportunities to invest in others' faith journeys and deepen our own understanding. These relationships can be a source of growth and transformation, encouraging us to see the world through different lenses and to love more deeply. [18:55]
"Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight." (Romans 12:16b, ESV)
Reflection: Think of someone whose background or perspective differs from yours. How can you intentionally build a relationship with them to learn and grow together in faith?
Day 5: Community Groups as Spaces for Transformation
Community groups offer a space for accountability, belonging, and care, essential for spiritual growth. These groups provide a place to ask questions, share burdens, and celebrate joys. Prioritizing community groups can lead to significant life change and spiritual development, as they foster an environment where individuals can grow together in faith and support one another. [24:17]
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." (Acts 2:42, ESV)
Reflection: Consider joining or starting a community group. What steps can you take this week to engage with a group that will support your spiritual journey and foster life change?
Quotes
And the secret to my success, during those two years, was not just the surgery that I had or anything like that. It was that I was working out every single day with my friend at work. And so we had a gym in my office in Kansas City. And I was lucky enough to be able to go work out every single day. And being in that community and eating right, that was what was able to allow me to get down and stay as fit as I can. [00:00:55] (26 seconds)
Being with people and being in community helps you physically. And you know what? Maybe you guys haven't really had the same story of what I've done, or maybe you try to help yourself out in this new year. Maybe you hire a trainer. Maybe you have a friend like I did, or maybe you took a class, or maybe you got one of those Peloton bikes. I want a Peloton bike really bad. So we leverage connection for our physical health so much, which got me asking, what about our spiritual health? [00:03:22] (31 seconds)
And there's many reasons for this. Many of you guys might've been raised that way. Maybe you're raised that your spiritual life is private and you don't want it to be out there. And so you kind of want that to be solo. Maybe you're worried that you're gonna be embarrassed or maybe it's gonna be awkward whenever you're talking with people in a group setting or maybe you've had a bad experience with church. [00:04:23] (20 seconds)
And so usually if you have a plural noun like that, you would expect to have plural verbs, right? I'm sorry, I'm not meaning to teach you today. But what we actually see in the Bible is that anytime Elohim is used, it's used with singular verbs, which means it's talking about you have one God as three persons, which is the Trinity, which means that God himself is in community. [00:06:25] (26 seconds)
So when Moses began describing the creation of man, later on, he talks like this. Then God said, let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals and over all the creatures that move along the ground. Notice, notice he says, our image, our. [00:07:21] (28 seconds)
And they ate together, they prayed together, they learned together. They realized that community was essential to their faith. They understood that there are important elements of following Jesus that cannot be practiced simply by sitting in rows. Important elements that cannot be gathered, right? By the teaching, by preaching, by lecture environment, kind of like what we're in right now. [00:13:22] (23 seconds)
Love one another, serve one another, be kind to one another, be compassionate with one another, encourage one another, comfort one another, grieve with one another, celebrate with one another, help one another, carry burdens for one another, be devoted to one another, honor one another. I went too soon. [00:14:37] (18 seconds)
And here's what he said. This is from the former Surgeon General. Loneliness is a growing health crisis affecting people of all ages and backgrounds. It is not just a feeling. It is a serious threat to our health. And in 2021, the Cigna Insurance Group came out, and they did a study, and they found that 61 % of Americans would say that they are lonely. [00:16:34] (27 seconds)
And in the public library of science and medicine, this is shocking, okay? They said the loneliness increases prematurely, premature death by 26%. What's most shocking about that is that same 26 % is the same percentage they give smokers of a premature death. So let that sink in, that loneliness causes the same percentage of premature death as smokers. [00:18:01] (34 seconds)
Do your friends currently right now, do your friends challenge your faith? Do they help grow your faith? Do they give you an opportunity to invest in their faith journey? So today, let's consider the need to connect relationally and grow spiritually. [00:19:38] (17 seconds)
Accountability is that when you're in a community group, someone's going to notice when you're gone. If you don't show up on Sunday, or if you don't show up to a community group tonight, night, someone's going to notice that because they care about you. And you're going to have a belonging. What that means is that people are going to accept you for who you are. Listen, I'm raising my hand. I am a weird guy, right? [00:19:54] (24 seconds)
And I'm telling you right now, if you are a Jesus follower, you should pursue life change because we have never really fully made it, right? We need the steps. And that happens best in community groups. And you might ask questions like, well, where do we find time? Or what about childcare? Or what if we don't like the content? What if we don't like the people? What if we don't like the leader? [00:24:23] (21 seconds)
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