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This week, we’re in Practice #4: Grow in Community. Our guest preacher, Scott Stonehouse, emphasized that biblical community is, first, a New Testament model that we see in the life of Jesus and his followers; second, something we imitate as contemporary followers of Jesus; and, third, something we demonstrate to a watching world as evidence of faith.

Today, let’s get really practical as we explore options for community here at Dallas Bible. Would you consider one of the following groups as your next step?

1. Sunday Morning Groups

While you’re here participating in corporate worship, a great way to grow is to join a group where you can know and be known. Connect (9 am) is an intentional small group environment where you will meet friends, learn more about the people of DBC, and receive prayer and encouragement. Two Bible study groups (9 am & 10:45 am) offer mid-size communities that meet to study God’s Word as well as pray for one another. You can find out more HERE.

2. Men’s / Women’s Bible Study Groups

Some of the deepest community happens in our gender specific Bible study small groups where we discuss God’s Word and share our lives with fellow sisters and brothers in the faith. Women’s Bible study meets on Tuesdays, 10-11:30 am, and Wednesdays, 6:30-8 pm. You can find out more HERE. Men’s Ministry meets on Fridays, 6:30-8 am. You can find out more HERE.

3. Life Groups

We believe discipleship happens best in the context of intentional relationships, so we want to help you connect. Life Groups meet in various locations throughout the week and foster the development of life-giving relationships centered around prayer, care, and God's Word. Our hope is for friendships to form that will strengthen your relationship with Jesus and help glorify Him. We have Life Group sign-ups twice yearly (January and August).

Let’s close in prayer: “Father, you are all-wise and all-knowing. Your desire for me is to grow in godliness and closeness to Jesus. If community is one of the best ways for me to grow, will you show me where I should step out in faith to connect? Provide for me friends who know and love Jesus who want to spur me on to greater knowledge and love. Amen.”

This week, we’re in Practice #4: Grow in Community. Our guest preacher, Scott Stonehouse, emphasized that biblical community is, first, a New Testament model that we see in the life of Jesus and his followers; second, something we imitate as contemporary followers of Jesus; and, third, something we demonstrate to a watching world as evidence of faith.

Today, we will consider how Christian community is an apologetic (or evidence of faith) to those around us who do not yet know Jesus.

Many of us know the Great Commission and take it seriously. It’s a call in Matthew 28:19-20 (NET) for Jesus followers to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything [Jesus] commanded.” It’s a charge to leave our comfort zones, share the good news about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, baptize new converts, and teach Scriptural truth to new believers. It’s a call to evangelize the world.

But, in our zeal to advance the message of the gospel, sometimes another significant passage - the Great Commandment - gets lost. In John 13:34-35 (NET) we learn that Jesus followers are called to love God with everything they have AND also to love one another. Here’s v. 35: “Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” Apologetics do not only include words of teaching and truth; they also include actions of love.

Our DBC mission statement is an intentional amalgam of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. We are on mission to “love ALL and help ALL follow Jesus.”

Evaluate your own Christian community. It could be a Life Group, Bible study group, group of friends, or your family. When outsiders see what goes on, do they see supernatural love? Do they sense that God is real because of the way you live? 

Consider what it means to be an apologist - to give evidence of the truthfulness of God. How do you use words of truth to attest to your relationship with Jesus? How do you use actions of love? 

Let’s end this morning by meditating on this passage from 1 Peter 3:8-17 (NET):

8 Be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. 9 Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing. 10 For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit. 11 And he must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. 13 For who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good? 14 But in fact, if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them or be shaken. 15 But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. 16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.

Lord, let these things be true of us.

This week, we’re in Practice #4: Grow in Community. Our guest preacher, Scott Stonehouse, emphasized that biblical community is, first, a New Testament model that we see in the life of Jesus and his followers; second, something we imitate as contemporary followers of Jesus; and, third, something we demonstrate to a watching world as evidence of faith.

Today, let’s think about the call to imitate Jesus’ lifestyle as his followers. Specifically, we’ll consider the way we’re told to interact as modern-day members of Jesus’ church.

The apostle Paul is the most prolific New Testament author and offers us a glimpse into the interactions of the early church. He counsels his listeners to live in a way that is different from the world - one of unity and love in the midst of diversity. Let’s read from two helpful passages:

Romans 12:9-17 (NET):

9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. 10  Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.

Colossians 3:12-17 (NET):

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. 14 And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond. 15 Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Write down a few of the descriptions you read. Consider your own experience with Christian community. How does it match? How does it differ? What kind of community do you long to have? 

Consider how you can begin implementing these “one anothers” with the people in your life this week. Write down one person who comes to mind and one way you can bless them by imitating the way of Jesus.

This week, we’re in Practice #4: Grow in Community. Our guest preacher, Scott Stonehouse, emphasized that biblical community is, first, a New Testament model that we see in the life of Jesus and his followers; second, something we imitate as contemporary followers of Jesus; and, third, something we demonstrate to a watching world as evidence of faith.

Today, let’s consider community as a New Testament model, first lived out by Jesus and then by the apostles and the early church.

First, we’ll read from Mark 3:13-19 (NET):

13 Now Jesus went up the mountain and called for those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve so that they would be with him and he could send them to preach 15 and to have authority to cast out demons. 16 To Simon he gave the name Peter; 17 to James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee, he gave the name Boanerges (that is, “sons of thunder”); 18 and Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus spent his three years of itinerant ministry primarily with a small band of followers. These were ordinary Galilean men of no worldly consequence. And he trained them to preach the good news of the Kingdom as well as to cast out demons in Jesus’ name. But, first, he called them to simply “be with him” (v. 14). They were his dearest friends.

After Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, these disciples (and hundreds of other followers of Jesus) received an incredible gift - the ongoing presence of God’s Spirit within them. Let’s read from Acts 2:1-12

1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. 6 When this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Completely baffled, they said, “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that each one of us hears them in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” 12 All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

These people, varied though they were in ethnicity, religious background, age, wealth, language, gender, and more - were united in the Holy Spirit. And that unity produced community. Let’s jump down a few verses to Acts 2:42-47:

42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Reverential awe came over everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and held everything in common, 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need. 46 Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, 47 praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved.

This new community - known as the “ecclesia” or gathering - centered itself upon Scriptural teaching, spending time together, eating meals, praying, serving, worshipping corporately, and sharing the news about Jesus. They spent lots of time together because each of their individual identities was now wrapped up in this new Jesus movement.

Community was modeled by Jesus and his disciples as well as the early church. But it’s not just a historic reality. It’s an offer for you and for me...today. If you have the Holy Spirit within you, then the gift of community is yours for the taking.

What does community look like in your life? Does it look like being with fellow believers? Being known, seen, a valued contributor?

Do you have the joy of being in a group that centers itself around worship, praying, reading God’s word, and simply spending time in normal activities like eating a meal? If not, we’d like to prompt you to step out and try it.

Here's a simple prayer to pray today: "Father, you sent your Son to model the beauty of community. And then you sent your Spirit to indwell and gather believers together. I praise you for the way you've given us the gift of one another. Help me to see the value of knowing and being known by others. Give me opportunities to step into Christian community in real, authentic ways. Amen."

Practice #4: Grow in Biblical Community

The West is the land of the individual. From rusted the harbors of Ellis Island to the silicon jungles of San Fransisco, we love stories of individuals — brave, undaunted men and women who through hard work, ingenuity, and big dreams create a brighter future for themselves and their children. However, the Bible paints a very different picture of what it means to follow Christ; The redemptive language of the New Testament is more “we” focused than “me” focused. In our cultural context, this might be the most radically counter-cultural distinctive in the life of the believer — the necessity of community in our spiritual journey.

For Group Leaders

1. Begin in prayer. Welcome the Holy Spirit to the group and invite Him to lead, guide, and convict your group as you meet together.
2. Reflect on the sermon this morning as a group. What were some highlights? Was anything particularly helpful, convicting, or confusing?
3. Consider the following questions and pick a few to focus your discussion.

Examine the Word

• Re-read Acts 2:44-47

For Discussion

• Why do you think God calls the Christian life to be lived in community?
• What do you think the ideal Christian community looks like? Have you ever experienced anything like this in your discipleship journey?
• Think of a time in your life when you have been isolated from Christian community. What was this time like? Were there any ramifications to your personal spiritual life during this time?
• When we look at the New Testament church (Acts 2:44-47), what similarities and dissimilarities do we see with the church in North Dallas? To what degree are we supposed to expect the same type of community that we see in the early church?

Practice

• Intentional vulnerability: Vulnerability is the core of intimacy. This week, choose a person from your Christian sphere of interaction with whom your relationship might be described as superficial. Over a meal or a cup of coffee intentionally share your story with this believer. Be careful not to avoid the difficult parts, hurts, or embarrassments when sharing your story.
• Confession: Find a trusted friend to confess sin with. James 5:6 says that confessing to a community of believers is an essential component of healthy Christian walk. Set aside a time to humbly confess your struggles and failures to one another.
• Encouragement: Practice a time of intentional encouragement. Write down three specific things you love or admire about a member of your community. Send a card, make a phone call, or have an in-person conversation with your brother or sister and encourage them with those three things (NOTE: be specific. Generalities and platitudes are rarely encouraging — dig deep to discern how God has gifted your brother or sister).

For Family Discussions

• Take some time to talk about the sermon together. What did you learn that was new? Were there any parts that were confusing?
• Why do you think it’s important to have Christian friends? Do you think there’s anything wrong with having non-Christian friends?
• Why do you think God wants us to come to church? What does this tell us about what kind of life God desires us to live?
• Talk about confession. Why does God want us to confess our sins to each other?