Part 5 Reimagining Your Spiritual Community
Chapter 16 The Importance of Community
While it's important to heal from past hurts, it's also vital to realize the value of spiritual
community.
Don't let past experiences isolate you from the Body of Christ.
This might mean finding a new church, joining a home fellowship, or gathering with like-minded
believers in a Spirit-led setting.
Seek out a Spirit-led community where you can be supported, grow, and serve.
Community is an essential part of your faith journey, providing accountability and opportunities
for growth.
The writer of Hebrews rightly encourages us.
And let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds, not giving up
meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.
And all the more as you see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10 verses 24 and 25
The followers of the Way, as Christians were first known, or what I refer to as the early
Ekklesia, offer a powerful model for what a spiritual community can and should be.
Remember, Ekklesia is the word Jesus used in Matthew 16 verse 18, not church.
Ekklesia does not refer to a building or an institution.
It literally means the called-out ones.
The early Ekklesia didn't rely on grand cathedrals or formalized rituals.
Acts 2 verses 46 and 47 tell us,
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.
And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
The temple in Jerusalem was a familiar and prominent public space where people gathered
not only for worship, but also for teaching, discussion, and community.
The temple courts were not restricted to priests or Levites.
They were accessible to the general public and were frequented by Jews from all walks
of life, including Gentiles in the court of the Gentiles.
This made them an ideal space for large gatherings, providing a significant opportunity to reach
others with the message of Jesus.
Early believers, empowered by the Holy Spirit, used this public space, which was ideal for
large inclusive gatherings, to witness to others and proclaim the gospel.
They also met in homes, shared meals, prayed together, and encouraged one another in their
faith.
Their gatherings were marked by simplicity, intimacy, and a shared commitment to God.
Over time, as opposition to the Christian movement grew and the temple itself was destroyed
in 70 AD, believers transitioned to meeting primarily in homes or other private spaces.
These home gatherings allowed for deeper fellowship, intimate worship, and communal meals, laying
the foundation for what would later become known as the house-church model.
Picture a group of current-day believers gathering in a living room each week.
They share a meal, read scripture together, and discuss how God is working in their lives.
There are no formal sermons, no rigid agendas, just a Spirit-led time of encouragement and
mutual edification.
They could also be friends gathering in a park for prayer and worship under the open
sky, lifting their voices in song and sharing testimonies of God's faithfulness.
These are modern expressions of the Ecclesia.
Again, I'm not knocking church attendance, I'm merely pointing out that community among
believers doesn't need to and shouldn't be confined to the walls of a church building.
Home churches, small group fellowships, and Spirit-led gatherings are all meaningful ways
to live out your faith in connection with others.
The focus isn't on the location, it's on the relationships and the shared commitment
to seeking God together.
Throughout the course of my life, I've had the displeasure of belonging to some terrible
life-draining churches, but have also been extremely blessed to belong to some incredible,
inspiring, life-affirming churches under the direction of some remarkable individuals.
What made the difference?
Leadership of the church, who were committed to being profoundly and unapologetically Spirit-led
in their lives and in their ministry.
This goes well beyond theology, entrenched doctrines, and creating engaging or entertaining
programs.
In my experience, Spirit-filled churches are not too hard to find.
It's not uncommon to encounter services where one can sense the Holy Spirit moving among
the congregation and generating a visceral, emotional response.
The influence and working of the Spirit is certainly present, but it tends to be external.
Spirit-led churches, on the other hand, are rare.
The individuals who lead their congregations are deliberately and especially sensitive
to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and all of the top-to-bottom decisions they make for
their congregations.
Such congregations usually reflect more spiritual growth and maturity and also tend to have
an oversized impact in the communities they live in and they serve.
Leading Without Hierarchy
Now, one of the most distinctive aspects of the early Ecclesia was its lack of rigid hierarchy.
Unlike traditional, institutional structures that place a select few in positions of authority
over the many, the New Testament model emphasizes collaborative, Spirit-driven leadership where
every member's gifts are valued and utilized.
Ephesians 4, verses 11-13 highlight the diversity of the gifts within the body of Christ.
So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers
to equip His people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until
we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,
attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, the purpose of these roles is not to create a hierarchy
but to equip all believers to serve and grow.
In a Spirit-led community, leadership is not about control or status, it's about service
and empowerment.
Each person has a unique role to play and every contribution matters.
By rejecting rigid hierarchies, Spirit-led communities create space for collaborative
decision-making and mutual edification.
This reflects the truth that Christ is the head of the body and the rest of us are co-laborers
working together in unity in love.
Does this mean that a hierarchy is inherently evil or wrong?
No.
If you belong to an organization, there needs to be order, not chaos, but the authority
you are to answer to is God Himself.
Authentic Worship
Authentic worship is one of the most powerful ways to connect with God, but it's not limited
to weekend services or formal liturgies.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, A time is coming, and now has come, when true
believers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers
the Father seeks.
John 4 verse 23
Authentic worship is not about location or formality.
It's about a heart that seeks God in sincerity and truth.
Worship takes many forms.
It can be a group of believers lifting their voices in song, a quiet moment of prayer,
or even an act of service done in Jesus' name.
Worship is a lifestyle, not an event.
It's about living in constant awareness of God's presence and responding to His goodness
with gratitude and praise.
The Ecclesia are not bound by tradition or confined walls.
It's a Spirit-led, relational, and purpose-driven community where believers come together to
seek God, serve others, and grow in faith.
By gathering meaningfully, leading collaboratively, serving lovingly, and worshiping authentically,
you can experience the fullness of what it means to be the Body of Christ.
This is the vision of the Ecclesia, a community where the Spirit moves freely and every believer
is empowered to live out their God-given purpose.
Your Spiritual Community
As you move forward, be consciously aware of what your spiritual community looks like
or will look like.
The early Ecclesia offers a beautiful model for what a church can and should be, a gathering
of like-minded believers, focused on mutual edification, shared purpose, and authentic
worship in spirit and in truth.
Community is not confined to a building or an institution.
It's gathering meaningfully with others, whether in a home fellowship, a small group,
or any type of Spirit-led gathering.
Remember, leadership in a true Ecclesian community is not about hierarchy or rank.
It's about Spirit-led collaboration, with each person contributing their unique gifts
to build up the Body of Christ.
It's about serving in love, expressing your faith through acts of generosity, compassion,
and kindness.
Worship in a community like this is not limited to Sunday mornings.
It's a lifestyle that flows from the transformation the Spirit is working within you, an ongoing
expression of love and gratitude to God in everything you do.
Whether you're singing, serving, or simply living out your faith with integrity, you
are worshiping in spirit and truth.
Find or start a community that lives out and expresses these ideals.
Regardless of their size, true Spirit-led community is the way to go.
communities aren't inward focused, they look outward to serve others.
Jesus himself said, By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love
one another.
John 13 verse 35 Acts of service, generosity, and compassion
are central to the life of the Ekklesia.
As Galatians 5.13 reminds us, You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free, but do
not use your freedom to indulge the flesh, rather serve one another humbly in love.
Serving others is not just a good deed, it is an expression of faith and an extension
of God's love to the world.
Service goes well beyond attending and participating in church.
Ekklesians are marked by their commitment to meeting the needs of others.
Whether it's feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, or simply extending kindness
to a neighbor, these acts of love are a powerful testimony to the transforming work of Christ.