I remember growing up, going to church on Sundays, then going to Sunday school, and (later when I was in middle school and high school) attending youth group. That felt like just the order of things. Even as a kid, going to church was just the order of Sundays. As I got older and fresh out of high school I got invited to a college group. I remember knowing almost everyone in the room. But I was still nervous about being there. I felt nervous about fitting in, especially in a different setting outside of church. I was nervous about challenging myself spiritually. I was defiantly nervous about speaking out loud and praying. So many things were swirling in my head. And this was with people I knew!
I couldn’t imagine going to a group with people that I didn’t know. It’s hard trying new things, especially since different settings bring new challenges.
Today, I always try to think about the early church in Acts. The books of Acts starts off with the resurrection and ascension of Jesus to heaven. And in chapter two, the Church begins. Pentecost happens and the Holy Spirit falls on God’s People. The Holy Spirit comes down like this crazy rushing wind and fills the house, everyone was filled with the spirit and speaking in other tongues. Pretty intense right?
Peter stands up and starts to speak. And first things first, he has to explain that these people talking in tongues aren't crazy drunks, they are filled with the Spirit. He continues to explain the Old Testament, he tells the crowd about some of the prophecy about the Holy Spirit falling down, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and how He is seated at the right hand of God. He concludes by telling those listening that now is the time for repentance, baptisms, and exalting God. Its lot of stuff to think about crammed into a seemingly short story, it’s a massive situation with so much going on!
Acts tells us that after this, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and began to fellowship, break bread, and praying. They were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to others in need. Every day they continued to meet and break bread together, and had happy and glad hearts.” (Acts 2.42)
So then I wonder, what does this mean to me? What does it mean to you? When I sit and think about Acts 2, it reminds me of a church service. We worship and invite the Holy Spirit. I have heard someone ask, "Why are we dictating when the Holy Spirit can move?" My wife and I were recently talking about this. We were talking about how we interpreted many prayers like this not as a command to the Holy Spirit, but as more about our hearts being ready and how we are pleading for the Holy Spirit to fill us. Then, in the same way that Peter came up next with the sermon, we then get the word and a story that should always point us back to what Christ has done, followed by a time to respond. Repent and be baptized.
What happens next is what i most think about authentic community. We break bread and fellowship and pray. We converse and think about the words that we just heard. Every day they met, and were full of happy and joyful hearts. Authentic community isn't something that we just want, it’s something that we need. It’s innate and built in us. We might not always know that there is a gap or hole that we need to have filled, but when we fill it, it’s obvious. Community was important to Jesus, it’s in His word. It didn't just say the Spirit came down, and people repented and got baptized. It also says they had community: Every. Single. Day.
Ultimately, that is what the church (and the big-C Church) is all about. We spend an hour or hour and a half together on Sunday mornings. But that's just not enough time to form community, and you need community to get through life, we can't do it alone. Community doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, trust me, I know. Like I said before, I was so nervous when I was a part of my first small group. It took me months before I felt comfortable enough to have authentic community, but I needed that college small group in my life.
My current small group is so important to me and family's life. We have a group of couples in the same life space, we all have kids around the same age. We read books together, we pray for each other, we laugh, we cry, we even do Dungeons and Dragons campaigns together. Some days, I think what I would do if I only saw them on Sunday mornings, when I’m hustling to get on stage because I’m on the worship team, or when my brother or sister is counting offering after the service, or serving coffee to a guest. I need that quality time outside of Sunday service. I'm so thankful for my church family in and out of the four walls. We are the body of Christ, we are the community of saints.