Community is not the problem, biblical community is. Let me explain. Lets take college football for example. I personally love college football. I wake up on Saturday mornings and watch commentators and analysts talk about the day’s games, predicting wins, loses, and upsets. I have my favorite college football team’s schedule on my calendar. I talk with other fans about my team, what is going well and how we are blowing it. I buy apparel to wear to outwardly support my team. I invite others to know more about my team and connect with those that are like-minded. When I can, I go to games to support my team. Basically, I am a passionate fan and a part of my favorite team’s community.

It is not just me, this happens all over the nation. Passionate fans gather with others to cheer on, support, and encourage the hometown team. And for the most part, as long as it does not cross into becoming an idol, this is a good and exciting thing. The main takeaway from this is people really aren’t scared of community. Why is it Christ followers may not be just as excited about biblical community? Gathering together to cheer on, support, and encourage in making disciples of Jesus Christ.

One might ask, what is biblical community and how does it differ from any other community effort?

Biblical community is when you leverage your influence to lovingly invite others to lean into the instruction that transforms our lives. (Acts 2:42-47)

1. Leverage your influence. Who is in your circle of influence? These are the people you spend the most time with. How do you identify who they are? These are the people you go to sporting events, concerts, and school functions with. These are the people you invite over to your house in the summer for a grill out. These are the people you celebrate life’s victories and struggles with. Simply put, the people you are in close relationship with. When there is relationship their is friendship, trust, and accountability. When these things are evident, you have influence in their lives and they have influence in your life. The question becomes what do you with this influence? Christ followers, do you leverage it for the Kingdom of God or do you waste it? Do you speak eternal Truth into the lives of people you know or do you just talk about last Saturday’s game?

Acts 2:44 (ESV), ” And all who believed were together and had all things in common.”

2. Lovingly Invite. When there is an atmosphere of friendship, trust, and accountability , this creates the window to invitation. What is the invitation? The invitation is to be a part of and invite others to something that is bigger oneself, the mission of God. To not only connect with each other but to connect with each other connect in biblical community with the purpose of discovering who God is and how He is continually changes lives.

Acts 2:46 (ESV), “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,”

3. Lean into Instruction. The main difference in Social Groups/Clubs and Biblical Community is the Bible. Without the Bible, small groups don’t exist. This is why it is called biblical community. The Bible is the story of God: what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do. It, very simply put, it a life-changer. Our mission as Christ followers should be to leverage our influence to lovingly invite others to discover the greatest story ever told. To sit with each other on a couch in a living room, with open Bibles, open hearts, and willing to do whatever to make the name of Jesus famous.

Acts 2:42 (ESV), “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

What is the bottom line, the end result? Souls are saved and sanctification is strong. Acts 2:47 (ESV), “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”