Community, specifically missional community, is what I am probably the most passionate about. The Lord gave me the desire to live in, study, and invite others into intimate and biblical community.
What we are doing here on the race is my favorite thing. I love my squad and am blessed to be able to live out my passions in such a tangible way.
Community is hard. For myself and the 45 other people on W Squad, community sometimes looks like sleeping in an abnormally small room with six plus other people. It sometimes looks like having extremely hard and uncomfortable conversations with your squad/team-mates because we’ve decided to value each other enough to call each other higher. It often looks like putting in earphones to have alone time, because we are NEVER alone.
Community is hard. But in the midst of the difficulty of it, I’ve realized how crucial it is to dwell on the privilege and honor it is to be thrown into a situation where I (and my squad-mates) have no choice but to live out the Bible. My Wonder Church (W-Squad) family is the Church of Acts in action. We have come to see the fruit of living this way and most, if not all, of us have no desire to go back to any other way of life.
My hope is that we will learn to treasure what we have here for the season we have it, because life may never look quite like it does on the field. We will have the choice whether or not we want to live in intentional missional community. We, most likely, will not be living 24 hours a day 7 days a week with 45 other humans. I want us to press in so that we hopefully can implement what we have learned throughout this year into our lives after the race.
In Vietnam, I had the opportunity to lead a session for my whole squad at what we call Leadership Development Weekend or “LDW”. I used that space to encourage and teach on missional community. Below is the outline from my session. I hope that the Lord speaks to you through what he has been teaching me over the last few years.
What is Missional Community?
A missional community, at its core, is a Family of Missionary Servants who make disciples who make disciples.
A disciple is one who follows Jesus, is changed by Jesus, and helps others to do the same.
Making disciples and then helping them grow up so that they can eventually do the same is our job.
1. God is our father and we are his family.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12 NIV)
We, as the children of God, should care about each other deeply as brothers and sisters; as family.
What do families do?
Families eat together, celebrate with each other, share trials and tribulations, they struggle together, grieve together, forgive each other, encourage one another, and take care of needs that arise. Whether these needs are physical or spiritual.
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” (Romans 12:10-16 NIV)
Now this may look slightly different on the race than it does in life off the field, but that doesn’t let us off hook once we get home. As hard as we say living in community like this is, it’s been dropped in our laps. We have no choice and therefore we are going to do it. But back home we’ll have a choice.
There are simple ways to cultivate a culture of family.
Invite people over. Worship together. Play board games. Read the Bible together. Participate in what others are passionate about. Offer to enter into daily life. Watch someone’s kids. Learn each other’s stories!!
Encouragement: Not only is living in community as a family beneficial for us, it is a beautiful and effective means of evangelism.
IT’S ATTRACTIVE AND PEOPLE WILL WANT WHAT WE HAVE.
“Everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35 NIV)
We have the opportunity to model Jesus through our interactions with each other. He is the most attractive.
Remember, when the going gets tough back at home and you’d rather stay in the comfort of home or keep your space to yourself, that there are souls just as desperate for Jesus in Colorado, California, and New Jersey as there are in India, Vietnam, or Rwanda.
2. The Holy Spirit is our guide and our sender and we are his missionaries.
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:21-22 NIV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NIV)
We are sent as the Lord’s family to go and preach the good news of Jesus Christ and fulfill the Great Commission.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)
Our JOB is to make disciples. It is the reason we are here. Otherwise we would be in heaven as soon as we come to know Christ. Small groups and Bible studies are absolutely wonderful but can sometimes focus only on the encouragement of fellow believers. We can’t forget that we were made to spread the gospel to as many people as possible.
I believe living missionally is more effective and more tangible when in a community setting.
Go to the people together. Invite nonbelievers into everyday life.
3. Jesus is our Lord and we are his servants.
“Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” (Matthew 20:25-28 NIV)
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8 NIV)
We serve the Lord by serving each other, by serving our hosts, by serving the least of these.
Now what does this look like?
It may be taking care of sick teammate, being joyful about ministry, taking care of our hosts’ home, etc.
After the race it could be watching a couple’s kids so they can have a date night, washing your roommate’s dishes, paying for someone’s coffee, or any number of things.
Be open to what the Lord is calling you to. It may be hard. But it will always, always be good.
Remember Acts 2:44-47!
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 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.” (Acts 2:44-47 NIV)
They were together, had everything in common, did everything they could to take care of each other, ate together, worshipped the Lord together, and they saw the Lord faithfully adding to their numbers!
BE ENCOURAGED!
We have been invited by the creator of the universe to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the world! What a cool thing.
