Hello again! Last blog, I shared the first area I’ve seen God work in: my personal spiritual journey. In this blog I wanted to focus on community. The sweet bonds of community are beyond measure, especially when the Lord is in the center of it. God has brought together a team of people from all across North America. Ironically, many of us only live an hour or two away from someone else on the team but God decided to bring us all the way to Africa to meet! How do 14 random strangers from Indiana, Tennessee, the Carolinas, California, Michigan, Texas, Missouri, Alabama, and Canada become a family in merely a few weeks? The key is intentional vulnerability. Carving out time each day to be real with one another and share the depths of our hearts.
Each night after a day of ministry, we have “Team Time”. The structure of this is flexible, depending on what is needed that particular day, though it usually consists of worship, feedback, story sharing, and prayer.
The worship we start the night off with is informal and spirit-led, just a compilation of different voices singing praises to the same Mighty God. His presence is undeniably felt in the midst of this time. Regardless of how off-key we are or how many words in the song we messed up, God delights in hearing the humble voices of His children.
Feedback is a time dedicated to building one another up whether it is spotlighting a strength in someone or “holding up a mirror” to show them a potential blind spot in their life that they could grow and improve in. It is a very uplifting and beneficial time, for it is clear that everything that is spoken over another teammate in this time is spoken out of a spirit of love and a desire to help one another mature in our faith. The encouragements and challenges we receive is helpful and relevant. We have experienced first-hand the truth of Proverbs 27:17: “Just as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
My favorite part of this time by far is when we share stories. One person each night will share their life story. The good, the bad, and the ugly. The struggles and the victories. The doubts and the redemption. This is a time of raw transparency with one another, total honesty. Sharing our testimonies is a crucial part of establishing a deep connection with those around us. It is frightening to open up, (I know that my voice was definitely trembling initially when it was my night to share) but it is so worth it. Brokenness is how we relate to one another. A willingness to be vulnerable, to wear your heart on your sleeve, and to take off that “life is perfect” mask is essential to experiencing the full gift of community. It is during this time that chains have been broken. The power of secret sins and the shame that comes with that has been stomped down in the name of Jesus. Revelation 12:11 says that Satan is conquered through “the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their testimony.” Our story is powerful. No story is insignificant. It opens up a space for others to say “me too.” Share yours, you may be surprised to find that you are not alone in your struggles or sins or doubts.
We end with prayer, one by one praying over the person who shared their story. Together, united in prayer, we call out to God on behalf of our beloved teammate. Often this is a time of tears and victory, as all the power of the Enemy is stripped away! Shame, condemnation, guilt, and hopelessness have no place here!
We are relational beings. We were not created to live this life alone. Build a community of people around you who will encourage and build you up, who are willing to speak truth into your life, and who you can delve into a deep friendship with. Often it only takes one bold individual to open up for others to follow. Community is valuable and imperative! So be bold enough to get vulnerable and transparent with trusted individuals around you.
