Community Groups

A central theme which runs throughout the Bible is that God is creating a people who belong to Him. Whether in the Old Covenant or the New, the work of God is the calling of a people. He is not merely saving individuals; He is building a new community in which He is the central participant. He is forming a new society out of the ashes of a fallen and rebellious human race. The development of a community lies at the heart of God’s covenant promise “I will be your God and you will be my people.” The church must take the call to be a new community with the utmost seriousness. At Trinity, we believe this requires at least three things.

1. The development of community life requires significant face to face relationships

To have the quality of community life which God expects from the church requires deliberate effort. This cannot happen only (or even mainly!) in the large worship service. We cannot assume that merely by gathering together in large groups that we will be able to embody the gospel or carry out the functions which God intends for His people to fulfill. We will be incapable of being “a city set on a hill.” We will not be able to proclaim the good news credibly. To do this requires face-to-face groups. It demands ongoing significant relationships in which are consciously pursuing Christian community and not settling for casual social involvement with one another.

2. Each person must see himself or herself as a minister

Many churches expect the pastoral staff to “build up the believers,” but the Bible expects believers to “build up one another.” Many churches expect the pastoral staff to attract and win new persons through programs, but the Bible says that the body grows member-to-member as each speaks the truth in love, builds up, and equips the other. The early church certainly recognized that the essence of being the church was face-to-face every member ministry in Community Groups. Paul assumes that when they meet together “each one of you has a psalm, a teaching...let all things be done for building up (oikodomeo).”(1 Cor. 14). Paul is clearly talking of house churches, in which everyone participated. He assumed everyone ministered.

3. We must work hard at developing community

Nurtured within a culture which encourages a radical individualism, our ability to participate in a robust community life has been severely diminished. The muscles required for life together have wasted away and atrophied. It is no wonder that many of our attempts at being a community are unfulfilling and sub-par. Simply put: we are not very good at it. But this can be no excuse for avoiding it. After all, it is what we were created for and it is what God expects from us.

To this end we are launching new Community Groups right now. If you want to join one, please email us here or join us on the City to get involved.

See you Sunday night.