5. My spiritual community is held together by our love for Jesus.

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

If you are in a community, what is your community’s purpose?

How much of the conversation in your community centers around the participants’ experiences and relationship with Jesus?

In your community, how easy or difficult is it for you to talk about your experiences with God and your journey with Jesus? What might make sharing these things easier?

Whether stated or not, every community is formed with a purpose in mind. This purpose provides direction for the group, defines its activities and character, and becomes the glue that binds people together in relationship. The purpose of a group can often be reduced to a question. Some questions serve to unite a group. For instance, members of a bingo club might ask, “How can I enjoy bingo with others?” Members of an Alcoholics Anonymous group ask, “How can this group help me break my addiction?” These questions bind members of a group together. 

However, questions can sometimes serve to separate the participants—even though this outcome may be unintentional. For example, if the question a group is asking is, “Which political party is best for the economy?” there could be significant differences in opinion. If the purpose of a church group is to answer the question, “What does the Bible teach about ____?” and each person is encouraged to present their own answer, then differences in what people think might create conflict. 

In spiritual communities, the purpose or goal is to answer the question, “How am I growing and experiencing God in my daily life, and what am I learning about my journey with Jesus?”  The answers to this question will by nature be personal, describing what is real for each person. Different people will answer differently, but their answers will be real for them. 

We can’t disagree with another person’s experience. When these experiences share the common theme of Jesus and how each person is experiencing Him, the community finds their unity in this love for Jesus. In this way they will not only grow in their love for Jesus but will also grow in their love for each other. It is our love for Jesus that keeps us relationally connected to the community when we have been offended or disappointed. 

It is our love for Jesus that helps us love the hard-to-love members of our community. It is the love for Jesus that others have that inspires us into greater and deeper love for Him. It is our focus on Jesus that helps us avoid conflict over differences in opinions about Scripture, culture, church, etc. It is our attention to Jesus that centers our conversations around Jesus, His love for us, and our love for Him. 

It is our trust in Jesus that helps us feel safe enough to share our deepest longings, disappointments, and failures. Spiritual communities are centered around Jesus, their conversations are about Jesus, and their connections with each other are deepened by their connections with Jesus.