Consistent Community*
Why Coming Together Matters
American singer, songwriter, and storyteller Tom T. Hall wrote a song entitled “Me and Jesus”(1). This song, and in particular the chorus, epitomizes many Christians’ attitudes and dispositions in the West. I call it Tom T. Hall theology. The song captures a philosophy and conviction that all I need to know about being a Christian, I can figure out on my own, just me and Jesus. A purely individualistic view of Christianity is quite pervasive among those who, as a result of adhering to such a philosophy, have an indifferent connection to the local church and appear uncommitted to attendance, participation, and serving, and ultimately disregard most of the New Testament as being written to churches, for churches, and encourages consistent community among God’s people.
“The community that Jesus forms is not a nameless and faceless mass, but a community of individuals whose names are known, burdens are shared, and life is lived together. ”
A critical practice of a believer is a commitment to consistent community. Following Christ is not an isolated event or journey. Jesus consists in forming a fellowship. The community that Jesus forms is not a nameless and faceless mass, but a community of individuals whose names are known, burdens are shared, and life is lived together. The community is the local church. It is the gathered believers worshipping and doing life together. As Kevin Vanhoozer explains, “The church is the primary location for transforming minds, hearts, and practices”(2). This practice furthers authentic repentance. It is where change best takes place, with and supported by other Christians. In his book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis asserts, “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw [people] into Christ, to make them little Christs”(3). Regular, committed participation in authentic community fosters true transformation in the life of a repentant follower of Christ. The church is God’s chosen medium for his people. It is the place where we worship God and where love for each other originates and develops.
“Regular, committed participation in authentic community fosters true transformation in the life of a repentant follower of Christ.”
Community occurs as an outgrowth from a commitment to gather with other believers to worship the one true God. More specifically, Mark Dever argues, “Authentic, gospel-revealing community with supernatural depth and breadth is a natural outgrowth of belief in God’s Word”(4). As a follower of Jesus is met by the power of God’s word, not only by his own study of it, but by a regular diet of Scripture from the teaching and preaching of the leaders of the local church, that follower begins to change and form significant and lasting relationships with other disciples who are doing the same. As Dever continues to explain, “Discipleship involves a significant, self-conscious commitment to the local church. Scripture has no other concept of Christians”(5). This, my friends, is the plan of God for his followers.
*This is the fifth in a series taken from the book The Power of Repentance by Barry Gibson
The song can be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=5bsfn4_wB4M.
Vanhoozer, Hearers & Doers, 94.
Lewis, Mere Christianity, 199.
Dever and Dunlop, Compelling Community, 33.
Dever and Dunlop, Compelling Community, 62.
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