Living in Christian Community

Living in Christian community is important because it gives you a group of people that you’re able to grow in Christ with.” – ShiRae
 
Living in Christian community is like being a piece of a puzzle; every piece is unique, valuable and needed in order to create the bigger picture.” – Ean
 
I love knowing that I have a safe place to just share my life and learn more about Christ with a group of people who all want to grow together and become more like Jesus." – Katie
 
Honestly, living in Christ-centered community shows you how much you’ve been missing out on. Being in community with kind-hearted people that have similar values is essential to growth in so many ways.” – Savannah
 
We always hear “There’s safety in numbers,” and while that is true in many ways, I think it is true in thinking about our spiritual lives too. We were created to live in community and to live a life of faith with other believers. This community could look like a church family, small group, friends or family, whoever in your life is Christ-centered and is authentic in their relationship with you and the Lord.
My favorite aspect of living in community is learning about God from other people.

Whether that is in Bible study or in hearing their testimony and how the Lord has worked in their life, being in community opens up our eyes to more viewpoints and experiences that can deepen our understanding of God. One of the biggest things I’ve learned from my faith community is vulnerability.

I’ve gotten to practice being vulnerable, open and authentic in my relationships with other believers that have bettered my ability to be vulnerable, open and authentic in my relationship with the Lord.
While on a mission trip, at camp, a retreat – any kind of getaway where we’re fully surrounded by Christ-focused people, whether for a weekend or a whole summer, community feels so intense and we can feel how truly life-giving it is.

We spend our days talking about what the Lord is teaching us and how we are seeing Him move, we’re getting to serve people in His name, and spend our evenings worshiping Him. Worshipping in a group of other believers helps us see and understand the full body of Christ.  It is no wonder that we feel closer to people, and to God, by the end of these experiences.
So when we’re back at home, into our normal lives, we might feel something missing we didn’t know was missing before.

I’ve often found myself craving an intense community like this once I’m home after a trip. This shows us the importance of Christ-centered community, once we’ve had it, we don’t feel whole without it.

So plug in!

Whether that is joining a small group, or starting a weekly bible study with friends you were on the trip with. The community started in these experiences should only strengthen when we get home, just like if that trip was a jump-start in your faith life, it should only strengthen when you’re back home!
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.” Matthew 18:20
Over the years, TEAMeffort has been a place for college students and graduates from all over the US to grow into Christian community. There is nothing like sharing the experience of missions and helping middle and high school students grow in their faith alongside other college students. If you are feeling called to take a step into Christian community as a one of our Summer Staff, reach out to one of our Staff Recruiters!