COMMUNITY
"And all the believers met in one place and shared everything they had." (Acts 2:44)
Current Team Leader: Helen Hedrick Contact email: helenmhedrick@aol.com
INTRODUCTION:
Community is a hallmark of Christianity. From the birth of the Church in Acts, "all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as many had need. And day-by-day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and have favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their numbers day-by-day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:44-47).Community is a strength as well as a tradition at Derbyshire. Whether you describe our community feeling as fellowship, relationships, friends and family, or koinonia1, it all boils down to a positive element of our church. We like each other, and we show our care and concern in a variety of ways. That is the good news and an expression of Kingdom Vision.
THE DARK SIDE OF COMMUNITY:
The intimacy we feel within our church may be too narrowing. Some Christians wonder if we sometimes inadvertently turn closeness into "closedness". They worry that we will become ingrown as a church, and that we will be more attentive to insiders than to guests or newcomers.
THE GIFT OF COMMUNITY:
In the New Testament, God's Kingdom is a worldwide community of faith. We at Derbyshire are stewards of the gift of community God has bestowed on us here. Kingdom Vision calls us to draw together as believers for worship, faith development, and fellowship in order to strengthen ourselves for scattered service in God's larger community. To that end, we will:
- Deepen community ties within our church
- Weave a tapestry of relationships among our members for mutual encouragement in life and ministry
- Live as good neighbors to our larger region
1Koinonia: the union of the faithful with Christ and among themselves