Community is messy. Why do we need to do it? Can’t we just hang around with people we like?
Let me be clear: by doing these spiritual practices, we won’t earn more of God’s love. We won’t be more saved by doing community, than if we don’t. So why do the spiritual practices at all?
We are all being formed, whether we like it or not; by the TV shows we watch, by the music we listen to, by the books we read and by the friends and family we share life with.
These practices we’ve been looking at are a way of us hopefully being formed to becoming more like Jesus, allowing and dedicating space and time in our lives for God to work in us. Tending to our soul’s soil so that God can grow some fruit in our lives. This is our calling as Christians, to be transformed into Christ-likeness by the power of his Spirit in us. Paul encourages us in Galatians to walk in step with the Spirit. One way of having a go at that is to practice what Jesus practiced.
Jesus modelled community in 5 ways:
- Forming – who we do life with is important
- Eating – round a table, sharing life
- Learning – growing together, not alone
- Restoring – bringing people back in, not leaving them out
- Mission – going together, not alone
I’ve popped an in-depth Bible study at the bottom of this Midweek Musing for you to really dig into these 5 things, if you’d like to.
How do we do community?
True community is hard. People are irritating. Thankfully, Jesus gives direct instruction on communal life:
- Matthew 18:21–35 – Parable about forgiveness
- John 13:34–35 – “Love one another.”
- John 15:12–17 – Command to love and remain in friendship.
- Matthew 18:15–20 – Reconciliation when you’ve been sinned against/you’ve sinned against someone
These are core teachings about how we, as a community, should function.
When you zoom out across the Gospels and Acts, the spiritual practice of community includes five repeating rhythms:
- Gathering – disciples living life together
- Meals – table fellowship and hospitality
- Teaching – learning together
- Prayer – together, part of our spiritual lives
- Mission – going out together
This pattern became the template for Christian community for the next 2000 years
Dunbar’s Number
I love when science matches the Bible and community is one of those areas! In the 90s, an anthropologist named Robert Dunbar suggested a limit of approximately 150 people with whom an individual can maintain stable, meaningful social relationships. Interestingly, this roughly mirrors how Jesus seemed to structure relationships…
You and God in the centre (that’s your solitude and silence practice) 
You and up to 5 others in the next one (for Jesus it was Peter, James and John). Dunbar states we should devote about 40 percent of our available social time to these 5. 
You and 15 others in the next one (for Jesus it was the 12 disciples plus maybe Mary, Martha and Lazarus?). Dunbar reckons 20 percent of our time should be spent here. 
You and around 50 others in the next one (Jesus had the 72 disciples). 
You and 150 others (Everyone else or the crowds).
Here’s my point: Jesus didn’t just do one of these relational circles. The big gatherings are really important and we definitely should be part of a church community as Christians, but not at the expense of the 3, and the 12. The most growth and discipleship occurs with the 3 and the 12.
Community is messy. However, if we avoid messy people, we’ll probably avoid becoming like Jesus too. Community is formational.
I think we all instinctively want community but it doesn’t just happen. We have to practice it. I heard an analogy recently about how community is like a well; we need it when we need water but we can’t wait to start building it when we’re thirsty, we need to build it before so it’s there when we’re thirsty.
Next month, it’s our “‘Av a go” session but, why wait until next month? Let’s start practicing community now.
Start small and start where you’re at. Don’t put yourself under pressure to cook a meal for lots of people if that’s something you’ve never done before. Who could you invite for a cuppa and a biscuit?
Go Deeper
Write down:
- 1 thing you have liked from the passages
- 1 thing you have not liked from the passages
- 1 thing you’ve learned about God
- 1 thing you’ve learned about yourself
- 1 thing you’re going to change from today because what you’ve learned. How are you going to ‘av a go at community?
Bible Study on how Jesus modelled community:
1. Forming community
- Matthew 4:18–22 – Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow Him.
- Mark 1:16–20 – Parallel calling of the first disciples.
- Luke 5:1–11 – Miraculous catch of fish and calling of disciples.
- Luke 6:12–16 – Jesus appoints the twelve apostles.
- Mark 3:13–19 – Jesus appoints the twelve “to be with him.”
- Matthew 9:9 – Calling of Matthew.
Reflect
What’s the purpose of putting us together, in a church community, with people who, let’s be honest, probably grind our gears at times? Jesus intentionally chose fishermen renowned for their bad temper, a tax collector, a zealot (which was a member of a 1st-century Jewish political and religious movement dedicated to violently overthrowing Roman rule in Judea). Can you imagine this in our context?
2. Eating together in community
- Luke 5:27–32 – Jesus eats with tax collectors at Levi’s house & Matthew 9:10–13 – Parallel account of the same meal & Mark 2:15–17 – Parallel account
- Luke 7:36–50 – Dinner at Simon the Pharisee’s house
- Luke 10:38–42 – Jesus welcomed into Martha and Mary’s home
- Luke 19:1–10 – Jesus eats with Zacchaeus
- Matthew 26:17–30 – The Last Supper & Mark 14:12–26 – Parallel Last Supper account & Luke 22:7–38 – Parallel Last Supper account & John 13:1–30 – Last Supper and foot washing
- John 21:9–14 – Jesus eats breakfast with the disciples after the resurrection
Reflect
To be a Jesus community, do we have to eat round a table together with other Christians, regularly? Up until the reformation, the primary meaning for gathering as church was for communion. Communion which Jesus said “do this in remembrance of me”. We’re not going to debate the theology of communion today but know that the early church referred to it as a ‘love feast’. It wasn’t just a thimble of wine and a bit of bread, it was a feast.
3. Teaching/learning together in community
- Matthew 5–7 – Sermon on the Mount.
- Luke 6:17–49 – Sermon on the Plain.
- Matthew 13 – Parables taught to crowds and disciples.
- Mark 4:1–34 – Parables taught to gathered listeners.
- Luke 8:4–18 – Teaching through parables.
- John 6:22–59 – Teaching the crowds about the Bread of Life
Reflect
What happens when we learn in community vs. on our own? Do you have any examples from your own life where you have found this helpful?
4. Restoring /healing previously excluded people back in to community
- Mark 1:40–45 – Healing of a leper
- Luke 17:11–19 – Healing of ten lepers
- Mark 5:1–20 – Deliverance of the Gerasene demoniac, restored to his community
- Mark 5:25–34 – Healing of the bleeding woman
- Luke 7:11–17 – Raising the widow’s son at Nain
Reflect
God is a triune God. He’s a mystery and he’s a relationship in himself, with the Father, the Son and Spirit. He made humans in this image, to be in community. He says it’s not good for us to be alone. Jesus’ miracles often reintegrate isolated people back into community life.
What does this tell you about God? Does this change how you might pray for people in our community?
5. Mission in community
Jesus never sends disciples on mission alone.
- Matthew 10:1–42 – Sending out the twelve.
- Mark 6:7–13 – Sent out two by two.
- Luke 9:1–6 – Sending the twelve.
- Luke 10:1–20 – Sending the seventy-two in pairs.
Reflect
This demonstrates shared ministry and mutual support. Do we all view mission as something we should be doing regularly? Do we view it as a thing the experts do? The evangelists among us will sort that one?
