Connect to Authentic Community

Navigating The New Year:

Connect To Authentic Community:

James 1:22-25

It is not Resolutions that fail; the Resolver does

One of the greatest gaps in our lives is the gap between Knowing and Doing

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24)

Authentic Community is God’s design to help bridge the gap

We were created to be Dependent on God and Interdependent with one another

Why We Need Each Other

1. I Need Others To Walk With Me

“not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25)

• Community is God’s answer to: Loneliness

“When you run alone, you run fast, when you run with others you run far.”  Zambian Proverb

2. I Need Others To Work With Me

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

• Community is God’s answer to: Fatigue

3. I Need Others To Watch Out For Me

“For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:10–12)

• Community is God’s answer to: Defeat

Who is watching out for your soul?  Who are you watching out for?

4. I Need Others To Rejoice and Weep With Me

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15)

“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

• Community is God’s answer to: Despair

5. I Need Others To Witness With Me

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,” (Philippians 1:27)

“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.” (Luke 10:1)

• Community is God’s answer to: Fear

Our faith was designed to be Personal, but it was never designed to be Private

Authentic community helps bridge the gap between knowing and doing – between information and application!

Making It Personal

• Life transformation begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Is this relationship real and evident in my life today?

• Life was not designed by God to be a solo sport. Who am I authentically connected with?  What does the next step in experiencing authentic community look like for me?

• What area of my life do I sense that God wants to see transformation take place in this year? How can I make use of the God given resources of God’s Word and God’s people to help in this transformation?