Created For Community

There’s an old story about D. L. Moody visiting a businessman in Chicago when the topic of church membership and involvement came up. This man told Moody, “I can be just as good a Christian outside the church as inside it. I don’t have to be involved in church in order to be right with God.”

Moody reportedly said nothing. He just calmly walked over to the fireplace, removed one red-hot burning coal from inside the fire and placed it on the hearth. Community

The two men sat together and watched the ember die out.

“I see,” the other man said.

None of us were ever intended to do any of this alone. We were created to be together. We desperately need each other. I need you. And whether you admit it or not — or like it or not — you need me. You need me to love you. I need you to encourage me. You need me to challenge you. I need you to correct me. I need your strength when I’m tired. You need my support when you’re down. I need your patience when I have none. You need my joy when you have none. We all need to remind one another about the story and our parts in it. We need to be able to look around and see clearly that we’re not in this thing by ourselves. We’re together.

I’m convinced that’s why Christ gave us his Supper in bread and wine. You can’t do it without being within arm’s reach of each other. You don’t email the crackers or download the juice. It’s not a drive-thru thing. We have to sit by each other and touch each other to make it happen.

We were created for holy community. To bear one another’s burdens. To rejoice together and mourn together.

Communion. Community. A big, burning fire. Countless coals feeding off one another’s energy and light and warmth.

Jump right into the middle of it. It beats doing this thing alone.

Peace,

Allan

1 Comment

  1. Rob's Dad

    So you need me to correct you? Talk about unabated to the quarterback…

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