What does the Bible say about community?
Christians are all part of the body of Christ and we all have different functions. Some of us are strong in this area and some are strong in that area. Some of us can do this and some of us can do that. We must use what God has equipped us with to work together and have fellowship with one another. As a community we must work together to advance God’s kingdom, encourage each other, build each other up, and we must bear each other’s burdens.
We must never isolate ourselves from other believers. If we do, then how can we aid others in their time of need and in our time of need how can others help us if we distance ourselves? Not only is it pleasing to God to see the body of Christ working together as one, but we are stronger together and we become more like Christ together than we do alone. Have fellowship with one another and you will truly see how important and awesome community is in your Christian walk of faith.
Christian quotes about community
“The Christian community is a community of the cross, for it has been brought into being by the cross, and the focus of its worship is the Lamb once slain, now glorified. So the community of the cross is a community of celebration, a eucharistic community, ceaselessly offering to God through Christ the sacrifice of our praise and thanksgiving. The Christian life is an unending festival. And the festival we keep, now that our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed for us, is a joyful celebration of his sacrifice, together with a spiritual feasting upon it.” John Stott
“Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful – Christian community is the final apologetic.” Francis Schaeffer
“We don’t come to church, to be a church. We come to Christ, and then we are built up as a church. If we come to church just to be with one another, one another is all we’ll get. And it isn’t enough. Inevitably, our hearts will grow empty, and then angry. If we put community first, we will destroy community. But if we come to Christ first and submit ourselves to Him and draw life from Him, community gets traction.” C.S. Lewis
“Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their personal intentions may be ever so honest, earnest, and sacrificial.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”
“It is not the experience of Christian community, but firm and certain faith within Christian community that holds us together.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“Family is the one human institution we have no choice over. We get in simply by being born, and as a result we are involuntarily thrown together with a menagerie of strange and unlike people. Church calls for another step: to voluntarily choose to band together with a strange menagerie because of a common bond in Jesus Christ. I have found that such a community more resembles a family than any other human institution.” Philip Yancey
“Every Christian community must realize that not only do the weak need the strong, but also that the strong cannot exist without the weak. The elimination of the weak is the death of fellowship.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“A Christian fellowship lives and exists by the intercession of its members for one another, or it collapses.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“We are a culture that relies on technology over community, a society in which spoken and written words are cheap, easy to come by, and excessive. Our culture says anything goes; fear of God is almost unheard of. We are slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry.” Francis Chan
Bible verses about coming together as a community
1. Psalm 133:1-3 See, how good and how pleasing it is for brothers to live together as one! It is like oil of great worth poured on the head, flowing down through the hair on the face, even the face of Aaron, and flowing down to his coat. It is like the morning water of Hermon coming down upon the hills of Zion. For there the Lord has given the gift of life that lasts forever.
2. Hebrews 10:24-25 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
3. Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly never be conceited.
4. Romans 15:5-7 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.
5. 1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
6. Galatians 6:2-3 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
7. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (KJV) “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
9. Zechariah 7:9-10 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. 10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.”
10. Hebrews 3:13 “But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.”
Community of believers: Serving the body of Christ
11. Colossians 3:14-15 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
12. Romans 12:4-5 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
13. Ephesians 4:11-13 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14. Ephesians 4:15-16 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
15. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
16. 1 Corinthians 12:26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
17. Ephesians 4:2-4 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called.
18. 1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.”
Love and community
19. Hebrews 13:1-2 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
20. John 13:34 I’m giving you a new commandment…to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
21. Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
22. 1 John 4:12 (ESV) “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.”
23. 1 John 4:7-8 (NASB) “Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
24. Proverbs 17:17 (NIV) A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
25. Hebrews 13:1 “Let brotherly love continue.”
26. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 “Now about brotherly love, you do not need anyone to write to you, because you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.”
27. 1 Peter 1:22 “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.”
28. 1 Timothy 1:5 “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”
Reminders
29. Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
30. 1 Peter 4:9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
31. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
32. Philippians 2:4-7 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form.”
33. Philippians 2:14 “Do everything without complaining or arguing.”
34. Hebrews 13:2 “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!”
35. Isaiah 58:7 “Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
36. Ephesians 4:15 “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.”
Examples of community in the Bible
37. Acts 14:27-28 Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too. And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.
38. Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
39. Philippians 4:2-3 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
40. Isaiah 45:19-21 I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right. “Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.
41. Numbers 20:8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
42. Exodus 12:3 “Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.”
43. Exodus 16:10 “While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud.”
44. Romans 15:25 “Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem to serve the saints there.”
45. 1 Corinthians 16:15 “Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints).”
46. Philippians 4:15 “Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only.”
47. 2 Corinthians 11:9 “And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.”
48. 1 Corinthians 16:19 “The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.”
49. Romans 16:5 “Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.”
50. Acts 9:31 “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”
