There are many kinds of relationships people experience throughout their life. The romantic relationship that stems from a platonic relationship, the relationship with our family, and the relationship with society or the community.
People have been recounting how improving their relationship with their significant other, their friends, and their families has made their lives better and have become much more appreciative of the people they’re closest to.
But what of the community that they belong to? Let’s say you belong in a Christian church in Dubai, will the different personalities and nationalities that comprise the community keep you from strengthening your relationship with them?
The church community is a tight knit group, hesitating to join in might keep you from maximizing your religious life. Here we list down the ways in which you can embrace the many benefits of being in a Christian community.
Quotes
- “Order your soul; reduce your wants; live in charity; associate in Christian community; obey the laws; trust in Providence.” Augustine
- “You (Millennials) are the generation most afraid of real community because it inevitably limits freedom and choice. Get over your fear.” Tim Keller
1. You will always be on-time
One of the most immediate effects of being in the Christian community is being able to show up in anything on-time, literally saying goodbye to being tardy. As part of a community that meets at least once a week, you’ll want to arrive before any service or meeting starts to prepare yourself for the sermon.
There are churches that post their sermon for the coming service, by coming in early, you’ll be able to make reflections and meditate on the Word with the community. The same reflection and meditation can also be done after the service.
This just shows that there are different ways to welcome God’s Word in our lives, not just in the service.
2. Get support from the community
You’ll find that this tight knit community is concerned with the welfare of its members. From our more practical needs like getting advice for our business, academics, or relationship from members of the community who have accumulated experience and have the wisdom to guide us; to our emotional needs like being able to share what’s been stressing us out so that the burden becomes somehow lighter.
We receive the blessing of companionship through this and become brave to admit that there’s something wrong in our situation and brave still to ask someone to support us through prayer and their wisdom.
3. Be able to support the community
We also want to make ourselves available for other people when they need it just as they are when we needed them. However young we are, there are things we can share that can help people.
By the mere act of accepting them, loving them, and making them feel safe, we are able to give them the chance to feel that whatever problem they’re facing, there’s hope for it to end well.
We become ready to be a blessing to others by becoming the ear that listens to them and the shoulder they can lean on. We don’t just offer them our companionship and advice, but also our prayers so that they can be guided by God in any decision they’ll make.
4. Find mentors
Because of the collective wisdom a Christian community has, there will be members that you’ll eventually look up to. They will become your life mentors, investing time and knowledge in you in different aspects of your life like work, family, and spirituality.
5. Make strong friendships
There’s nothing like a friendship that is formed and has been strengthened in Christ. One of the best things about being part of a community is being able to meet different kinds of people, and most especially, meeting people you have the most dynamic and fun time with talking about life and the role of Christ in your life.
6. Reveal hidden talents
Sometimes we don’t know that we are good at something until we find ourselves being urged to come out of our comfort zone and try out new things.
Because a Christian community thrives on the skills and talents of its members, it encourages other members who have yet to break their shell to explore the different ways they can help the Church grow.
Members are given the opportunity to discover the gifts they have been blessed with and to use it to be able to bless others and lift Christ’s name.
7. Strengthen your relationship with God.
One of the best things about being in a community that truly cares for our over-all well-being is being able to bond over the role of God’s Word in our life and to strengthen our faith with people who have the same passion to live as Jesus has lived.
The Christian community gives us a chance to open our eyes to other people’s experiences of God’s miracle and reflect on our own experiences with God.
Being in a Christian community gives an opportunity to grow in Him and to offer and make ourselves available to Him and to the members of a community who wants to show our undying love and worship to Him.
Embracing these benefits doesn’t just make us an active member of our Church, but it also improves our life and our perspective of life for the better.
