RushwaveChapter 5: The Church as a Relational Community (part 1)
from Church Vision, book 3 in the series The Christian Faith
In keeping with Jesus command that His disciples love one another, believers are to be highly engaged with one another. The idea of a church service which consist of people gathering together to sing songs, hear a Bible message and then leave having little or no interaction either at that gathering or throughout the week is completely foreign to New Testament teaching. There are numerous scriptures that reveal the relational dynamic in the church community, and reviewing these scriptures will cause one to envision the highly relational culture a church should be. Consider these many points.
Believers are to be devoted to one another by contributing to one another’s needs and practicing hospitality. “Let love be without hypocrisy … Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor … contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.” Romans 12:9-13. Believers have many different needs be they emotional, relational, physical or financial. A deserted spouse needs encouragement. A repentant criminal who has been ostracized from society needs friendship. A person who lost their job through no fault of their own needs work. A family whose mother is bedridden needs assistance with meal preparation and childcare. In all these things, believers can show sincere, familial type love to their brothers and sisters in Christ and provide service and help.
When a believer experiences a moral failure, they are to be gently restored through encouraging words and wise counsel from godly people. “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness …” Galatians 6:1. When it comes to physical injuries like broken bones, no one wants to be treated by doctor or nurse who handles them roughly, impatiently, or in a scolding tone. Even so, when believers fail and end up with emotional hurt and pain, no one wants to be mocked, scolded or condemned. The exhortation here is that when believers fail and are repentant, they are to be gently restored. This involves many things, among which are encouraging words, wise counsel, and ongoing support.
Believers are to be truthful with each other, speaking truth in love. “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another …" Ephesians 4:25. “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self…” Colossians 3:9. Truth is to characterize all communication between believers, which presupposes they regularly communicate with and relate to one another. They recognize they are spiritually joined and “members of one another”, and speaking lies disrupts the one-mindedness that is to characterize the church. In addition, they understand that deception was part of what they were before they came to Jesus – those actions were part of the “old self with its evil practices”. But now they recognize they have been inwardly transformed and put on the “new self” where truthfulness is the ruling principle.
Believers are to be mindful of the interest of others, putting the needs and concerns of others ahead of their own. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor …” Romans 12:10. “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this – not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.” Romans 14:13. “Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. Romans 15:2. “do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interest of others … Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus …” Philippians 2:4.
We are all born with a self-centered mindset, looking at life through the lens of how we feel, how our lives our affected, what we need, and what we want. But in keeping with the divine transformation of heart effected when they trusted Jesus, believers are to have an “other person” mindset. The believer’s focus is to be “How does what I say make that person feel? What can I do to be blessing to others? How can I build up these fellow believers in their faith? What must I be careful not to do so as to avoid offending that person’s conscience?” But to ask these questions requires taking an interest in other people, getting to know them, and exchanging personal experiences.
Believers are to exhort one another with God’s word through teaching and in song. “… speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Ephesians 5:18-21. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16. Every believer, no matter how young or old they are in the Lord, can teach and admonish another believer with the word of God. As believers give themselves to daily reflection and reading of the word, they position themselves to not only learn themselves, but to share what they have learned with others.
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