Ministry

What kind of community are you a part of? 

Everywhere you and I go, we are a part of a community: others who are like us, who share things in ‘common’ with us, that provides a sense of ‘unity.’ 

I experience community at work each day: with my immediate ministry colleagues, with the Leadership Team, and our Student Ministry Team (Resound). 

I’m also part of a sporting club, my family, and I meet with other pastors on a regular basis. 

All these are communities I love being with. 

There are different ways that communities can interact with both themselves and others. 

Some communities are loving, caring groups of people; they support and encourage each other, yet ultimately really only exist for the people already in that place. 

These communities might be lovely to be in, but eventually die out, because there is no room for anyone new. 

Other communities are more open, they welcome in new people when they arrive. 

Yet they aren’t actively looking for new people. They say ‘everyone is welcome’ yet aren’t actively looking for anyone. These communities are warm and friendly, but don’t have a lot to offer people on the outside. 

Some communities are extremely welcoming, in fact, they go out and encourage others to join them. This often happens when a community is advertised. People go out and actively look for others to become a part of what is going on. Often communities like this are highly successful, as its members are always looking for new people. 

But there is a fourth kind of community that exceeds these first three. This last kind of community is one that recognises that it doesn’t exist for its own sake, it exists for others. 

It knows it has something to give away, something valuable, to share. Rather than just asking others to join, it takes what is most important to it, and gives it away, so that others can experience some of what it has to offer without even having to join. 

This is what it is like in the church. The church is a community full of the love of Jesus. But the church doesn’t exist for its own sake, it exists for others. 

The church has love to give away and doesn’t wait for people to join in order for people to be able to receive it. And when people join the church, they discover that while their church may be great, all that is great about it is meant to be given away. 

It is my hope and prayer that you discover life in a community that is all about others, full of love, grace, compassion, and sharing with others. May you exist for far more than yourself, and even for more than just people you know may you exist so that you can bless other people. 

All throughout the bible, God expresses this understanding that God is for others, and the same is true of those who belong to God. May we live this out every day. 

God bless you today. 

Chris Mann

College Pastor