Pastor's Corner- The Importance of Community

By Paul Hathcoat

People need to have a strong sense of belonging in order to have a healthy identity, to be open and vulnerable, to trust and share, to learn and practice effective relational skills, and to be able to be held accountable and hold others accountable. This belonging is best developed in community with others. Let’s look at what community is, what it means to be in one, and how important it is to our spiritual wellness, from a pastor’s perspective.

Studies have shown that a majority of people who identify themselves as Christians feel that they are only “sometimes” a vital part of a community of believers. That word “sometimes” leaves too much room and time for people to feel isolated and unimportant. As a pastor and a natural empath, I want everyone to feel connected, loved, and accepted. God knew that we needed to feel connected to a community when He created us; that was part of His original design. Let’s look at what He says about community to further cement its importance in our own lives.

Acts 2:44-47(NIV) says “all the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold their 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.” I don’t know about you but that all sounds amazing! Being connected and known through the people around us creates security, confidence, gentleness, acceptance, and many other qualities that simply cannot grow and develop in isolation.

What is your life like? Are you caring for someone who is living with a disability that may cause you or them to feel isolated? Do you have a feeling of connectedness to your local church or spiritual community? Over time have you become more or less connected to those around you? Why? These questions and more are so very relevant to many of you readers out there. Let me speak from experience and pray that it helps at least one of you.

Don’t quit trying. Even if you have had bad experiences, remember that God has built us for community, and inside of a healthy one, we become our best selves. Be bold in asking others to join yours. You say you don’t have a healthy community to share life with? You are not alone, start one yourself. Find your comfort zone, and take a step past it. Being open to a community often means being open to pain or discomfort. But being closed to community means that we have given up and now have no chance of fully experiencing the joys of life that God has planned for us.

Whatever your current community bubble looks like, I want you to know that we are all part of the same body. We all look, function, and serve the body differently as its individual parts, but we are all the same. We are all God’s children and because of that, we get to rest knowing that one day we will enter His community, and be loved exactly how we are. Bless you all this month!

Do you have a thought, idea or information that you would like to see in this section in an upcoming issue? Email Paul Hathcoat – phathcoat@wrcc.org.