The Holy Spirit has called us to be a gospel community. Today, many churches try to have community but do not have an authentic biblical community because the gospel is not functioning within their fellowship. They do not know how to truly love one another because they are trying to have a community without the Word of God.
In the gospel of Luke, we read, “Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.’ But he answered them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it’” (Luke 8:19-21, ESV).
Nowhere in scripture will you read specifically of the gospel of fellowship, small groups, counseling or worship. So you may ask, what is a gospel community? I believe Jesus was giving us the definition of it here in Luke.
Jesus was saying, “My community is not made up of the crowd surrounding me or just my mother and brothers. A true gospel community of my brothers and sisters are those who hear, know and invest in God’s Word. The members of my community hear the Word, and they do it.” Scripture says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).
True gospel community is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It means hearing and doing the Word of God together, loving one another, and helping others when they are not living according to the Word. It is a group of people who build their lives around scripture, understanding it, and knowing the Holy Spirit who empowers this written Word.
Friends, Jesus is always the center, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He should be everything in our gospel community and always hold the preeminent place as we grow in him together.