A community is a group of people living in the same place or sharing a common characteristic. Key elements of a community include a shared locality, a sense of belonging, a common way of life, and a specific identity. The community serves important functions such as social control, social participation, and mutual support of its members.
Every community has characteristics, rules, and guiding principles that ensure growth, regulation, support, and impact for all members. In the kingdom of God, regardless of our areas of service, the core guiding principle is love.
Love As Our Guiding Principle
The Lord Jesus said, “…A new commandment I give unto you, that ye have love one for another…by this shall all men know, ye are my disciples, when ye have love one for another…” (John 13:34-35). This principle encompasses a range of characteristics essential for spiritual growth, such as long-suffering, kindness, humility, selflessness, purity of thought, and adherence to the truth (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
It is the spirit of love that promotes commitment to one another and empathy for fellow Christians. This creates a strong desire to strengthen the weak, encourage the despondent, and provide resources where lacking. The best we can do for each other is to position ourselves to alleviate pain and liberate the oppressed in their moments of trials or difficulties. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” especially in our community.
We can show sacrificial love in various ways, such as:
- Giving time to care for the needs of an aging family member.
- Putting the needs of a community member first by helping with their chores during a stressful week.
- Taking extra shifts in prayer for a sick family member.
The Need for Encouragement
Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith (Acts 14:21-22). Encouragement is like oxygen; we all need it. Troubles had weakened them, but words of encouragement strengthened their resolve to live for Christ, despite hardships.
Living for Jesus can be difficult, and we are sometimes tempted to give up. The availability of Jesus and fellow believers provides the encouragement we need to press on. With Jesus, we can make it to the other side.
Mission work is demanding and exhausting spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The Apostle Paul referred to this in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, mentioning troubles on every side, perplexity, and being cast down. Missionaries need encouragement as they contend with pressures within and without, including unfamiliar terrains, language barriers, concerns for their spirituality and well-being, family (nuclear and extended), and the future of their children.
The Necessity and Helpfulness of Kingdom’s Support
The Apostle John in 3 John 5-8 alluded to the necessity and helpfulness of the kingdom’s support for its messengers, who risk their lives for God’s work. The list of names in Romans 16 reveals the men and women God used to encourage, strengthen, and assist the Apostle Paul in the challenging task of missions. No one is an island; Paul’s accomplishments were due in part to the strong mutual support he received from fellow believers.
This example challenges us to be available and ready to offer whatever support is necessary to avoid missionary attrition. In the face of persecution, the Apostle Peter and John had a community to revert to for spiritual, emotional, and physical support (Acts 4:23-24, 31). The Antioch Church Community responded to news of famine in Judea by actively contributing to ease the brethren’s pain there (Acts 11:28-30).
What do these examples teach us today?
- Recognize that we are part of a whole, raised by God for a specific purpose.
- Be on the lookout for needs in the body/community of missionaries.
- Be willing and ready to provide relief as enabled by God, understanding that if one member suffers, the whole body suffers.
- Be generous with funds to alleviate genuine needs, doing so as unto the Lord.
- Support can also be offered by spending time with those experiencing emotional or psychological burnout.
Remember, as the whole body grows by what every joint supplies, we are stronger together.
Article by Olajumoke Oladoyinbo, CMF Corporate Member Care Department
