Why is the Church Community so Important? -Ep.251 -Run With Horses Podcast

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Today we explore community and why the church community in particular is so important in the life of a disciple of Jesus.

Welcome to Run With Horses, My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Thrive as a follower of Jesus. It is difficult enough to go through this life without attempting it on your own. We were created to live in community with others. It may not always be pretty and sometimes it gets downright ugly. But God created us to live in fellowship with Him at the center. And it is beautiful when the bride of Christ is in harmony.

We talk a lot about communities. But often, we struggle to live in them.

What is Community?
“A community is a social unit wherein its members share a common network. Common networks that unite communities include networks of values, interests, goals, and kinship.
It is common to classify communities into the following categories:
Communities of place
Communities of interest
Identity-based communities
Communities of need
Communities of practice”
*Reference
Chris Drew - https://helpfulprofessor.com/types-of-communities/

Why is Community Important?
1. Support and safety -fight feelings of hopelessness, supporting others also gives us a boost.
2. Connection and belonging - feeling we are part of something bigger can help give meaning to our lives
3. Influence - stop us from falling into unhealthy habits or thoughts
4. Sharing - Sharing activities, ideas and feelings reinforces not only our sense of self, but also adds worth and value to the community
5. Learning - can help us reach insights that we may not have reached on our own
6. Acceptance - acceptance doesn’t necessarily imply agreement
7. More connections, more chances of success
*Reference
https://www.happiness.com/magazine/relationships/the-importance-of-community/#:~:text=Finding%20others%20with%20the%20same,with%20negative%20experiences%20and%20feelings.

Why we need the Church community
Reason #1: It meets our basic need for belonging
Reason #2: A strong church community is a place for discipleship
Reason #3: We are held accountable
Reason #4: We need to be fed a diet that will allow us to mature in our relationship with the LORD
Reason #5: We are commanded by God to be part of a strong church community
*From the Faith Island Blog
https://faithisland.org/faith/5-reasons-you-need-a-strong-church-community/

Thanks for joining me today! If you have questions or comments, feel free to contact me on the Run With Horses FB page or write me at norman@runwithhorses.net . How is your church community doing at keeping Jesus at the center?
The struggle is real but keep running.. .