Made for Community

We’re becoming a more isolated and anxious culture than ever before. Jonathan Haidt, in his book, The Anxious Generation, writes that Gen-Z is dealing deeply with two major problems: social isolation and anxiety. Both of these problems stem from universal use and access to social media.  

Haidt, although being an atheist, suggests that the Church has the resources and framework to overcome these problems. In one interview with Russell Moore, he suggests that it is “Christian families…that really have a chance to lead on this and to develop ways of being that might even be a benefit to the rest of us.” (1) 

To help us understand our identity in Christ as a spiritual community, we should look to the early Church as they put Jesus at the center of their lives together. To put it in a sentence, you could say: in Christ, community is the expression of our identity toward one another. 

Let’s look at three commitments the early Church made together in Acts 4:32-37: 

1. Believers Shared One Heart and Soul  

“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul…” – Acts 4:32a   

At this point in Luke’s record of the early Church, he indicates there was a dynamic reality that the thousands of new believers in Jesus shared. They were a unified, “one heart and soul,” people.  

Luke here recalls Deuteronomy 6:5—God’s people were to love the Lord “with all their heart and soul.” Here, they are displaying that love towards God and each other. This description is of a Church that has a singular focus and center: God. That focus on God creates a culture of love for Him and others.  

This becomes an important reality and value for the people of God who put Jesus at the center. Sharing in one heart and soul is a sharing of love that reflects the three persons of the Trinity. We reflect the identity of the God (in whose image we are made and redeemed) when we love each other.  

This culture of love that God Himself creates should permeate everything about the Church and be the leading value of our lives. True community without love is merely social engagement. Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another, declaring that their love for each other would be “the mark of the Christian.” (2) Love does not call us to commit to each other only when it is convenient or when things are working out for us. Unifying love is in it for the long haul. 

2. Believers Gave with Open Hands  

“…and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.” – Acts 4:32b-35 

Luke identifies that the early Church was open-handed. They were also aware of their community. In verses 34–35, Luke notes that “there was not a needy person among them.” There was an awareness by the affluent in the community of those who were poor, and so they acted with generosity to address those needs. They sold from their abundance to supply what was lacking.  

What drove this generosity was not just social awareness or an aspiration for a utopian kind of community. This generosity was driven by the Gospel message, transforming hearts as “…great grace was upon them all.” They saw how God had been generous to them, and they responded in like measure. The Gospel’s power was the driving force for their generosity.  

One church in Missouri powerfully displayed this kind of generosity by partnering with a non-profit organization to pay off all medical debt in mid-Missouri for anyone making less than twice the poverty rate. (3). As a result, they alleviated over $43 million of medical debt in their community.  

We can bridge the gap between the first century and today by asking ourselves how we can be generous to our own communities. Are we willing to give up anything and everything for the sake of our fellow believers? We should ask why we overlook poverty in our churches and do not address the needs of those among us. We should challenge ourselves not to put our hope in possessions, but to leverage surplus resources for the betterment and help of everyone among us. These acts of generosity are displays of love; they show people who are genuinely committed to Christ. 

3. Believers Strengthened One Another 

“Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” – Acts 4:36–37 

Here, Luke brings a man named Joseph into view. This Jewish man from the island of Cyprus was part of the priestly tribe of Levi. He was known among the apostles so well that they nicknamed him Barnabas, indicating how he encouraged and strengthened many.  

In verse 37, Luke points out that Barnabas practically displayed open-handed generosity by living as a blessing and encouragement to the Church. When Saul (the apostle Paul) was a recent convert, Barnabas was the one who brought him to the apostles (Acts 9:27). Barnabas went to Tarsus to find Paul years later so that Paul could lead the church of Antioch (Acts 11:24–27). Barnabas led the collection of funds for the church in Judea during the great famine (Acts 11:30). He risked his life many times over to spread Gospel on Paul’s first missionary journey. Barnabas didn’t give up on John Mark, even though he had abandoned them and the mission. Still, he continued to encourage and support him in ministry (Acts 15:37). In every aspect of his life, Barnabas committed to the encouragement and building up of other believers in very real and practical ways.  

When my wife and I moved to Kansas to work with a church plant, we were raising a young family and had minimal income and means. However, we were committed to the church and doing ministry in our community. One member of our Life Group recognized that we had some needs, particularly for a car. This member of our Life Group came to me one day with keys in hand and said, “I want to encourage and support you and your family,” and with no conditions or requirements, gave us a car. It was a deep encouragement and means of provision to our family and ministry.  

We sometimes talk about discipleship by asking, “Who is your Paul?” (someone discipling and mentoring you), and “Who is your Timothy?” (someone you are discipling and mentoring). But we also need to ask who we are encouraging, like Barnabas did time and time again. 

The answer to isolation and anxiety is not a virtual or digital avatar of community. Instead, it requires what only Christ himself can give. Jesus is the answer to our most significant problem. He has created a new people, giving us the Church to display His love and kindness in this fallen world. This is what it means to be allow our identity in Christ: to orient our lives around our spiritual family—our community.  

 

RESOURCES 

1. From The Russell Moore Show: An Update to The Anxious Generation with Jonathan Haidt, Apr 3, 2024
   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-russell-moore-show/id1074011166?i=1000651294091&r=3224 
2. See Francis Schaeffer’s book The Mark of the Christian. 
3. https://info.thecrossingchurch.com/blog/paid-in-full-why-the-crossing-erased-43-million-in-missouri-medical-debt