You can’t be like Jesus alone. Community is essential when it comes to being a disciple.
How has this been true for you?

Discipleship is

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When Jesus said “Follow Me”, he was inviting people into his community.

This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. —1 John 3:11 (NLT)

What does this verse imply?

The truth is… John wouldn’t have to tell us to love others if we weren’t meant to be around them. But, too many people are content to love others from a distance… or to love them in theory.

What does this look like?
What is the problems of loving people “from a distance”?

Community is

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You don’t just accidentally fall into community. It is a deliberate choice.

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. —Acts 2:42 (NLT)

The first followers of Jesus were devoted to four things listed here… but all too often, we are only devoted to three.

Why do we so often consider “fellowship” optional?

Am I caring for anybody?

Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. —Philippians 2:4 (NLT)

We all agree that we should love everybody in principal… but who are you loving in particular?

Am I sharing about anything?

It is not community if you are unwilling (or unable) to be honest about what is really going on in your life. Your discipleship will be stunted if you don’t have a community where you can be real.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. —James 5:16a (NLT)

Why are we often so reluctant to be vulnerable with one another?
How can we overcome these obstacles?

When we are the community of faith that Jesus invited us to… the world we notice… Because everyone needs real community.