What is gospel community?

'They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.' Acts 2:42-47

Do you ever read this and just get this feeling: I want my church to be like this!!! Isn't it frustrating when you look at the reality and just wish we could go back to these early days, after the Holy Spirit came with power at Pentecost, and somehow recreate the amazing community that the believers had?

Our church has recently moved to a more central location and encouraged everyone to be part of a 'gospel community' which meets in their local area. I've been trying to get my head around what gospel community actually is. It's got to be more than just a home group meeting mid-week for Bible study and prayer, though that is really vital. As I was reading 'Connecting Your Heart to Others', there's a short section at the beginning of the book that really captured to me what gospel community is meant to be about:
- Fellowship - opening up your heart with other Christians and genuinely connecting on a deeper level, listening carefully to each other
- Discipleship - growing to be like Jesus, exploring God's Word and applying it specifically to your lives
- Ministry - serving others in love using the spiritual gifts God has given you
- Evangelism - sharing your story and God's story, getting out there together so your group doesn't become a clique but reaches outwards to unbelievers
- Worship - surrendering your life to honour God and spending time in God's presence together.

I found that a really helpful description, breaking down all the different aspects of life as a gospel community. Spending time with some friends recently who are part of The Crowded House church network was really inspiring and challenging to me, because they just seem so much more consciously on mission than me in so many ways! In their gospel community, they may all agree to bring to the table their weekly schedule, to try to look for overlap so people can join together as much as possible. They may bring their financial budget sheet for accountability and transparency. The picture was given of a wheel, where the hub in the centre of the wheel is the gospel community. The spokes of the wheel are all the other aspects of life - and they come from the G.C. as the centre. In other words, you are asked to put your gospel community first. Make it your top priority. That's a challenge! I came back just wanting to be more on mission, more eager to show hospitality and with a much stronger desire to create gospel community where we are.

But also, I was reminded that it's only through the Holy Spirit that this gospel community can happen and succeed. It's not natural to want to live like this! When sinful humans get together, there is much danger of offence, annoyance, frustration and worse. We need to Spirit to guide us, to change us, to help us live together in the way God wants us to. We need a spiritual revival to give us the zeal the early church had to spend their lives together not as individuals with a passion for God. I want to not just be figuring out practical stuff to do, but getting more serious about praying for a changed heart in myself.