key to community

Bill Donahue's thoughts on community in Leading Life-Changing Small Groups:

The key to becoming a community is being together, as frequently as possible: at meals, church services, ministry gatherings, serving opportunities, prayer times, group meetings, those meeting-after-the-meeting moments, and when group members need extra help or care.

These groups devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles, to fellowship with one another, to practicing the Lord’s Supper together, and to praying for one another. These new communities were characterized by mutuality, accountability, service, love, and evangelism.

Meeting in smaller groups allows each member to discover and use their spiritual gifts to serve other members in the body. Groups encourage and build up one another so that the body of Christ can be cared for and the world can be influenced through their good deeds.