The Rise Of The Church: Called To Community - Growing Deeper By Going Smaller

Pastor Ben began by describing how our human characteristics are being stripped away in our modern Singapore society. This de-personalised lifestyle has unintentionally seeped into our church. Today, Christianity tends to center around events and buildings and the work of ministry is to get more people into the building. The modern view of Christianity is now simply about ‘sitting down and watching professionals put on a show’. Most go to church and attend Bible class but have never experienced personal discipleship. Thus, how can the call to community be realised?

Personal discipleship allows for spiritual process of transformation to take place. From Matthew 4:19, the disciples were called by Jesus to follow Him and that led them through a process of transformation. In Galatians 4:19, the cry is for us to be like Jesus Christ. Jesus had made a major impact on a small group of disciples with a greater relational value more than He did with the crowd (Mark 3: 7-13).

There are essentials for followers of Jesus Christ to be transformed into His likeness. First, we are called out – ‘ekklesia’. This means to be ‘called out’ or ‘called together’ for a Person (1 Cor 16:19). This does not mean ‘building’. Churches have never been described as a building but as a ‘home’ where the early Christians gathered (1Corinthians 14:23). In Romans 16:23, the ‘whole church’ was referring to a large gathering of people supported by individuals. It allows individuals to have close relationship and it gives us a concept for a ‘home church’. The life of the church happens in the home. In Acts 5:42-47 and 20:20, we see the beginning of the house-to-house principle where disciples went to homes to teach and preach. It is not the buildings that God sanctifies but His people and we are the temple of God.

It was only in the 3rd century that the church ‘became’ a building giving Christianity a sense of permanence where believers bring the lost to the church whilst Jesus says go and seek the lost. This prompted the demand for leaders and resulted in the division between the clergy and laity. Consequently, there is a drop in being personal with an increase for programmes which could inhibit intimacy. Communication became one way rather than on teaching and learning, and application of God’s truth to our lives by sharing and doing His Will. We have to build people and not buildings. We are called out to be believers for a purpose.

Secondly, community that is ‘koinonia’ which means fellowship where we can love, encourage others and be trained in servanthood. The chief metaphor to describe the church is family. We have however become like consumers whose needs are being met by religious professionals. Living out God’s truth that is, to live out the Gospel is not meant to be a private thing. It is to stay in communion with the Lord and one another; to embrace the Gospel is to enter into a purposeful community. It is easier to give a sermon outline than to invest our 2 hours in people. Spiritual life is not an offspring of programmes. Instead the goal of discipleship is that a disciple will abide in God’s Word. John 14:15 says if we abide in His Word we are His disciples – one who obeys and abides in His Word.

Thirdly, cell group refers to a little community which is the basic building block of the church. A church is made up of ordinary people prepared for authentic community living, to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10: 24). The church is about coming together to discover truths from the Bible, living out the Gospel while loving God and others.

Discussion Questions

1. What is a church? Ps Ben Lee mentioned that the church (‘ekklesia’) is called out for a purpose. What do you think is the “called-out” purpose of the church? [15 min]

2. Read Ecclesiates 4:9-12 and share what matters most in community. How can we who are part of a cell group experience community and grow deeper? [15 min]

3. What can we do as a cell group to make an impact in society as Jesus did together with His disciples? [15 min]