Western culture greatly values individualism. Our self-important, self-reliant society strikes a serious contradiction to Christâs will for the Church. We arenât created to go it alone; we are wired for authentic community. Paul describes the Church as one body with many members. Your gifts and abilities are desperately needed! As we take time to employ our gifts, we not only build up one another, we bring Godâs love to a broken world.
In our society, weâre becoming more individualized, isolated, in gatherings, people are more likely to slip into a âcommunityâ and slip out. We donât commit to anything anymore.
Weâre social creatures. We are created for communities, gatherings, connections, relationships. We are not meant to do this life alone. Life is one big GROUP project.
Mark 14 - Jesus Prays Alone
32 Jesus and his ¡followers [disciples] went to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, âSit here while I pray. â 33 Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be very ¡sad [distressed] and ¡troubled [anguished]. 34 He said to them, âMy ¡heart [soul] is ¡full of sorrow [overwhelmed with grief], to the point of death. Stay here and ¡watch [stay awake; be alert].â
Even Jesus took his 3 closest disciples with him further in the garden of Gethsemane, after he brought all 12. We need our Peter, James and John. And we ought to be the Peter, James and John for our brother and sisters - to do life together.