Community
As you follow the call of discipleship, you'll discover the good news that you are not alone! God calls us to create a new community of followers of Jesus. This community exists of those who share the same journey and are passionate about growing, loving, and serving. "Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NIV)
When God saves us, he calls us into a community of believers who support one another, pray for one another, and live together. In the community context, we help each other become more like Jesus and learn what God's love truly is. The good news of the Gospel is that when God saves us, he brings us into a new community. We were created to thrive in the context of relationships.
When we accept Christ into our lives, he does not save us expecting us to live in isolation but to join a new community of believers. When Jesus came to earth, he formed a group of disciples who did life together, ate together, struggled, and overcame. Community is the environment of discipleship. When I look at my phone ringing, it’s usually a notification of something that really matters to me. In the New Testament, we have one type of notification that keeps coming up repeatedly. Do you know what I am referring to? It’s the “one another notification.”
There are 100 times when the disciples of Jesus are depicted doing life with “one another,” and 47 times the “one another” way of life is instructed to the followers of Christ. What are these “one another” instructions all about? They are about community:
• Seek to do good for one another (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
• Through love, serve one another (Galatians 5:13)
• Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
• Carry one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2)
As Eugene Peterson said: "There can be no maturity in the spiritual life, no obedience in following Jesus, no wholeness in the Christian life, apart from immersion in, and embrace of community. I am not myself by myself." Something transformative happens at Epic Church as we walk together and learn to follow Jesus together. We support, encourage, and challenge one another in love. We would love to meet you, show you the way of discipleship in the community, and walk alongside you.
Join us at Epic Chicago or Epic Suburbs and sign up to join a Life Group to become part of a small group community. We can’t wait to meet you!
Next Steps
Dive Deeper Into The Gospel
Start with the Gospel of John in the New Testament and allow God to speak to your heart.
Join a Life Group
Join a Life Group today, our walk with Christ is better experienced in community. A sign-up link is below.
Start Bible Studies
Start Bible studies to understand and experience God's story of salvation. Click on the “Connect with Epic” button below to contact our pastoral staff.