One truth that is clearly obvious as we journey together during our 40 Days of Community campaign is that God is a God of relationships. In the creation of the universe, God fashioned, first, Adam and, then, Eve with the desire to love them and for them to know and return God’s love. The pages of the Old Testament are filled with the evidence that God called a people of faith into being with the intention to have a relationship with them.

When Jesus began his ministry, he called 12 men to be with him as his disciples. He never led an army, wrote a book, held a political or religious office, established a university or built an institution. Instead, he called 12 men to be with him. He started a community and over three years, the disciples traveled with Jesus. They prayed with him, learned from him, felt his forgiveness, studied with him and even discovered ministry with him. Because they were with Jesus, their lives were changed and eleven of the twelve became apostles who changed the world.

God loves people. Because we matter to God, our relationships are important. We have been created to experience community - community with God and with others so we can grow and develop as his people. We have the possibility to discover God’s love, to accept it and return it to God, and to share with one another. May you discover the joy of Christian community in your life.