2. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Jacob Roggeveen

3. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together

4. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together

5. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together

6. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together

8. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Problem #1: Isolation “I’m lonely.”

9. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Problem #1: Isolation “I’m lonely.” “I don’t have time for anyone.”

10. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity ! - Psalm 133:1

11. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Problem #2: Independence “Nobody needs me.”

12. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Problem #2: Independence “I don’t need anybody.” “Nobody needs me.”

13. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

14. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Problem #3: Individualism “Nobody cares about my dreams.”

15. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Problem #3: Individualism “I live my life to pursue my dreams.” “Nobody cares about my dreams.”

16. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together...then make my joy complete by being like- minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. - Philippians 2:2

17. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Gang Statistics: 40% of U.S. police departments report gang activity in their communities. (This includes urban, suburban, and rural communities.)

18. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Gang Statistics: 92 % of police departments reporting gang activity say it first began after 1980.

19. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Why Youth Say They Join Gangs: gives them lots of friends is like a family gives a sense of belonging gets them respect gives them mutual protection gives them a way to make money helps them attack their enemies

20. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community COMMUNITY = Shared Time Shared Respon- sibility Shared Purpose The Community That Shares Life Together

21. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. - Acts 2:42 Shared Purpose:

22. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts… - Acts 2:46 Shared Purpose:

23. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. - Acts 2:44-45 Shared Responsibility:

24. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together All the believers were together. - Acts 2:44 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. - Acts 2:46 Shared Time:

25. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were being done by the apostles. - Acts 2:43 Witness to the World:

26. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together …enjoying the favor of all the people. - Acts 2:47 Witness to the World:

27. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together “They devoted themselves.…” (v. 42) “All the believers were together…” (v. 44) “Selling their possessions.…” (v. 45) “They continued to meet together…” (v. 46) “They broke bread in their homes and ate together.” (v. 46) The Church is Its People:

28. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together My Role in Community: give up some of my individualism (shared purpose) become less independent and more interdependent (shared responsibility) spend more time with my Christian family (shared time)

30. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together John Winthrop We must entertain each other in brotherly affection. We must be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities, for the supply of other's necessities.

31. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together John Winthrop We must uphold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness, patience and liberality. We must delight in each other; make other's conditions our own; rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together,

32. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together John Winthrop always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, as members of the same body. So shall we keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

33. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together John Winthrop The Lord will be our God, and delight to dwell among us, as his own people, and will command a blessing upon us in all our ways. So that we shall see much more of his wisdom, power, goodness and truth, than formerly we have been acquainted with....

34. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community That Shares Life Together John Winthrop For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.