GOSPEL COMMUNITY by Gary Wilkerson

The Holy Spirit has called us to be a “gospel community.” Many churches are trying to have community but they do not have authentic biblical community because the gospel is not functioning within their fellowship. They do not know how to truly love one another because they are trying to have community without the Word of God.

In Luke 8 we read: “Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.’ But he answered them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it’” (Luke 8:19-21, ESV).

Nowhere in Scripture are you going to read specifically of the gospel of fellowship, or small groups, or counseling, or worship. So, you may ask, what is it? I believe Jesus was giving us the definition of a gospel community here in Luke.

Jesus was saying, “My community is not made up of the crowd surrounding Me nor of just My mother and brothers. My true gospel community, My brothers and sisters, are those who hear, who know, whose lives are invested in the Word of God. The members of My community hear the Word and they do it.”

True gospel community is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It means doing the Word of God together. It means hearing God’s Word, loving one another, and helping others when they are not living according to the Word. It is a group of people who build their lives around hearing the Word of God, understanding what this Word is speaking, and knowing the Holy Spirit who empowers this written Word.

Jesus is always the center, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He is everything in our gospel community and must always hold the preeminent place as we grow together in Him.