⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 2 min read
Why Christian Community Matters: Fellowship as a Means of Grace
Show Summary
In this episode of Equipping You in Grace, Dave Jenkins continues the Anchored for a New Year series by addressing a vital truth: Christian community is essential for spiritual growth. In a world marked by isolation and self-sufficiency, Scripture calls believers to covenantal fellowship—growing together, bearing burdens, practicing hospitality, and walking in accountable love.
Key Passages Mentioned
- Ecclesiastes 4:9–10
- Romans 12:4–5
- Galatians 6:2
- Acts 2:44–47
- Genesis 2:18
- Ephesians 2:14–16; 4:15–16
- 1 Corinthians 12:21
- Proverbs 27:17; 27:6
- James 5:16; 5:19–20
- Hebrews 10:24–25; 3:13
- Psalm 68:6
- John 13:35
- Matthew 27:46
- Proverbs 17:17
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Episode Notes
1) The Crisis of Isolation in the Church
- Isolation weakens faith and makes believers more vulnerable to discouragement and sin.
- God’s design is not independent spirituality, but shared life in the body of Christ.
2) God’s Design: One Body, One Family
- The church is a body: many members, one life (Romans 12:4–5; Ephesians 4:15–16).
- Fellowship is not an accessory—it’s a means God uses to strengthen and sustain His people.
3) What Biblical Fellowship Looks Like
- Discipleship: helping one another follow Christ in real life (Titus 2).
- Hospitality: opening your life to others (Romans 12:13).
- Accountability: faithful love that restores and protects (James 5:19–20; Proverbs 27:6).
4) Barriers That Keep Believers Disconnected
- Fear: being known feels risky—yet the gospel covers our shame.
- Busyness: community requires margin and priority (Hebrews 10:24–25).
- Pride: “I don’t need anyone” contradicts the gospel of grace.
5) Encouragement for the Lonely
- God sees you, knows you, and places the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6).
- Take a faithful next step: stay after church, join a group, invite someone for coffee, ask God for one godly friend, and become that friend.
Call to Action
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Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
