We often say, "Community is so important.” Especially in the church. But why? What makes community something we need rather than something we can go without?
Loneliness.
A 2019 survey of 20,000 Americans conducted by Cigna Healthcare revealed some pretty shocking statistics – 46% of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone. We've put community on the back-burner, maybe because we haven’t felt it was meaningful before, maybe to avoid having to be open and real with others.
When we're not connected into true and authentic community, we are not able to be known or know others. But when we have a strong community that we are a part of, we are able to avoid falling into loneliness.
As Ecclesiastes 4:11 says, "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." When we're alone, we are vulnerable to attacks from the enemy and to fall. But when we get connected into community, isolation becomes less of a threat.
Loneliness – it's what God said wasn't good. That’s why we’re created to live differently.