Autonomous living and an individualistic perspective are contrary to the teachings of the Bible. It is most dangerous to believe that God is glorified and happy with a bunch of Christian individuals all doing their own spiritual thing. Christians cannot obediently express their faith in isolation. The Lord's church is made up of more than the sum of individual Christian lifestyles.

Until Christians obediently adopt and implement the true church lifestyle commanded in Scripture, individual Christian lifestyles will be mere vanity. Open-minded, careful examination of the Bible as a whole will definitely lead to the conclusion that God cares a lot more about church lifestyle than individual Christian lifestyle.

It is interaction and interdependence that makes a Christian gathering a church. Christian community and fellowship are where the wheels of the Christian life hit the road. Most Scripture passages have application to group living. Therefore, the teaching of Scripture should primarily inspire significant obedience when two or more Christians gather together.

Unfortunately, too often pastors don't preach to their churches -- they preach to the individual in the pew. Few sermons exhort the church as if it is the Body of Christ made up of interactive parts. Bible applications are almost exclusively how the Christian individual should act alone, or with one other person. Only once in a while is an application given for Christians in fellowship and community. Rarely is there an application for the family, for dad and mom and the kids, a type of Christian community. Rarely do sermons deal with the social structure of the church and its many dynamic interactions and potential synergism.

Almost forgotten has been the superior benefits of doing things together in the church. Group Bible study, group prayer, group service projects, group confession of sins, to name just a few, have been minimized for the sake of autonomous Christian activity.

To relate to God in the richest possible way, we need each other. Many of the things that God commands us to do together relate to our relationship with Him. We have isolated five key expectations of our Lord for Christians in fellowship and community. The TOGETHERS OF RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD include: Worship God Together; Submit to God Together; Together Be Led By Jesus Christ; Communicate With God Together; and Serve God Together.

Worship God Together [1]
Submit to God Together [2]
Together Be Led by Jesus Christ [3]
Communicate with God Together [4]
Serve God Together [5]

An Example of The Togethers of Relationship with God:

The leadership team of Fourth Street Church has a unique understanding of God's desire to be worshiped by His people. They emphasize worship when the whole church is together as a congregation. They also ask their small groups to spend some time praising God in prayer and discussion. Often small groups will spend unhurried time telling God how special He is. In this way, many people praise the Lord in specific ways that they would never think of as individuals. God gets much more perfect praise when people of Fourth Street Church worship together in small groups. [1]

Occasionally the pastor of Fourth Street Church asks the people to recommit their group submission to God. In congregational fellowship he will ask all church members to stand as a sign of their commitment to follow God together, as well as individually. He will also ask each small group leader to see that once each quarter the small group together recommits to being under God's authority, putting individual rights behind. Small group leaders usually have their groups discuss what this means for their relationships with one another and with God. Sometimes they recall all the times when the group let God have His way. [2]

One of the most challenging aspects of true biblical fellowship and community at Fourth Street Church is when the leaders ask members to discuss and discern what it is that the Lord Jesus Christ wants done in their midst and in their ministry to the world. In guiding the people to follow Jesus Christ, there is usually preparation in prayer and also sermons on the life of Jesus Christ as the supreme example of how to live on this fallen planet. Small groups discuss where they think Jesus is leading them as a group and also where the Lord is leading the whole congregation. The way they do it at Fourth is to submit small group reports on a Sunday evening followed by congregational discussion for a few weeks. The leadership team then submits their discernment about what they think Jesus Christ as Lord of their church wants done. After confirmation by the members, the leaders, through the avenues of fellowship and community, see to it that Fourth Street Church and all its small groups follow the Lord's leading and get done what the Lord wants. [3]

While they seek the Lord's direction and after they receive their "marching orders," the people of Fourth communicate with God together in fellowship and community. In the larger congregation, people hear the Word of God and are led in prayer. But especially in their small groups do the members of Fourth Church more precisely communicate with God. When Perry brought up a prayer request for a job change, his small group carefully evaluated his situation to come to agreement before prayer. All agreed that what Perry needed was different from what he had presented. After becoming of one mind, the group prayed. The next workday, Perry's supervisor called him in unexpectedly and offered him the very job the group had asked for. [4]

Fourth Street Church is careful to serve God as a corporate body. They follow the example of the nation of Israel, where tribes as well as individuals had special assignments to accomplish great things for the Most High God. Rarely do individuals serve alone at Fourth. As Jesus sent disciples out two-by-two, Fourth Church has teams do just about everything. Often it is stressed how great a privilege it is to serve God together rather than as individuals. It is often remarked that this is so different from in the world where everyone looks out for No. 1. Fourth Street Church has found that teams get more done for God than individuals with the same tasks. [5]

[1] Worship God Together

Ex 20:2-11; **Ex 32**; Deut 11:16-17; Ps 102:22; Rom 12:1; Heb 2:28-29; Heb 13:15-16

God is especially delighted when His people praise Him together. So worship regularly with other believers.

Christians glorify God by joining together in worship and prayer, focusing their individual attention and their joint behavior on God Himself. God especially delights when multiple voices are raised to Him in prayer, adoration and praise. Concentrating solely on our own religious experience is sin. He wants to see us as a family worshiping Him together.

When Christians obey this Together, they help one another worship. If someone is having trouble worshiping, they find out what is wrong and seek a solution.

God has given us the high calling in community to worship with words. When we do so, we worship God by reflecting back to Him those words and concepts that describe His nature, character and attributes. This is verbal worship. The other 64 Togethers are worship in fellowship and community with our very lives.

Example In Small Group Community

When the small group begins its meeting, it should recognize that the Lord is present. (Remember Matt. 18:20.) A great way to open a small group meeting is to have various members lead the group in expressions of praise to God, mentioning His attributes and the other ways in which He is wonderful and marvelous. Using the word "we" in small group prayer is more appropriate than praying in the group as an individual and using the pronoun "I."

And there are many hymns and praise songs available to help the small group in their corporate worship of God. But often the singular pronouns have to be changed to plural for the congregation to worship God together.

Example In Congregational Fellowship

Corporate worship of God is the backbone of church fellowship. When Christians meet for worship on Sunday morning they are obeying Gods command to worship Him together. But many people are only looking for an individual worship experience. Church leaders would be wise to regularly remind people to appreciate the way God sees the assembly - as a family and the Body of Christ. Individual worship can occur during our private devotional times. But when we are together as a congregation, we should be aware of the corporate worship experience. This awareness is a separate and greater thrill. It is all too rarely experienced.

For Small Group Community

Discuss
1. What is the difference between group worship and individual worship? Why do you suppose God so enjoys the church at worship?
2. Meditate together on the difference between praise and thanksgiving.

Do
1. Help someone in their worship of God. How might others help you worship more fully?
2. Discuss how much easier it is to show your love for God in words than in actions. Then tell each other how you want the others to point out behavior that is inconsistent with your verbal praise, thanksgiving and love for God.

[2] Submit to God Together

1 Sam 3:18; 2 Sam 15:25-26; Matt 26:42; John 13:8-9; **Heb 12:7-11**; James 4:7

Let God have His way; come under His authority.

The church is commanded to place itself under God's authority. By submitting to Christ, the church as a whole is carrying on the line of authority from the throne of God down to each of the individual members of the church. Christians together are to be responsive to God and allow Him to have His way, which is the primary meaning of the Greek word for submit.

This Together as Worship

God has given us the command in community to place our fellowships and small groups under submission to Him. When we do so, we worship God by reflecting back to Him that He is the High King, the One God of the whole universe, the only One to whom allegiance makes sense.

Example In Small Group Community

The small group that submits to God together will continually offer group prayers of submission to God. Members will tell God they are willing to be His servants and do what He wants during their meetings.

The small group must keep in mind that there is much more to obeying God than Bible study and prayer. If the work of God is not actually carried out by small groups through Bible study, prayer, plus a host of other things, there is little hope for Christianity in the world. It is largely because of small group obedience throughout history that Christianity has spread throughout the globe.

Example In Congregational Fellowship

By accepting church membership and committing to be under the authority of church leaders, Christians submit together to God and His pattern for authority. In determining to obey the commands of Scripture for Christians in fellowship, the church is also submitting together. Other acts of submission together can be in accepting jobs within the church, supporting the church budget, supporting the church missions program and, when necessary, supporting the church's disciplinary actions.

We also need to be sensitive to the even more important aspect of gathering together as a congregation for God's purposes rather than for our enjoyment, comfort, pleasure or any other strictly human considerations. The difference might not be in the activity, but in the goal of that activity. Christians who submit to God come together to glorify Him. While benefits return to us as a result, they are not the reason for being together. Submission to God together is for His purposes. "Comfortable" churches may not be submitting to God. God may be calling such a church to corporately take on a very difficult service project or mission in a hurting community. Such projects can draw a church together in submission to God.

For Small Group Community

Discuss
1. Tell each other what questions need to be answered before you can submit to God and other believers with whom you fellowship. Questions about or of God? Questions about the church or the small groups where this would apply?

Do
1. Pick one thing that God is telling your group to do, and submit together to God to make it happen.

[3] Together Be Led by Jesus Christ

**John 10:3-4**; Heb 3:1; Heb 12:2-3; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 3:15

God's will for our individual lives fits into the larger work of Jesus Christ through the church. Jesus as the Good Shepherd leads us as a flock. Be committed to God's assignment for your church and your small group.

Just as sheep are led by the shepherd, the church is led by Jesus Christ. Christians spend time looking for God's direction for their individual lives but often forget to spend time seeking what God emphasizes: the work of the church together. Both when alone and with other believers, we should always be aware that the Lord leads us together; God's individual will for our lives fits into the larger whole of the work of Jesus Christ through the church. The group of disciples followed Jesus Christ - as a group.

This Together as Worship

God has given us wisdom in community to be led by none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Sovereign King, the Commander in Chief of God's Army, and the Great Shepherd whom we as sheep are to follow. When we do so, we worship God by reflecting back to Him that He is the One who leads. We are led by the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus.

Example In Small Group Community

Christians in small groups can be very effective in helping each other become more like Jesus Christ. By knowing one another more closely, small groups will learn how to encourage each member to change and become more obedient to Jesus than in the past. Today, as in Jesus' day, following rules often seems more attractive than following Jesus. The small group will watch out for anything that looks like the errors of the Pharisees. In small group discussion, members can receive guidance about how Jesus would have handled the situations they face. The small group that is led by Jesus Christ will realize that anything the Lord asked His group of disciples to do in Judea and Galilee might be requested of that group as a whole at any time.

Example In Congregational Fellowship

Many things can water down our attempts to follow Jesus Christ. In our day, there are so many programs and fads to follow that some churches find it hard to keep their primary focus on Jesus Christ. Churches that together follow the Lord will make sure that preaching is consistently centered on Jesus Christ and how His earthly life actually fulfilled the teachings of Scripture.

Sunday school classes for adults should not merely be studies from popular books of the day. Leaders should ask church members to study the life of Jesus Christ in Sunday school together at least once every five years. The purpose of such study should be more than to know the Jesus stories, but for class members to help one another become more and more like Jesus. Christians who are like Jesus follow Him automatically!

Church leaders might ask members to fill out a questionnaire on how they have become more like Jesus Christ during the previous year and how they hope to become more like Him in the coming year. Using this information, special short-term groups could be formed. For example, people who have trouble controlling their tempers might find it very useful to pray for and help one another overcome the problem.

For Small Group Community

Discuss
1. Together imagine Jesus leading a flock of sheep. Have each group member tell how you see yourself as one of the sheep in that scene. Where are you in the flock? What are you doing? What are you thinking? What are you feeling?

DO
1. Each person identify one way in which you would like to be more like Jesus or one thing that the Holy Spirit is asking you to change. Tell the others. As a group develop a plan to help each person achieve the change.

[4] Communicate With God Together

HEAR GOD THROUGH GROUP BIBLE STUDY
Deut 6:6-7; 2 Kings 23:2-3; Acts 17:11; Acts 20:32; **2 Tim 3:16-17**

TALK TO GOD IN PRAYER TOGETHER
1 Chron 5:20; 2 Chron 7:14; [Isa 1:15-17]; Matt 6:9-13; **Matt 18:19**; Mark 11:24; John 14:13-14; John 15:7-8; Acts 12:5-7; Heb 4:15-16; James 4:2-3; 1 Peter 3:12

SHOW LOVE TOGETHER THROUGH OBEDIENCE
Luke 6:46-47; John 14:21; 1 John 3:24; **1 John 5:3**

We are to listen to God through group Bible study, talk to God in prayer together, and show God love together through obedience.

I Cor 2:16 tells us that only together do we have the full mind of Christ. Matt 18:19 tells us that we are to agree with one another in prayer. By working together as a team, Christians can communicate with God more obediently and accurately.

This Together as Worship

God has given us the privilege in community to communicate with Him together. When we do so, we worship God by reflecting back to Him (a) in Bible study that He is The Word and that what He says has dominion; (b) in prayer that He is a good father who listens and cares deeply; and (c) in obedience that He is most lovable and worthy of being obeyed.

Example In Small Group Community

Some sort of Bible study and various aspects of prayer are critical to small group communication with God. But the small group should stretch itself with some ministry or project that requires the whole group to obey, to communicate with God through action as well as words. The possibilities are endless.

Example In Congregational Fellowship

The church as a whole obeys this command through preaching, Sunday school, congregational prayer, special prayer meetings and various church programs. Churches should help their members communicate through prayer, Bible study and service (body language). Believers need to be taught how to praise God rather than just thank Him. And they need to be exhorted to praise consistently, with matching words and actions.

But whole church communication to God should also definitely include action. (This aspect is closely related to Together #5, which follows.) Except for building or expanding church facilities, when all are asked to help, whole churches are seldom called to communicate with God through their unified actions. When putting up or adding to a church building, everyone is normally encouraged to work together as a sign of their commitment to God's work.

But churches sensitive to God's plans will have many significant goals for the whole church to accomplish. By their corporate action, the entire church will communicate to God. Goals for communication by action could include everyone becoming involved in some effective witness to the secular community. Or perhaps everyone would be encouraged to support church relief efforts.

For Small Group Community

Discuss
1. Discuss the requirement for agreement in prayer that carries the promise of God's answer. (See Matthew 18:19,20.)
2. Discuss with each other what it is that body language (faithful action and service) communicates to God.

DO
1. Tell one another how comfortable you are when praying alone as compared to when in a group. Using each others help, develop plans for each of you to become more comfortable, spontaneous, willing or more regular in both individual and group prayer.
2. Compare the different systems of individual Bible study of the various group members in order to identify better ways to listen to God through the written words of God.
3. Compare systems of prayer to identify better ways to talk with God.

[5] Serve God Together

Lev 25:55; Deut 6:13; **Deut_10:12-13**; Deut 11:13-15; Luke 4:8; Luke 16:13; Acts 26:7; 1 Cor 4:1; Heb 9:14; 1 Peter 2:16; Rev 1:5-6

God's work in society is too big for individuals. Seek to serve on a team.

The things God wants to do in society require teams of workers. Individuals acting independently are just not strong enough for real success in communicating the Gospel and defeating evil. Jesus trained a group rather than a collection of individuals to serve Him and carry on His work.

This Together as Worship

God has given us the wonderful privilege in community to serve Him. When we do so, we worship God by reflecting back to Him his sovereignty in that He rules over our lives, as well as reflecting the very kind of cooperation in the Godhead wherein the Father, Son and Holy Spirit serve one another to bring about what God has ordained and decreed.

Example In Small Group Community

Just in meeting and caring for one another, the small Christian community group is serving God together, especially if it utilizes the resources of its various members. The relationship with God through service can be augmented if the small group will occasionally work together outside of their meetings for some good that God wants done in the church or community. Since time to do the work of God is scarce, the obedient small group may even encourage its members to eliminate some nonfruitful activities for the sake of God's work.

Example In Congregational Fellowship

The obedient church is marked by service to its own members, the local community and the whole unsaved world. Vitally alive churches should have many small groups whose purpose is some aspect of service. Perhaps several people should be working as a team to teach the beginners Sunday school classes, or to put on Summer Vacation Bible School, or to work as the missions committee of the church.

In vital churches, we also should see small groups that have been led by God to do something about the homeless, or who have become active in the fight against abortion, or who have a ministry to make basic repairs on the houses of older people. The list could go on and on. But the critical fact is that the obedient church has Christians working together rather than solely as individuals.

For Small Group Community

Discuss
1. How is group service different from individual service? Why would it glorify God more?
2. What does it mean to be a team player? Does it mean more than just making a contribution, but also mean helping others get into the action?