Nurturing Gospel-Centered Communities

Massimo Gei, one of our elders at GCC preached a sermon titled ‘Nurturing Gospel Centered Communities’, and reminded us that as Christians, it is not our social backgrounds, shared interests, or attitudes that holds us together —  but Jesus Christ. He saved us out of sin, into one body as His church. Despite all our differences, we are reminded that fellowship among Christians is really a gift from God.

If communities are the project, then nurturing is the process, and gospel centered the posture. NET begins with the N because it is within the local church community that equipping and transforming happens! It is within the church that we grow more and more into Christ-likeness, weep and rejoice with one another, bear with one another, and persevere through trials and persecution together.

The reality is that we struggle to build gospel centered communities — either by despairing at the depths of our brokenness, or by trying to achieve perfection that can never be attained on this side of heaven. But because we have the gospel, we can bear the cost of personal sacrifice, discomfort, patience, time, vulnerability, and so much more, in a love that nurtures community — all not by our own strength, but by Him who is our sure and steady anchor in every time of need.