“In April of 1999, Jeremy went to the beach with some friends from church, just hanging out. As usually happens with most people, he mentioned something that was worrying him—he couldn't make his rent that month. After communion the next evening, the church had an open microphone for anyone who wanted to talk. Most of the people who spoke talked about what God was doing in their lives, but not Heather. Jeremy couldn't believe what she did—especially since he'd just met her the day before at the beach. ‘Jeremy can't make his rent this month,’ Heather said, ‘and I think we all should give him whatever we can spare to help out.’ Jeremy broke down and began weeping—not out of embarrassment, but out of gratitude. ‘I've never had anybody do anything like that for me before,’ Jeremy said. After the service, friends and strangers came by and pressed money into his hand. Not only was he able to make that month's rent, they gave him enough to pay the next month's and a DMV bill that was due.

That night, he experienced community. Community isn't a group of people hanging out, and it isn't a program—it is a process of members of the body of Christ rubbing souls with one another, entering into each other's pain and celebrating one another's victories.”

—Future Church: Ministry in a Post-Seeker Age, p. 229-230 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

In Future Church, Jim Wilson writes about “Janice” a member of Agape Community Church in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. He describes her as a person with “a lifetime of tragedy etched on her 50-year-old complexion. She's had four husbands and five children. Today, she only knows where one of the children is and doesn't care to know where any of her husbands are—she was a battered wife. The beatings took their toll; to this day Janice suffers lingering disabilities from the abuse that were compounded by an auto accident a few years later. She's a squirrely sort of person that has a hard time finding any social equilibrium. Because of her health, Janice can't hold down a job, but she isn't lazy—quite the opposite. She is very resourceful, supporting herself by collecting junk, cleaning it up and selling it at garage sales. One crisis after another follows in her wake, she always seems to be a few steps away from calamity and in constant need of grace—an extra portion of grace.

Janice's car was in worse shape than she was—it was always breaking down. Men in the church tried to fix it and stop it from overheating; they even took it to a mechanic when they couldn't fix it, but to no avail. It was shot. Jim and his wife Jolene took Janice's need seriously and begin looking through the Penny Saver to see if they could find a car that the church might be able to buy for Janice. But before they did, a member of the church handed Sandell the keys to his old car and said, ‘Pastor, we bought a new car this week and thought we'd give our old one to the church just in case you or someone else might need it.’ Jim immediately thought of Janice. Now, with the gift, she had reliable transportation, but her problems weren't over.

Janice is missing that something that most people have in their makeup that lets them know when they are acting inappropriately. If she's down at 3:00 in the morning, and she needs to talk, she doesn't think twice about picking up the phone and dialing a phone number. At times, Jim Sandell, the pastor reaches his wits end with people like Janice, and when he does, he prays: ‘Lord, I know You've brought these people here for us to minister to. I pray for the strength to do what I can do to make a difference. And give me the extra grace I need to extend extra grace to them.’ Part of extending extra grace to people like Janice is to not view them as a ‘ministry project’ but to see them as someone Christ has drawn to their church—a part of the family.”

—Future Church, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Matthew 25:45 NIV “He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'”

For more information on Future Church, go to www.thefuturechurch.com/order.html

In his book, Being The Body, Charles Colson writes, “Just as we cannot do justice to September 11, we could not begin to detail all the ways that churches across our nation lived their faith in its wake. In the darkest hour, so many of the people of God stood as His church, doing what the church does best: being the community that brings hope and comfort to brokenness and pain.”

—The Body, p. 4 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Romans 12:15 NASB “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

For more information on Being The Body, go to: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0849917522/fm082-20

The True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo, New York has found a new way to impact their community. The church on the city’s east side is about to become the first church in Buffalo, and perhaps the nation to operate a Subway franchise. Pastor Darius Pridgen will attend a two-week training program in August for new franchise owners, and then return to teach his congregation the basics of sandwich-making and restaurant finances.

The franchise will open in November on the church grounds. Pridgen says True Bethels’ store will be no different from the 16 other franchises in the area, but its aim will he higher than turning a profit. The church plans to bring healthier eating alternatives and economic development to the east side of Buffalo. The franchise will provide job training for younger members of the congregation and surrounding neighborhoods. Graduates of the church’s employment skills classes will work for several months at the Subway. The church will then help them find permanent jobs outside the church

Pridgen says the restaurant will also move the church toward financial stability. He says, “Usually (Subways) are located in suburbs and the north side of town. We thought it would be a good idea to bring it to the inner city.”

Kevin Kane, public relations manger for Subway says he did not know for sure if True Bethel was the only church operating a franchise but added, “Its certainly a rarity.”

—www.buffalonews.com, Angel Food? True Bethel to open its own Subway, by Brian Baskin, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

James 2:14-16. NLT “Dear brothers and sisters, what’s the use if saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food and clothing and you say, “Well good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing, What good does that do?”

The cover story for the August 22-28, 2001 USA TODAY BASEBALL WEEKLY featured the Oakland A's, who are on an amazing winning streak. With a 28-9, post All-Star game record, they are the hottest team in baseball.

Throughout the article, the players credited the comradery of the team as a key component to their success. Pitcher Barry Zito said, "We get along great. It's not an image we try to put out there; it's just the way we are. We hang out together." Zito continued. "Basically, you can pick five names out of a hat, and those guys would go out and eat and have a good time.

"Some people might not appreciate how special this clubhouse is and how much that means to wins and losses on the field, but it really is a beautiful thing."

—2001 USA TODAY BASEBALL WEEKLY, August 22-28, p. 9 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Personally, I think the low ERA of the pitching staff might have more to do with the "W's" they are posting than whether the guys like to gang out together. But the comment does show one important thing: people long for community. Whether it is at a bar "where everybody knows your name," a clubhouse where players get along, or a church where life is shared with others, community is important.

1 Peter 1:22 NIV "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart."

In his book, "With One Voice", Reggie Kidd writes, "Each of us finds ourselves in a community that has come from somewhere and that does things certain ways for certain reasons. We sing a particular song this way instead of that way. Our liturgy is shaped this way and not that. As each group develops its nuances, it becomes a family and develops its own folk culture. That's necessary, and it's good. But we say something profound about the gospel itself when we stay a family and refuse to allow ourselves to become insular, a closed-in group."

—"With One Voice", p. 156. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

John 15:12 (NASB77) "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you."

COMMUNITY/TRIALS

A piece of paper is stronger than most people think. If you take a sheet of paper and crumple it into as small a ball as you can, even if you are Mr. Universe, the ball is still 75 percent air. University of Chicago physicist Sidney Nagel wondered how air could hold up something as thin as a sheet of paper. Nagel and his colleagues investigated their question by crumpling Mylar sheets and placing them under a heavy piston. They found that though most of the compression took place in the first few seconds, the piston kept crushing the sheets by small amounts up to three weeks later.

The physicists discovered that squeezing a tightly crushed wad down to half its volume would take 64 times as much force as a normal person can exert. Nagel says, “Even a weight lifter isn’t 64 times stronger than the average person.” According to Nagel, paper balls resist compression because crumples in the paper consist of many small peaks joined by a network of ridges. To crush the ball further, each ridge has to buckle in two. Compressing the ball creates more ridges, which requires even more energy to break.

—Discover Magazine, The Incredible Power of Crumpled Paper, pg. 13, August 2002, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

In community, we are better able to withstand trials. God’s power is displayed as we form a network of ridges and small peaks that keep the community of believers from being crushed.

2 Cor. 4:7-10 NIV “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed: perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifest in our body.”

In Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell writes, “Successful people don't do it alone. Where they come from matters. They're products of particular places and environments.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (HCSB) “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? And if somebody overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.”

Eric Schmidt, CEO and chairman of Google, in a commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania said, "Turn off your computer. You're actually going to have to turn off your phone and discover all that is human around us," He continued, "Nothing beats holding the hand of your grandchild as he walks his first steps."

In a sense, technology brings the world to our fingertips. Twitter allows us to follow every action of a celebrity, cell phones allow us to talk or text friends and family around the word, but technology can also push those physically closest to us further away. How many times have you said, “excuse me” in the middle of a conversation to answer your phone or read a text? Schmidt may have a point. Turn the lousy things off and hang out with a friend. There is a reason that these devises come with an “off switch.” Use them!

--http://www.salisburypost.com/Lifestyle/052409-Google-Penn illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Proverbs 17:17 (HCSB) “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time.”

In the motion picture, Because of Winn Dixie, Opal is a young woman who has just moved to a new small town in Florida with her father, the new preacher at the local church. Opal is lonely and desperate to make friends until she finds a dog in the grocery store, which she names Winn Dixie. Winn Dixie helps Opal make new friends. As Opal and her dog discover life in this new city, they find that most people are just as lonely as she is, although they have lots of friends. Opal discovers that life is made up of both joy and sorrow. These experiences in life are what connect people and bind them together.

The greatest sorrow in Opal’s life is that her mother left the family years before. She and her father are separated by the pain they feel over her departure. Neither knows how to deal with the hurt, and it threatens to drive them apart until one stormy night when Winn Dixie is lost during a thunderstorm.

OPTION 1 Play scene from Because of Winn Dixie, Chapter 22, The Search 1:33:45 to 1:37:27 and make application

OPTION II: Describe scene and make application.

Opal and her father, the preacher already have deep hurts left from when their wife and mother left. Opal has memorized a list of ten things about her mother so she will never forget. Facing with the possibility of losing Winn Dixie, Opal creates another list about the dog so she will have a part of him to hold on to. As Opal and her father search in vain for the dog, old hurts surface again.

As they search the empty streets, draining rain water drips onto the wet street from porches and storefronts. The preacher sighs and says, “It’s getting late. You’re getting tired and we need to head back.” His voice has a tone of resignation and surrender in it. Opal is still optimistic and responds, “But Daddy, he’s still out there! We can’t leave him!” Her father sighs and says, “There’s only so much searching we can do.” They walk a few more steps in silence until suddenly Opal stops short. Her father turns back, wondering what the problem is.

As he turns around, Opal looks up accusingly. “You are going to give up!. You give up on everything.” Her father objects, “That’s not true!” Opal stops him and continues to accuse. “It is true. All you do is give up. You just pull your head back inside your stupid turtle shell and give up. You won’t talk. You won’t go to parties.” She pauses for a minute, and continues “I bet you didn’t even go out looking for my mom when she left!” The Preacher sighs as he listens, to the hurt hidden in his daughter’s heart.

In her next breath, Opal continues. “I bet you just let her run off too.” The Preacher gets down on his knees to embrace Opal, and opens his heart for the first time. “I couldn’t stop her, I tried Opal.” Opal tries to turn away, but her father’s insistence pulls her back.

” I tried. You don’t think I wanted her to stay too? She was everything to me.”

In her pain, Opal shouts back, “You didn’t try. She wasn’t everything to you.” Though her father tries to object, he knows Opal has a point. Finally, he manages to say sincerely. “Yes, she was. Opal. She was everything. Everything. I failed her. All right, I failed her!” Though Opal is still not convinced, the preacher continues. “I tried with everything I had.” Then with great pain, he adds, “It’s my fault. Opal, it’s all my fault. I’m sorry”

After a long awkward silence, the preacher adds, “Don’t believe losing Winn Dixie isn’t going to upset me as much as it is you. I love that dog. I love him too.” In the honesty of the moment, the barrier between father and daughter falls away and they embrace, affirming their love for each other. They continue to look up and down the empty streets a few more minutes. As they step back into the street, Opal asks, “Daddy, do you think Mom will ever come back?” Feeling the new freedom in their relationship and in his heart, the preacher replies, “No. I don’t think so Opal. I’ve hoped and prayed and dreamed about her coming back. I don’t think it’s going to happen.” Listening, Opal shares a lesson she learned from her new friend Gloria. “Gloria told me that you can’t hold on to anybody. You can only love what you got while you got it.” The preacher considers the thoughts and smiles. “Gloria Dump is a wise person” Thinking more about Gloria’s lesson, Opal begins again. “I’m not ready to let Winn Dixie go.” Her father takes Opal by the hand and says softly. “You remember I told you, your mother took everything with her when she left?” Opal nods as her father continues, “Well there’s one very important thing she left behind.” Opal looks puzzled and asks, “What?” Her father smiles and replies, “You! Thank God, your momma left me you.”

APPLICATION: God never intended us to hold our hurts inside and pretend they aren’t there. He gives us friends to share the sweetness and sadness life brings. Relationships reach their full potential when we share each other’s burdens.

Galatians 6:2 (CEV) You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.

In Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit, Francis Chan writes, “The church is intended to be a beautiful place of community. A place where wealth is shared and when one suffers, everyone suffers. A place where when one rejoices, everyone rejoices. A place where everyone experiences real love and acceptance in the midst of great honesty about our brokenness. Yet most of the time this is not even close to how we would describe our churches.

Without the Spirit of God in our midst, working in us, guiding us and living and loving through us, we will never be the kind of people who make up this kind of community.”

-- Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit P. 152. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Romans 1:12 (NIV) “that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith”

In his book, The Prodigal God, Timothy Keller writes, “Christians commonly say they want a relationship with Jesus that they want to ‘get to know Jesus better.’ You will never be able to do that by yourself. You must be deeply involved in the church, in Christian community, with strong relationships of love and accountability. Only if you are part of a community of believers seeking to resemble, serve, and love Jesus will you ever get to know him and grow into his likeness.”

Hebrews 10:25 (HCSB) “not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

In Creating Community: Five Keys to Building a Small Group Culture, Stanley and Willits identified four negative results of living a life in isolation: a loss of perspective, a fear of intimacy, increasing selfishness, and poor health.

Creating Community: Five Keys to Building a Small Group Culture, 31-32. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Ralph Neighbour III

John 17:11 (GW) “I won't be in the world much longer, but they are in the world, and I'm coming back to you. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name, the name that you gave me, so that their unity may be like ours.”

In Changes that Heal, Henry Cloud writes, “A person’s ability to love and connect with others lays the foundation for both psychological and physiological health. The research illustrates that when we are in loving relationship, we are growing. When we are isolated, we are slowly dying.”

Acts 1:14 (GW) “The apostles had a single purpose as they devoted themselves to prayer. They were joined by some women, including Mary (the mother of Jesus), and they were joined by his brothers.”

A new study by Chaeyoon Lim, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, indicates that one of the keys to happiness is church attendance, more particularly, having a circle of friends at that church. “Attending religious services regularly and having close friends in the congregation are key to having a happier, more satisfying life.”

--USA Today, December 7, 2010, p. 7D Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

In addition to happiness, “33% of people who attend religious services every week and have three to five close friends in their congregation report being ‘extremely satisfied’ with their lives.”

Jill Costello was finishing her junior year at the University of California. Just before heading home for summer vacation, she discovered she was in the last stages of lung cancer. Her doctors gave her 9 months to live. Her support network was the Cal crew team where she was a coxswain. They had just returned from the NCAA National Championship where they placed second., where Jill directed the third boat.

Jill’s senior year reads like a combination medical chart/athletic plan. Her teammates rallied around her. At one meet, they even exchanged the “Cal” logo on their uniforms to one that said “Jill.” At nationals, one year after her diagnosis, the Cal rowers voted Jill as the coxswain for the number one boat. The coach agreed and she led her team to a third place finish. By the end of the month, her teammates were attending her funeral.

--“The Courage of Jill Costello,” Sports Illustrated, Nov. 29, 2010 pp. 65-72. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

This is an example of what a church is to be; a tight knit group of individuals, who put aside personal pain and ambition to help the group reach its goal. In the church, the goal is to be the body of Christ, acting in the world, and reaching the world with the gospel.

1 Corinthians 12:26 (NIV) If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Aaron was happy being alone. His trips into the western wilderness areas were usually by himself. Then came the day when an 800-pound boulder fell and trapped his right arm. Alone, with no hope of rescue, no one even knew where he was, he endured 127 hours of entrapment. He finally broke the bone, cut his right arm off,, and walked out for help. He wrote about the adventure, or misadventure, in his book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Now it is a major motion picture, 127 Hours.

When asked how the experience changed him, Aaron Ralston says, “I figured out that I not only want to connect with people, but that I need them.”

--Sports Illustrated, November 15, 2010 p. 21 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Our experiences are enhanced as well as easier when we share them with others.
If Ralston would have been hiking with a friend, either the two of them would have moved the offending boulder, or the friend could have hiked for help.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIV) (9) Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: (10) If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! (11) Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? (12) Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

54 year-old Howard Snitzer of Goodhue, Minn. collapsed on a freezing sidewalk. Two car mechanics and a high school teacher ran over to help. “For the next 96 minutes, a tag team of more than 25 other people, including volunteer firefighters, took turns performing CPR on Snitzer, until a rescue helicopter could take him to a hospital.” Dr. Bruce Wilkoff reported the expectation he would make a full recovery. “It’s remarkable. It’s a great example of people doing the right thing and having it work out.”

--The Week, March 18, 2011 p. 6 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Jesus left His church here to do spiritual CPR on a world that is collapsing under the weight of sin. We should be participating together in the task.

Acts 2:42 (CEV) They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together.

Japan’s cataclysmic earthquake has brought its economy to its knees as it struggles to recover from a national tragedy. Up until now, the effects of the disaster seemed localized and most other nations remained largely unaffected. However, it is becoming more evident that Japan’s woes may deeply affect nations all over the world. Investing in Chinese business has been a boon for many investment firms but this now stands in danger when faced with a smaller that anticipated demand for Chinese exports. Japan is a vital cog in the wheel of business and the world may not have anticipated how much Japan’s troubles may damage the world economy.

The fact that all of humanity is connected is an obvious fact when one pays attention to the events of the world. The greatest tragedy and the greatest miracle of human history also affected every human being who ever lived.

--iStockanalyst-http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewarticlepaged/articleid/5085686/pageid/1 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Miguel Martinez

Romans 5:17-18 (NASB77) (17) For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (18) So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

In The Divine Commodity: Discovering a Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity, Skye Jethani writes, “But the idea of community always appears more beautiful than the reality. Real people are difficult, and real arguments erupt. This is the dilemma of community — we desire it, we need it, but we seem ill equipped to create it.”

1 Corinthians 1:10 (HCSB) Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.

In his book, We Are All Weird, Seth Godin writes, “If you persist in trying to be all things to all people, you will fail. The only alternative, then, is to be something important to a few people.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (CEV) “You are better off to have a friend than to be all alone, because then you will get more enjoyment out of what you earn. (10) If you fall, your friend can help you up. But if you fall without having a friend nearby, you are really in trouble.”

In Flickering Pixels, Shane Hipps writes, “Digital social networking inoculates people against the desire to be physically present with others in real social networks—networks like a church or a meal at someone’s home. Being together becomes nice but nonessential.”

Acts 2:46 (CEV) “Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely,”

In Flickering Pixels, Shane Hipps writes, “I was sitting with a different friend at lunch one day. His cell phone rang. I stopped talking and said, “You can get that, if you need to.” Without blinking or checking the phone he said, “You took the time and effort to get together with me. Whoever is calling didn’t. Now, what were you saying?” All he did was ignore his phone long enough to be present where his body was. Not only did I feel honored, but it also made me appreciate the gift of being there. Prioritizing those who are physically present can have a transforming effect on us when so many are digitally absent.”

1 Peter 5:1-4 (CEV) “Church leaders, I am writing to encourage you. I too am a leader, as well as a witness to Christ's suffering, and I will share in his glory when it is shown to us. (2) Just as shepherds watch over their sheep, you must watch over everyone God has placed in your care. Do it willingly in order to please God, and not simply because you think you must. Let it be something you want to do, instead of something you do merely to make money. (3) Don't be bossy to those people who are in your care, but set an example for them. (4) Then when Christ the Chief Shepherd returns, you will be given a crown that will never lose its glory.”

In Flickering Pixels, Shane Hipps writes, “This anonymous intimacy has a strange effect. It provides just enough connection to keep us from pursuing real intimacy. In a virtual community, our contacts involve very little real risk and demand even less of us personally. Vulnerability is optional. A community that promises freedom from rejection and makes authentic motional investment optional can be extremely appealing, remarkably efficient, and a lot more convenient.”

Galatians 5:13 (CEV) “My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don't use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love.”

One of the blessings of being a Christian with a church fellowship is the community one can find in times of heartache. The New Testament commands Christians to mourn with those who mourn as well as rejoice with others who rejoice. For centuries men and women within church fellowships have been surrounded by friends who support them in troubled times.

Today’s young women are turning to another source for support. They are finding help online, especially through social media sites like Facebook. When Ashley Webber learned she was pregnant, she “posted the great news to my Facebook at four weeks—pretty much the minute we found out.”

Two weeks later, after a miscarriage, she again posted to Facebook and “was flooded with stories, encouragement, prayers and love.” So supported did she feel that when she became pregnant again, she posted again. “People still send me encouragement through Facebook,” she says. “It has really been a blessing.”

--USA Today, March 29, 2012, p. 3D Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (ESV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

Justin Shelton weighed over 450 pounds. His wife Lauren weighed over 300 pounds when they got married in 2008. In Jan 2012 Justin was hospitalized but he was too big for treatment. Together they decided to do something about it and in less than two years they have shed 524 pounds.

The key for their success is that they did it together. Lauren said “The challenge brought us closer together. It really strengthens you when you’ve got something hard ahead of you and you do it together.”

The root meaning of the word fellowship is participation. As the church, we have a tough road to share the gospel without communities. If we will work at it together it will strengthen each of us. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Philippians 1:4-5 (NKJV) always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, (5) for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

In his book, A Shared Christian Life, regarding the concept of “a personal relationship with Jesus,” Ben Witherington III wrote, “There is something odd about this whole question because the New Testament says absolutely nothing about individuals having a ‘personal’ relationship with Jesus, in that precise sort of language, especially if by “personal” one means private or individualistic apart from anyone else’s relationship with Christ.” –Jim L. Wilson

Romans 12:5 (NKJV) so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, a professional counselor gives the following advice about coping with anxiety and depression, “Fear of the unknown and uncertainty over how long we’ll have to resort to limiting our daily lives, fear of contracting the coronavirus or even worry about how this will affect one's financial situation are legitimate concerns. But it’s important to know that we are all in this together. There are millions of Americans who are worried about the same thing and feeling the effects of COVID-19. So, even though we are physically isolated, we are not alone in how we are feeling.” —Jim L. Wilson