Pathways Press.com

Written by James Bryan Smith, a contemporary author and professor. This is an excerpt from his book “The Good and Beautiful Community.”

The good and beautiful community is not made of merely comfortable Christians, but Christlike men and women growing in their life with God and each other. In order to become that kind of community we need a new narrative, a biblical narrative, to reshape our behavior. Here is the true narrative regarding the rights and responsibility of the community: The community exists to shape and guide my soul. The community has a right to expect certain behavior from me, and can provide the encouragement and accountability I need. From the beginning the ecclesia of Jesus has practiced soul-shaping through many means: corporate worship, the breaking of bread, the teaching of the apostles, corporate fasting, and holding each other accountable to live godly lives. Transformation into Christlikeness has been the aim and responsibility of the church from its beginning.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. [Hebrews 10:24-25]