12. What is the relationship between Christian growth and community?

God’s ideal for Christian growth takes place in the community of faith. Fellow believers organize together for service, for evangelism, encouragement, outreach, and witness. Jesus instructed the early church to fellowship together to receive a special outpouring of the Spirit to enable and strengthen their sharing of the Good News.JTL17 14.1

Christian growth calls for growth in service. Certainly, we can and should engage individually in acts of caring for others and in prayer, study, and worship. But God also intended His people to grow in Christian maturity together. Without corporate worship, we miss the identity and arena of our fellowship, and it is in this fellowship and interpersonal relationship with others that we mature and grow.JTL17 14.2