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Coming to Know and Follow Jesus

Group's Body-Building Guide to Community

Group's Body-Building Guide to Community Group's Body-Building Guide to Community: Strengthening Relationships in Your Church, Candace McMahan, ed., Group Publishing Inc., Loveland CO, 2006. ISBN 0-7644-2936-1. ISBN 978-0-7644-2936-1.

It's no secret that people are hungry for community, for a genuine sense of belonging, for the sure knowledge that they are deeply cared for beyond the circle of their immediate family. And it is this desire for community that draws many Christians as well as non-Christians to the church.

Yet in our culture, in which people scurry from one appointment, obligation, or event to another, community--even in the church--is harder and harder to find. As a church grows, it must become more and more intentional about finding ways to engender a sense of belonging, or before long its very growth will snuff out one flame that initially drew people to it. And smaller churches must also be intentional about ensuring that everyone--young and old, black and white, wealthy and poor--feels enfolded into the body of Christ.

Over the years churches have relied on many of the same methods for building and maintaining community, including potluck suppers, small groups, and prayer groups.  All of these tried-and-true methods have worked, or they wouldn't have lasted as long as they have.  But with time they may have become stale and lost some of their appeal.

If your church is looking for fresh ways to build community, delve into the pages of this book. In it you will find innovative ideas that convey a deep sense of caring to every person in the church.