“And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.” (Acts 2:44)

That’s a beautiful picture of a Jesus community. 

What comes to mind when you think of the word “community”? 

Henri Nouwen says: “Community is, first of all, a quality of the heart. It grows from the spiritual knowledge that we are alive, not for ourselves, but for one another.”

We all need community in our lives. Why? Because we are made in the image of God, and God Himself is a divine community of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

In fact, it is only in a Christian community that we can learn how to forgive one another, encourage one another and spur one another on to love and good deeds.

Building meaningful communities

I remember how my life was inspired and impacted as a teenager, all because of a small youth group that I had. 

My leader at that time was a young missionary who came to Singapore with his wife and toddler son to enrol in a Bible college. His schedule was always packed with studies, ministry commitments and his young family, but he would always make time to eat with us, check in on our lives and spend countless hours with us at the basketball court. 

I will never forget the time when he and his wife brought our small group to his little dorm room, where we sat on the floor to roll fresh dough and steam meat dumplings in a rice cooker! 

I will be honest here: I cannot remember anything from the many, many Bible study sessions we had in those days, but I vividly recall the loving presence of God and the power of true community every time we came together. 

God touched my life as a youth in that small youth group, and that season of my life still influences how I journey with young people today.

The youths today can listen to world-class sermons online or plug in to inspiring Christian music on Spotify. But they can only experience soul-satisfying, life-edifying and Christ-glorifying community through the Church. 

Of this I am convinced — that Jesus wants to use ordinary people like you and me to build such meaningful communities for young people and to reach young people. 

5 ingredients for vibrant youth groups

Over the years, I’ve come to learn that there are at least five ingredients for such youth communities, and I’ve put them together in the acronym L-I-V-E-S:

L is for liveliness. An attractive youth community is one marked by the presence of God. As we ask the Spirit of God to fill us with His love, joy and hope, we will see youths drawn to such liveliness.

I is for intentionality. Strong youth communities are marked by intentionality in all they do. Things are not left to chance or mood. Youths learn to take ownership and they make things happen.

V is for vulnerability. Our weaknesses and flaws convey our humanity, along with our humility. With youths, we always connect deeper when we show that we do not have it all together.

E is for engagement. Youths may hear what we preach, but they only truly understand the love of God when they engage over a simple meal, a game of sports or a meaningful conversation.

S is for support. A strong community of youths is one marked by the redemptive grace of God, with everyone constantly praying for one another and supporting one another. 

Let me encourage some of us who may have been hurt in a church community. I want to encourage you not to give up on church. 

People may have let you down, but Jesus never disappoints. He is still seeking the lost. He is still transforming lives. And He still believes in you. 

Right now, I believe He is calling us to join Him once again to build communities that transform real lives with His church. Would you be willing to say “yes” to Jesus today?

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for church. Use us to build strong church communities and lead more people to experience Your love through us. 

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflect

1. How has God’s redemptive grace transformed the way you live and use your time and energy? 

2. If you are part of a youth group, how might you strengthen each of these areas – liveliness, intentionality, vulnerability, engagement and support (LIVES) – in the group?

3. Even as you nurture each youth in your group, how might you also disciple each youth to disciple others?  

Pray

1. Speak blessing over the youth in your life, praying for the Spirit to ignite their hearts so that they are inspired to lead a life of prayerfulness and intentionality. 

2. Pray that youths in schools and churches across Singapore grow to be fearless in faith, bold in vision and clear in calling, ready to step into the destiny God has planned for them. 

3. Pray for God’s favour for our young as they pray with passion and pioneer with perseverance – bringing the presence and power of Jesus into countries, cities, campuses and whole communities of unreached peoples (LoveSingapore | Joshua 21).

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