Key points
- 1
1Biblical community is relationships in the context of a mission — not just socializing, but partnering together toward a shared purpose of growing as disciples.
Illustration
Migrating geese flying in a V-formation illustrate how biblical community is relationship in the context of a mission — each member helps the group go farther, faster, with less effort.
- 2
2Faith is personal but not private — God's plan A for our growth is other people, and isolating our faith is contrary to Scripture.
“faith is personal, but it's not private”
- 3
3The first element of biblical community is being truly known — allowing others deep enough access to see when we are overwhelmed, which requires real honesty and vulnerability.
“Being in community is work. Geese have to work to fly south for the winter. But guess what? If they don't do the work, they die. And so will your faith”
- 4
4The second element is acceptance — meeting people where they are with gentleness and humility, as Jesus did, without affirming destructive behavior or leaving people there.
“Acceptance of a person is not affirmation of where they're at”
Illustration
Jesus and the woman caught in adultery used to illustrate the difference between acceptance and affirmation — meeting someone where they are without leaving them there.
- 5
5The third element is support — bearing one another's heavy burdens (boulders) while also helping people carry their own responsibilities (backpacks), avoiding codependency.
A story from life
Pastor Bill describes his early marriage counseling experience, learning the difference between lifting someone's boulder and throwing rocks for them, as an illustration of healthy support versus codependency.
- 6
6The fourth element is development — the ultimate goal of biblical community is to move one another forward in knowing, growing, and going as fully engaged followers of Christ.
Illustration
An Oreo cookie with extra stuffing is used to illustrate that most people want acceptance and support (the sweet middle) without being truly known or developed (the crunchy ends).
- 7
7Being known and accepted makes us vulnerable, and vulnerability is the necessary gateway to being supported and developed — which makes us unstoppable.
“Being known and accepted, it does make us vulnerable, which is a good thing. Because when we get vulnerable, then we can be supported and developed, and being supported and developed makes us unstoppable. But you can't get to unstoppable until you're vulnerable”
“It's relationship, but it has a missional context. When you go into community, you're saying I am allowing other people to agree that we are going to partner together to grow towards something”
“That's why some of you can come to church every week, and you've sat here for years and years and years, and you are no closer to Jesus than you were fifteen years ago”
Illustration
The 'porcupine dilemma' — a philosophical concept about creatures needing warmth but hurting each other when too close — illustrates the tension between the discomfort and the necessity of biblical community.
A story from life
Vanessa Marr's video testimony about addiction, recovery, and finding community at Rock Point is referenced and celebrated by Pastor Bill as the reason for the building campaign.
Application
Pastor Bill's challenge is direct: honestly ask yourself whether you actually have biblical community — not just church attendance, not just a group you sit in, but a few people who truly know you, accept you, support you, and push you to grow. If you don't, take a concrete step to find it. If you're already in a group, bring these four elements — known, accepted, supported, developed — to your next gathering and honestly evaluate how you're doing. Push each other in the Word, in serving, in giving, and in sharing your faith. Stop settling for the fluffy middle of the Oreo. Get vulnerable enough to become unstoppable. Biblical community isn't a program to join; it's a choice to make — and your faith depends on it.
