The Community of God

At X-square @ Plaza Singapura last night, the central group, majority from AOC, were playing xbox games and watching others play. The guys as usual were playing winning 11, while the girls discovered a new game: Fatal Frame 2(the game in which a girl uses her camera to banish ghosts). Their screams could be heard the moment I stepped into X-square. Jiehui and I just sat beside Daniel, looking at the entire group having fun, with a few dialogues between us. Not being the centre of attention, but just observing others having fun and bonding together, can be a great pleasure. It's great to see how AOC is bonding together. What Daniel mentioned I believe is true, that leaders have to be close to each other 1st, before the members will bond. The careleaders will bring their group to meet other caregroups. :)

I observed somethings about church friendship and friends in the secular world.
No doubt such xbox events can involved just a secular group of friends, to an outsider, I doubt there will be any observable difference. But there are significant differences in the 2 friendships.

1) I realise that in church, strangers can get well acquainted with each other quickly, I do not deny that personality plays a part, but there is much more than that. Within the church family, there is always this atmosphere of acceptance that is very pervasive. It is human to judge, but we try not to, and look beyond the surface. We readily welcome and accept each other for who you are, not your dressing, looks, etc.

2) We have a covenanted relationship. As children of a God of covenants, we are a covenanted chruch. There are unspoken covenants between us. One of it I believe is that of basic trust, that you are my brother/sister in Christ, and have no malice against me. It is this fact that makes it is so much easier to share your problems to someone in church, than elsewhere.

3) It is a friendship that lasts. Many secular friendships, do not go beyond the boundaries of the school/camp/work. Once you change school, that's it, I have my own life, you have yours, we all have to move on, it's goodbye! Perhaps we'll still meet up once a year, to see each other but that's it.
I'm not saying that you'll be in the same caregroup/unit forever, I myself have been through many transfers. But there's always the confidence in the past relationships, that as long as we all are still serving God, nothing can pull us apart.
Ask me to share anything to my exex-, or exexex-shepherd, I'll gladly do it. For my secondary school best friend, I'll think twice.
We'll still see each other 50 years down the road in the senior citizens group! LOL

4) We have Jesus. That makes a whole world of difference.

This list is not exhaustive, there are many others, I believe you will discover them as you stay in Hope Church longer. I have 1 regret, which is not committing my life to this family of God earlier in my life. Don't live to regret your youth.

This is the Community of God.

If true and genuine friendships entice you, we welcome you to Hope Church Singapore. :)