God has called us to make disciples, not mere believers (Matthew 28:19). If the Church is to be the non-judgmental, unconditionally loving, corporate body of Christ it is called to be, how are people motivated and empowered increasingly to grow out of their sin and become more Christ-like?

The arduous commitment it takes to grow into an intimate community has no shortcut. Only when centered on Christ can the people form a community of outrageous love.

The only way any of us grows in conformity with Jesus Christ is by being in Christ through faith and by having Christ in us through His Spirit. The question is, “Do we trust God?” Do we trust God is working in the hearts of all people, leading them at their own pace in the same direction God is leading us? Do we trust that people receive the Holy Spirit when they believe (Ephesians. 1:13-14), whatever their appearance may be and whatever bondage they might continue to experience?

A community of outrageous love is centered on its confidence that the Holy Spirit is at all times and in all people at work to change us into the likeness of Christ. Teaching the Word of God by example is centered on the strong commitment of its leaders. And, it is woven together around this center by the intimate relationships its members have with other members in small-group fellowships.

The New Testament teaches that members of the body of Christ are to encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18), confess sin to one another and pray for one another (James 5:16), speak the truth to one another (Ephesians 4:15), care for one another (1 Peter 4:10), admonish one another (Galatians 6:1), and even confront one another.

Early Christians lived life in strongly bonded, intimate relationships with one another. The primary gatherings (ecclesia, “church”) in the early period were in people’s homes. Paul’s letters reveal that the church largely consisted of people who knew each other personally (e.g., Romans 16:3-23, 1 Corinthians 16:10-15, 2 Timothy 4:19-21). It wasn’t until the fourth century that Christians gathered in large groups in special religious buildings.

A Spirit-created trust that grows out of a shared life is founded on the New Testament’s teaching about loving and helpful confession and accountability. In intimate contexts, people are freed to be open about their struggles and to ask for help, for they fear no judgment.

We reach out to one another, love one another, grow together, and repeat this just as Christ does to us.

What Most Surprised Me About Christians When I Became One | Rosaria Butterfield

Boyd, Gregory A. Repenting of Religion – Turning from Judgment to the Love of God. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004. Chapter 12: Love, Compassion, Accountability