Harvard Professor Robert Putman

Putman sited the following statistics as

indicators of the decline in “community life” in

America over the past 25 years:

Attending club meetings:down 58%

Family dinners:down 33%

Having friends over:down 45%

“Welcome to a community designed not around a street map, but around your

heart. With every special touch, it takes to allow you to live a life of maximum

freedom and boundless opportunity. You will meet a staff that has your happiness at heart. And you will experience a level of service that harkens to a time when people

really truly cared.”

DISCUSSION GUIDE1. List the characteristics of a Biblically

functioning community as outlined in (Acts 2:42-47).

(v. 42) (v. 43) (vs. 44-45) (v. 46) (v. 47)

Continually Sense of awe

All things in common

Daily meeting

Praise

Devoted to Miracles Sharing property

In the temple

Acceptance

Teaching     From house to house

Daily converts

Fellowship     Happiness  

Eating together

    Authenticity  

Prayer        

2. How well is your ABF doing living out these characteristics?

 3. Where is improvement needed?

4. Being in fellowship, means “close association involving mutual involvement and relationships.” Are you experiencing “true fellowship” with other believers? If not, how can you improve?

5. Why is mutual submission so important in a marriage and in a church? (Eph. 5:21-24)

  Each partner should look out for one another’s needs. In a community of faith, members must be submitted to Christ and the result is caring for one another’s needs.

6. What did Christ do for the church? (v. 25)

  He gave Himself up for the church.

7. Why did Christ give Himself for the church? (v. 27)

So that the church could be presented holy and blameless.

8. How well are most churches living up to the standard of being holy and blameless?

9. If Christ nourishes and cherishes the church, then how should believers treat the church? (vs. 29-30)

10. How well are you doing functioning as a part of the body? Are you fulfilling your roll or is the body, hampered by your

inactivity and commitment level?

11. How can you improve as a Fully-Developing-Follower of Christ, impacting

your community of believers?

“My Place in the Community ”

•WORSHIP

•WORD

•WORK

•WORLD

Richard Kidd Kempsville Presbyterian

Church