When my sister found out that my cell group is focusing on community, she recommended that I read her copy of God’s New Community, which she left behind when she moved to New Zealand.

God’s New Community looks at various New Testament verses and expounds on what Church really mean. It’s not a building but a community of people. And there should be real relationships in this community, where we love one another, help each other grow, and support one another in times of need.

Out of all the chapters, the one on “concrete love” made the deepest impression. “Concrete love” is coined as the opposite of “fluid love”. Where fluid love seeks relationships that bring comfort but not obligation, concrete love binds itself to others, taking on responsibilities that may be unpleasant but are a part of loving other people.

Another point that resonated with me was about the depth of relationships in the Church. If we are the body of Christ, and if we are to called each other, then how can a once-a-week relationship with our fellow Church members be enough? We must cultivate deep relationships with one another, which in turn will make it easier for us to offer love and support without worrying about being rebuffed.

Overall, I found this book to be practical and useful. It’s a fairly short book, slightly over 130 pages, but it provides a clear definition of what it means to be a Church and how Christians can move forward to become the body of Christ.

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