Even those who are critics of the church and of organized religion have remarked on how tightly knit a community the church fosters. Every denomination of Christian church in North America values community and fellowship very highly. This is an old tradition within the Christian church. Since the time of Jesus, togetherness among believers was integral to the church’s foundation. Supporting, loving and caring for one another are a key set of values within the Christian church. No matter what one’s feelings are on the Christian church, it is undeniable that their sense of community is worthy of being modeled.
Christians are very big on having time together in fellowship. This may be in the form of sermon congregations, social events, small group studies or a number of other groups and activities. Simply being able to count on time together is very important to the Christian community. The standard for quality of relationships is high, and the tendency to give a high amount of time and energy to relationships within the church is universal. These values began with the example that Jesus set and have been passed down through the church’s history.
There is a genuine interest and concern for church member’s personal situations within the church. Jesus taught his followers to love one another and to love God. This value system is very strong within the church. Members demonstrate their care for one another by keeping an interest in each other’s lives, praying for one another, spending time together outside of church events and by providing for and serving those who are in need.
Serving one another is a very important part of the Christian social system. Christ exemplified the spirit of service and called his followers to be servants as well. In other words, Christians were assigned the role of filling needs and doing good works for the world. Where there is suffering, Christians are to bring love and provision. Where there is illness, Christians are to provide care. Where there is pain, Christians are to provide comfort. Therefore, when a member of the congregation is in need, the other members reach out to support them in whatever way they can.