# Rooted in Community Sermon transcript from Cross Church El Mirage. Series: Rooted and Ready Date: August 16, 2026 Watch: https://crosschurchcares.com/el-mirage/episodes/rooted-in-community ## Summary Are you feeling disconnected in a world that craves community? What if the key to spiritual growth lies in the relationships we build? Discover how being rooted in community can transform your faith journey. Let’s dive in together! ## Transcript donuts. Welcome at Cross Church. My name is Tyler and I serve as campus pastor right here at Cross Church Elmarrage. And I want to welcome you to service today. Before we get started, I want to make you aware of a couple of ways that you can connect with us today. The first, if you have a phone with you, you can send a text message with the word crossurch no space to the number 9400. Or if you'd like to use the cards that are in the seat back in front of you, we've got three cards that'll direct you on ways to connect. The first is the new card. If you're new to Cross Church over the last few weeks, we would love to connect with you. Take some time to fill out that card during our service today and drop it in one of the black boxes and then we'll follow up with you this week with some more information. The next card is the next card. Take some time to use that card if you're interested taking some next steps in your faith journey. Things like baptism, joining a group, or even serving. And then lastly, and I believe most importantly, is the prayer card. And I want to guarantee you that if you take time today to fill out that prayer card, all of those come to me and I get to pray over each of them individually. So if you've got things big or small going on in your life, please feel free to share those with us. We'd be happy to pray over them. Hey, as we get prepared for some God-honoring worship, I want to encourage you to go into service today with an expectant spirit. We know that God will do big things in our midst. So I want to encourage you to enter this time with an expectant spirit. Let's get prepared for some God. Good morning, cross church. Let's all stand to our feet. Oh, worship God. Come on. Come all you. Come all you thirsty. Come to the well that dry. Drink of the water. Come and thirst no more. Come for your s. Come find his mercy. Come to the table. We will sisfy. Taste of his goodness. Find what you're looking for. For God so love. For God so loved. The world that he gave us is our own son to save us through the reason forever. Bring all your failures. Bring all your failures. Bring your addictions. Come lay them down at the foot of the Jesus is waiting. Open arms. See his open arms for God. The world that he gave his own son to save us forever. Live forever. The power of the love forever to be now is love. I'm walking free so praise God. Praise God. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him. Praise him for the wonders of his love. Sing that again. Praise God. Praise God from all blessings. Praise him. Praise him for that. Oh, for God so love the world that he gave us is one time to save for so long. The world that he gave us is one time to save. We'll live forever. Ever forever defeated now. I walk in freom of the world. Bring all your failures. Bring your addictions. Don't lay him down at the foot of the cross. Jesus is waiting. God loves the world. Amen. God loves you so so much. And he sent his one and only son to die on the cross for our sins. His precious blood changed our lives. And we get to praise him. Everything I encount Christ. I don't like I've been washed from the inside. I've been washed from the inside. Hallelu Hallelu could have only been the blood. Hallelu. Hallelu. Could have only been explain. Nothing's more real than this in the presence of God. Hold my heart experience when my shame at the side and my sin at the high. I've been washed from the inside. I've been washed from the inside. Hallelu. Hallelu. who was the blind. Could have only been the blind. Hallelu. Hallelu. I know it was the blind. Could have only been the blood. Oh, thank you Jesus for your precious life. You change my life forever. It's never been about performance, perfection or striving for acceptance. Let me tell you, it's only by the blood. It's never been about deserving or earning. It's a gift that's freely gi. Let me tell you, it's only by the blood. Does anybody want to be holy and righteous? Your body is falling. Let me tell you, it's only possible. Does anybody want to be worthy for giving justifying? Let me tell you hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelu. I don't want to begin. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus. Hallelu Hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelu. Amen. You can go to grab a seat. Um, as you do so, we're going to enter into a time of prayer. So, I want to draw your attention to Psalm 122. And so, if you can kind of flip there or click there. I'm going to read this a few verses in particular. And we're going to spend some time praying through some different sections here in Psalm chapter 122. This little passage reminds us of three ways that we pray. We spoke of it briefly last week, but it's the concept that we pray up to praise God, down that God would shape our hearts, and out that God would impact others. And so, we're going to start reading in Psalm 122 verse1 be our first prayer prompt for today. This is simply verse one. I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." First thing that we're going to do as we begin to pray through this psalm is we're going to pray the downpiece. We're going to pray that God would shape in each of us a hunger, desire, and passion to be in the house of the Lord. And so, I'm going to ask you just wherever you're at to individually begin to pray that God would create in you and I a hunger for the house of the Lord. Let's pray through that now. as we continue to pray. Found in verse four is a little unique verse talking about the city of Jerusalem. It says this, "Where the tribes, the Lord's tribes, go up to give thanks to the name of the Lord." As we spend time praying through the second verse that we're reading today, I just want to ask you wherever you're at between you and God to pray the uppiece, we're simply going to praise God. Maybe as you pray in your seat and thinking about this verse of giving thanks to the Lord. Uh maybe you would fill in this phrase, thank you God for blank. Maybe it's for your family or your friends or health or a situation, an answered prayer. Whatever it is, we all have something we can thank God for. So let's spend some time now in the second prayer prompt thanking God specifically. Last verses I'll draw your attention to are beginning in verse six. It says this, "Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem. May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls, security within your fortress. because of my brothers and friends, I will say my peace or may peace be in you. Um, one of the things that we're going to speak to today is this idea of community and how valuable community is. So, I want to encourage you to spend some time praying through this piece. Now, simply praying for our community. Maybe it's someone in the room that comes to mind that you want to pray for, a family member, a friend, a neighbor. But let's in this moment pray for our community and for those that God places on our hearts now. Let's pray for them. God, we come before you and we are so thankful for the local church that exists here on the corner of Poria Mirage. And God, specifically today, we ask that you would help us to be a community that points people to you. Um God, as we get to be a part of this church that is unified under one name and for one kingdom, God, I pray that you would help us to be uh not only unified in that, but strengthened in that today. God, we pray all this in your name. Amen. Let's stand as we continue to worship. I worship you all my life. I offer you simple meloies of sacrifice. Open hands and open heart. You're the only one I want. Your presence is my treasure, my delight. Fall rain, Holy Spirit. Fall like rain. Holy Spirit your way. Let your glory fall down. Let your glor You alone are worthy of my praise. praise to stir in me a power to hold your name. All life spit all life. Holy Spirit have your way. Let your glory come. Let your glory go. All I Holy Spirit fall. Holy Spirit have you. Let your glory fall down. Let your glory fall down. May I never lose the wonder of your presence. May I always stand in awe of who you are. Oh, the beauty and the gift of your friendship is unlike anything I've ever known. May I never lose a wonder of your presence. May I always stand in all who you are. The beauty and the king of your unve Never know. Oh my spirit. Holy Spirit guide your way. Let your glory fall. Let your glory fall. Let him go. Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit. How do I let your glory go? Let your glory fall down. I never lose the warm of your presence. I always stand beyond your the I never lose the wonder of it all. I always stand in all who you are. Oh, Christ. All Holy Spirit, all Holy your way. Let your glory fall. Let your glory fall like rain. Holy Spirit, all I Holy Spir, thank Thank you guys for joining us. And if you're online, thank you for joining us online as well. I just got a few announcements to go over this morning with y'all. So, first things first, pizza with the pastor directly after the service. If you didn't sign up, totally cool. Come anyways. We got plenty of pizza. It's going to be a great time if you want to learn about the mission and the vision of what we have going on at Cross Church. Secondly, uh September 13th, we're doing football kickoff. No, I'm just kidding. It's small groups kickoff. Um, wear your jersey though. Support your team. We're gonna have snow cones. It's gonna be a great time. We're going to sign up for Bible groups, men's groups, youth groups, women's groups, we got them all. If you need it, we got it. Um, now I'm going to go over the cards real quick. The most important part. First card, the new card. If it's your first time, second time, third time, fill it out. We would love to get to know you. Pastor Tyler reach out to you. He won't spam you. You don't have to block his number. It's fine. Second card is the next card. That's what we're going to talk about a little bit later in service. We're going to get community going. Uh talk about joining groups and all that. It's going to be great. Fill it out. Look it over. Make some time. We're going to have a great time. Last card is the prayer card. The most important card. Please, big, small, fill it out. Pastor Tyler will pray over it this week. Maybe he'll contact you. I don't know. Maybe. We'll see. Anyways, um none of this would be possible without your generosity. Um, we have many ways to give behind me. If you're already giving, please just use this time to pray for 30 seconds. Thank you. Well, good morning and welcome to Cross Church. We're so excited that you joined us today for worship. If you got a Bible today, we are going to use that. So, go ahead and break it open. Whether you're here or watching those of you online, um we are going to be in the book of Colossians chapter 3. So, I'll let you kind of flip there, click there, and make your way there. As you do so, uh we're in this series that we're calling Rooted and Ready. Uh, hence all of the tree visuals that you got earlier. Here's the concept that we're addressing today. If you're going to be well-rooted in your faith, one of the pieces of that that is absolutely vital is community. Community is a vital piece to that. So, we'll jump into that here uh in just a moment. Um, community is one of those things that's helpful, but really it's a question about the things that shape us. It's a question about the things that shape us. And so, um, I have a little bit of a fill in the blank. All right. And so, I'm going to say a phrase and I'm going to give you a chance to respond. Okay? Everybody got their vocal cords warmed up? H, I can see it. Some of you are working on it. All right. I'm going to let you fill in a couple of phrases. Like a good neighbor. >> Your local State Farm agent is stoked on that one. All right. So, you guys crushed that one. That was good. That was almost louder than worship. I'm not gonna judge you, though. Not gonna judge you yet. Um, the other one, what comes to mind when I say I'm loving it? >> McDonald's. Good. Okay, some of you are out there. Uh, those of us that are a live Moss community, that's a different conversation. Here's the here's another one. Nationwide is on your >> Oh, you guys are good. It's something about insurance companies, I guess. Like, I don't know why they like drill these things into our head. Now, I'm going to get to know you guys a little bit better. If I say righty tighty, you say >> you guys all got that one. That one's good. All right. Now, this is a little bit divisive, this last one. Okay. Um, I'm going to say the phrase. There's a couple different options, and it's going to tell me what type of person you are based on how you finish this phrase. Okay. Never eat >> soggy waffles. Okay. I'm personally a shredded wheat guy. Never eat shredded wheat. Anybody out there? Okay. One of you. Um, it's how you've learned your directions. north, east, south, west. Someone said spaghetti. Um, I didn't I didn't know what that one was, but here's the deal. Um, when it comes to those phrases, here's what we're reminded of. The things that are around us shape us. So, the key question for today is is essentially this. What things are shaping you? What things are shaping you? Um, as I was writing this and beginning this conversation, really this question has sort of layers. It's fun to talk about things like uh jingles that we will always remember, but the honest truth or the second layer to this conversation is that oftenimes there's deeper things that are shaping us. Uh, things like the way that as we wrestle with fear and anxiety, it shapes the way that we choose to live. or for some of us as we take steps where um we're waiting on God's answer and provision and so we're trying to figure out what's next and that shapes the way that we're living. There's plenty of circumstantial factors that can shape us as people. But ultimately the question is not what are the circumstantial things that can shape us, but what does scripture have to say to shape us? And so today we're in Colossians chapter 3. We're going to begin reading in verse 12. So, if you'll join me there, we'll start reading here in verse 12. It says this, "Therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." In verse 13, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a grievance against another, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ to which you were also called in one body rule your hearts and be thankful. Let's pray as we jump in today. God, we come before you. Uh those of us gathered in this room and online understanding, God this basic truth that we ask two things each week. First, that you would give us the wisdom to understand the words that we read in this text. but also God that you would give us the courage and conviction to take what it is that we see in this text and begin to live it out. God, we pray all this in your name. Amen. Well, in Colossians 3, we begin this conversation around community. And you'd say, "Pastor, it doesn't really say the word community in that text." But here's the thing. We're going to look at three specific things that this set of verses teaches us about community. And really this idea of community is written all into these verses. This uh text here in my Bible is entitled the Christian life. And it is essentially a roadmap for what those of I those of us like you and I who are followers of Christ should live our lives by. And so three things this teaches us about community. The first thing is this. It's that some characterist characteristics require community. There are some characteristics that require community. Now, let me flesh this out a bit here if I could understand it this way. There's some things about the Christian faith that we can do individually on our own. For example, beginning prayer. You can pray on your own, just you and God wherever you are. That's one such example. Some other examples are things like reading your Bible. You are more than capable of reading your Bible on your own because there are some characteristics that don't require community. But there are some characteristics that deeply require community. Let's look at this list and see a few of them in chapter 3 here. Compassion. You see, if we are going to practice compassion, we have to have other people around us. We need community. As a matter of fact, as we continue, verse 13 is all about community. It says this, "Bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against you, just as the Lord has forgiven you." So, check this out. We are reminded in this text that we need community. Now, I'm not going to cut my sermon short, but if I were going to reduce my entire sermon today down to just three words, it would be this. You need community. You need community. There are some things about the faith you can figure out on your own. But there are some ways in which we deeply and desperately need community. Now, here's the truth of the matter. As we look at this and we talk about this idea of community, one of the things that's inherently true about community is that community is messy. I don't know if you guys know this, but people are messy. We all have baggage. Amen. If you didn't say amen, I'm judging you because I know you got baggage, right? We all do, right? We all have things that we're working on and wrestling through and struggling with. And we understand that when we as broken people come together to form community, often times there's issues that have to be addressed. But I love the Jesus juke we get in Colossians chapter 3, the spiritual card that's played. Check this out. We're we're reminded that we have to forgive one another if anyone has a grievance against you just as the Lord has forgiven you. So we are reminded in this text that there are some characteristics that require community. Yes. But there's also the way in which we are reminded that Jesus modeled what it looks like to live in community. He became the initial person to forgive. So as we think about these characteristics, we find that community is a required piece of application of taking this text and beginning to live it out. And the truth being that um I've heard a pastor say it this way that if you find the perfect church, which we are all in search of the perfect church, that you should never join the perfect church. And he went on to say the reason you don't join the perfect church is that the moment you join it, it's no longer perfect. Right? There's no such thing as a perfect church because there's no such thing as perfect people. And so as we look at this idea, we find that some characteristics require community. And in that we have to do things that are difficult, that stretch us, that we don't enjoy doing. I'll just be honest with you. There's some things in life I have to do that I don't like to do. One of them is going to the dentist. All right. Anybody else? Can I just go on a little I'm gonna tell you a little story, all right, about the dentist and why I don't like going to the dentist. All right, here's some reasons I don't like going to the dentist. The dental hygienists that I've been to um have this unique ability to open up my mouth and place the little thing that makes sure I can't close my mouth and then proceed to ask me a million questions. All right, so I'm like I feel like I'm playing a game like trying to say things with my mouth open and I can't really speak or annunciate and like how's the family doing? what's new at work? How's the church going? And I'm like, I can't really talk. All right, but then I have to be nice, right? Or else they'll judge me. And so I got to go through this process. And then the other part is they have the audacity to ask me as they poke me with metal sharp objects, does this hurt? Yes, it hurts. You're poking me with metal objects. All right. This is not a fun process. However, we still all go to the dentist. Why? It's good for our health. As we understand this spir spiritual principle here, a little bit of a deeper truth. The understanding is this. Some characteristics require community. So, we oftenimes have to do things that we don't always enjoy for the sake of spiritual growth. And I would add to it just this minor sort of uh point one a if you will that there are some things that God can only teach you in relationship to others. There are some moments and seasons in life where we just have to be near other people following God in order to continue to grow in our faith. Second thing that you'll see as you continue walking through this text, yes, there are some characteristics that require community. But the second thing you find is that some community will cost you. Now, I'll tell you this. There are some spaces where you can find community where it doesn't cost you anything, where you don't have to give anything up to be a part of it. But the community that we're talking about today will often times be costly. Now, there's a two-way street in this, if you will. There are some seasons where you are in community where you are going to be the recipient where because of the goodness and the Christthon honoring actions of others, you're going to be the recipient of other people's actions. But there are going to also be seasons where you go the extra mile to help and bless others in ways that don't directly benefit you. Some community will be costly. As a matter of fact, the story in scripture that I'm reminded of about this idea is found in Mark chapter 2. You see in Mark chapter 2:3 we have this. They came to bring him or they came to him bringing a paralytic carried by four of them. So there's four men who are friends with a fifth friend who's paralyzed on a mat. They carry the man to Jesus because they know that Jesus can heal him. So they bring the man to Jesus. And this is the type of friends that they are. All right, look at this in verse four. Since they weren't able to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him. And after digging through it, they lowered the man. Now, I don't know about you. They lowered the man through this hole. And I get into the logistics a little bit. All right. Can I just tell you the logistics? I'm reading this text. Here's the moment. There's four men. They're carrying their paralyzed friend on a mat. He can't be, but you know, it's it's going to be a goodiz mat. He's a full-g grown human. Um, and so they begin to take this man. They can't get him in through the door. So, they take him to the roof and they start digging. Now, I don't know about you, but if you were in a room like this or somewhat similar and you were listening to Jesus teaching, I don't know about you, but I'd be distracted. All right? I'd be losing focus and wondering what's happening. And and the truth being that there's not just a small hole here. All right, that they're doing um and they're going to pass Jesus a note. They are actually building or digging a hole big enough to drop an entire grown man through. Here's what we find in this. The friends go to extreme lengths to take their friend to Jesus. As we think about the idea that some community will be costly, the truth of the matter is there are going to be seasons where you and I need to metaphorically cut holes and roofs for our friends, for those in our community. We need to be willing to go to extreme measures because some community will be costly. Yes, there will be seasons where we are the friend on the mat and we are lowered. But there are often times seasons where we need to break out our shovels and dig holes for our friends. As you look at scripture, you can think about so many other people. You can think about Timothy and the way in which Timothy becomes all that God has called him to be because Paul cared enough about him to walk him through the process. You can think about someone like Apollus in scripture who was had his faith formed by Priscilla and Aquilla. They build him up in such a really important way. And essentially what we find about community is that it's costly because essentially it's the process of disciplehip because as we begin to follow Jesus and do it in community, we are being shaped into the image of God. And as you think about it, it's this process of a communal disciplehip. If you think about it, there's a bunch of different ways this happens in life. Um, sports teams are going through this right now. Um, NFL teams are in what is called training camp, right? And so they go to training camp where they bring a bunch of different people that aren't always on the same page. They get them in the room together. They learn new things together and it builds hopefully a team, hopefully a winning team. The Cardinals are working on that. But that's what NFL teams are going through. I mean, there's other ways you see this happen. Our United States military does this at an incredible level. Think about it like this. They will take someone off the streets that's normal like you and I and over a process of a few months break them down physically and mentally and then build them up into exactly what they need to be to do a job. And you know what's interesting about it? It isn't just a oneperson thing. It's a communal disciplehip. And they are made to be not only all they can be but more partially due to the community. And you can talk to any service member. One of the absolutely unique factors to their experience serving in the military is the community. They have people that they would literally lay down their lives for that they went alongside and were communally discipled. As we think about the spiritual context, while we're not physically laying down our life for others, we do need to understand this idea that there is a communal aspect and it oftenimes will be a costly one. So understand that some community is costly. Number three, I want you to see as we walk through this text that some costs are worth the consideration. As a matter of fact, there are sometimes where the risk is worth the return. Are there moments where the risk isn't worth it? Well, according to my Costco membership two years ago, it was not worth it. So, I returned that bad boy the next day. All right, we're giving it another chance. But here's the deal. Sometimes the cost is absolutely worth it. I think there are times in my own life where I've seen this sort of community formed and shape people. Um, back in 2017, um, my pastor at the time came to me and he said, "Hey, would you be open to leading a trip to Texas?" So, I thought, "Of course, I'm open to going on a trip to Texas. There had been a hurricane and um Southern Baptist Disaster Relief needed some teams." And so, I was like, "Yeah, I'll grab a team and we'll go." And so, I grab a team. We take 12 adults and we pile into a 15 passenger van. Now, I don't know if you know this about 15 passenger vans. Historically, not built for comfort. All right? They're really not. All right? They're just to get you from point A to point B. The other thing you'll know if you've ever been to and through Texas is that from Arizona, it's easy to get to the edge of Texas. But then it takes two months to drive from one side of Texas to the other. So imagine myself and 11 other people in a 15 passenger van crammed in with a U-Haul trailer and all of our luggage behind it and tools and everything else driving from Arizona to Texas, okay? In one day, all right, to the far side of Texas, Katy, Texas, where we ended up on day one. And so we went through this whole process, drove all the way until like midnight and we finally make it. And then we spent one week as starting pretty much complete strangers serving alongside of one another. Here's what's happened since then. Some of the people that I went on that trip with have become my best friends. Some of them are here in this church because of a trip that we went on. We got to serve alongside each other. We got to build relationships together. You know what I'm reminded of? Not always the difficult moments, but all that God did through that trip. One of those moments where it was a little costly, um, one of the things that happens on those 12 passenger or 15 passenger vans is the uh, air conditioning switch sometimes will go out, especially on the Fords, right? It's not a not a vehicle commercial. Um, literally as we're driving, we had to have a code word for the moments when the air would switch from cold to hot and we'd have to jiggle the switch to get it going again. All right. I don't remember those difficult moments as much as I remember all of the lifechanging things that we did that week and the way that we grew together. So understand sometimes the cost is worth the consideration. I think about other places that I've been in where I've been the recipient of the cost being worth the consideration. I think about the incredible moments in my life where after spending 10 years in youth ministry working with teenagers, I get to be a part of officiating weddings for students who met in youth group and go on to get married. And I get to see these incredible moments where people grow up. And uh honestly, our church today is full of people that I got to see as teenagers grow up, assume leadership, and follow Jesus well. And it's in this that we're reminded that sometimes the cost is worth the consideration. Um sometimes from time to time people will um give me a text or they'll reach out and call me and they'll say, "Hey pastor, call me when you get a minute. We need to talk." Now, I'm just going to let you know this. My brain always goes to the bad. So when you say, "Hey pastor, can we talk?" I think, "What did I do wrong?" Right? Like what's going on? There's something that's broken or needs fixed or whatever. I'm always thinking, "What's wrong?" All right. But um I had this couple um about five months ago and they said, "Hey pastor, can we talk?" So I said, "Of course we could talk. Let's set up a time. We made an appointment. We showed up at church and we sat down and as a matter of fact, they did have some big things that they were working through." And so we began to work through these things. And one of the things that I will never forget in their conversation with me, it was an Wednesday evening. We were here at church and we spent about 35 minutes talking. And here's the phrase they used at the end of the conversation to speak about this church that I thought was so so helpful. They said, "You know, pastor, we we're walking through this difficult season. We got all these things that are wrong." And listen to me, they had a list of things that were wrong. A lot was going on in their life. But they said, "We are so thankful that at this church, we've found our people." I thought, "Oh, like if you could give me any words, that was the one that was lifegiving. They said, "We found our people here. We found people that know our name, people that care about us, people that actually are walking through this to this day with this couple. They found here. And so it reminds me, as deep and as sometimes difficult as it can be to step into community, that oftenimes and always, as a matter of fact, the costs are worth the consideration. Let me remind you of a key practice that I think shapes how we think about community today. It's this that we need to create space for community. We need to create space for community. Now, if I were just going to tell you from uh my pastor's perspective of a few things, here's what I would tell you. Uh I get plenty of objections about why people don't want to be a part of the church or why they don't want to step into community. Um I get plenty of objections. You you've heard these probably too when you've invited friends or family to join you at church. They'll say things like, "Well, the church is just after my money." All right. Uh, it's true. God is after your money. So, I won't apologize for that one. That's a different conversation, though. All right? I'm not asking you for money today. Um, but God is after our money because he's after our hearts and what controls us and the things that are shaping us. And I I also get objections like this, and I'm sure you do, too, that I don't want to be a part of a church because it's just full of hypocrites, right? And can I just tell you this? Churches are full of hypocrites. We are hypocrites because why? Because we are broken, fallen, sinful people. And what we find in this process is that what's unique about the community of the local church and creating space for the community is that while there are plenty of reasons to have objections for community, what is unique to us is what's found here in scripture. As a matter of fact, what's found here in scripture is in verse 14. says this, "Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity." You see, what makes this community of the local church and of small groups in the church different is not that we all look the same, act the same, think the same, or are the same. What is unique about the local church is that we're brought together under the name of Jesus, and we are held together by the bond of love. You know what love involves? Putting others first. It means serving others, showing them forgiveness, extending patience and gentleness and humility and kindness and compassion. Understanding that that is the standard God has called us to. And that church isn't just bonus points we get if we go. Church is the community where we begin to not only live out our faith, but have our faith formed. And so it is vitally important that we create space for community. And three ways today I want to give you that you can create space for community in your personal life. Number one, I want to encourage you to create space in your schedule. I talk about objections to community. The number one objection I get for people stepping into community is I don't have time. I'm so busy. And can I just tell you everybody's busy. Everybody's got stuff going on. But here is the big message. You make time for what matters to you. I'm just gonna be honest with you. It doesn't have to be comfortable or easy. You'll make time for things that matter to you. You'll find a way if it's really important to you. And if I can encourage you on anything, it would be this. Create space in your schedule. I'm not telling you to quit your job tomorrow so you have full availability for church. Okay? Don't do that. All right? Um, but there are ways that we can structure our lives and our weeks to create room or space in our schedules. If we are so busy doing anything, even good things, that we can't find one or two hours a week to spend time in God-honoring community, we have over booked ourselves. So, let me encourage you very clearly and simply to create space in your schedule. Second thing I want you to see is that you should create space in your home. create space in your home. This is one that I'm really passionate about that I think is um unfortunately oftentimes overlooked. But the reality being uh people oftentimes are leery to come to church, but they are oftenimes less lery or more apt to go into your home. And that one of the ways in which we see the gospel played out is actually at our dinner tables before it's in our church rooms. And so I want to encourage you to create space in your home for community. Here's what it might look like for you. This is not prescriptive. Um but this is just examples of ways that it could look. What would it look like if about once every four to six weeks you found a family, a couple, a group of people to bring into your home that you could just for a dinner or hang out, play some games, whatever that you create that space in your home. And that that's an opportunity for you to share the gospel with people, for you to encourage people. Maybe it's just an opportunity where you bring people together just so you can pray for them. And maybe you put on a sick coffee bar. But understand what it looks like to create space in your home. As a matter of fact, if you want to invite me over for Carneada and to watch football between now and February, I'm open. My schedule's clear. I can definitely make that happen. So create space in your home. Uh but understand very clearly that we do need to create space because we make space and time for the things that matter to us. So create space in your home understanding that our homes are one of the greatest assets that we often have where we can bring people in to the faith. And the third thing I want you to see is this that you should create space in your resources. Create space in your resources. And no resources isn't just a fancy word for money. Although it might mean money, but I just want to encourage you to create space in your resources. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard stories right here in this very room where there are people in our church that made space in their resources that they had an extra of this thing that they were able to use to bless someone else. Man, I can't tell you how many times there's been somebody mentioned, "Hey, my car is acting up or it needs this." And somebody else in the church blessed someone. I can't tell you how many times um as a matter of fact it's happened quite a few times even to me personally where somebody in our church um gives birth and we as the local church show up and bring food because that's what we do. That's how we say we love each other. And so we find this space that we need to understand where we create space in our resources so that we can have community so that we can be a part of community. so that we can receive community, but also so that we can be the community. And so, here's the application for today. Wherever you're at, stop what you're doing and pull out the next step card that's in the seat back in front of you. I'm going to wait until everybody pulls it out. All right? I'm going to judge you. All of you, even the young ones in the room, they pull it out. Pull that next step card out. And here's what I'm going to ask you to do in the next couple of minutes. Take some time to fill this out. There's black boxes in the back of the room. We won't let you out. No, I'm just kidding. We will let you out. Um, but I'm going to ask you to take some time to fill out this card. I'm going to give you some instructions about what groups are happening here at Cross Church. On the back of this next up card, there's two things that are going to be important to you. The first one is Bible groups. This fall semester, we have four Bible groups that are going to be meeting. Our groups are what's called sermon-based small groups. That it means what we talk about in the sermon on Sunday is what the group talks about during the week. We have some groups that'll be meeting at home, some that'll be meeting on campus, some that have child care, some that don't. So, here's my question for you or my ask. Just check off Bible groups. And then here's what I'll do for you. I'll reach out to you this week, whether it be a phone call, text message, or email, and I'm going to ask you to answer. I'm going to call you, reach out to you. It's an Oklahoma phone number, so it's not a scammer. But when I reach out, here's my encouragement that you answer so that we can get you plugged into community. Here's a few other examples of ways in which community will happen that I want to ask you to be a part of. That blank is open. A few different types of community. Number one, youth group, 6th through 12th grade. It kicks off in the middle of September. I get to lead it and I'm super excited for all that God's going to do in our youth group. It's one of those areas that I know what God does in that group changes the entire life of our church. So, if you've got a teenager, just write youth group there. We'll get you connected with resources. Or if you're here and you'd say, "Man, I want to be a part of impacting the next generation for Jesus." Just write your name there and fill that out and say youth group. I promise we'll follow up with you this week. Two other areas where you can get connected. We have women's ministry launching this fall and we're so excited about that. If you're a woman who's following Jesus and just says, "I need community. I need other women following Jesus who can encourage me and pray for me and bear with me as I walk through life. Women's ministry is the answer there. And lastly and finally is men's ministry. If you're a man just saying, "Man, I need some community. I need some other guys who get what it looks like to have a lot on their plate to feel burdened and overwhelmed. I need some community." Men's ministry will be your option. And here's my simple instructions for you is that you would take this card, drop it in the black boxes so that we can get you plugged into community, understanding that community is a need. Let me pray for you today. Um God, we come before you and God, even as I hold in my hand one of these little cards, I pray specifically for all of these cards that have been filled out today of people willing to take this next step of stepping into community. God, specifically and and just honestly today, I pray against all of the objections that are going to be going through our heads today. Things like, "I don't have time or I can't be a part of that or I don't want that." God, I pray that you would overcome each and every one of our objections to community, understanding that at the end of the day, community is biblical and we need it. And so God, I pray today that you would help us to be a people that make a commitment to community, that we create space in our homes and in our lives, but also in our resources so that we're ready for community. And ultimately, God, I pray that as we follow you in the context of each of our communities, that ultimately, God, it would bring you glory and honor that the kingdom would advance because of our faithful actions in the way that you have called us. God, we pray all of this in your name. Amen. Let's stand as we continue in worship. My words fallitude sing every song must I'll throw up my hands. Praise you again and again. All that I have is I know it's not much fit for a king except for a heart single hallelu. I've got one. I've got one move with my arms wide. I will worship you. Oh, I'll throw up my hands, praise you again and again. Cuz all that I have is a hallelujah. Hallelujah. But I know it's not much. are nothing else fit for example a heart singing hallelujah hallelujah Hallelujah. You got a lion. inside of those lungs. Get up and praise the Lord. Come on, my soul. Oh, don't you get shift up your soul. You've got a lion inside of the Get up and praise the Lord. Oh my soul. Oh, don't you get shy. Lift up your tongue. You got a lion inside of the Get up and praise the Lord. Praise. Praise the Lord. We give you so my again. Praise you again and again. All that I have is a hallelujah. Hallelujah. I know it's not much. I'm nothing else fit for a king except for a heart singing hallelujah. Hallelu. So I throw up my hands praise you again and again. All that I have is a hallelujah. Thank you so much for joining us this week and we'll see you next time.