Recap:

As a church, we’ve named a word for the year. Not just individually, but together. Our word is Rhythm. And rhythm isn’t a metronome. It’s not tick-tock, lifeless repetition. Rhythm is alive. It has movement. It has breath. It has give and take.

That’s how the Christian life is meant to be lived.

This week I was reading Ronald Rolheiser, who talks about four “beats” of the Christian life, four pillars we move in and out of over time. Personal devotion and morality. Social justice and care for the vulnerable. Living with grace, a mellowness of heart toward others. And community.

None of those stand alone. Sometimes one is louder than the others. Sometimes one feels quiet. But together they form a rhythm. And one of the most essential beats in that rhythm is community.

That’s where the message really turns.

I started thinking about stories, movies we love: Home Alone, Lord of the Rings, Little Women,The Hangover, Stranger Things. Totally different genres, different worlds, but they share something underneath it all. They’re all about home. And even deeper than that, they’re about belonging.

We’re drawn to those stories because they echo something deep inside us. That longing to be known. To be wanted. To belong somewhere.

And here’s the big idea Pastor David introduced last week, the one we’re sitting with today:

The first rhythm of the Christian life is belonging.

Before serving.
Before fasting.
Before spiritual disciplines.
Before trying harder.

Belonging.

Why does that matter so much?

Because it goes all the way back to the beginning.

Genesis tells us we were made in the image of God, and God has never been alone. “Let us make humanity in our image.” From the very beginning, God has existed in relationship, Father, Son, and Spirit. A holy communion. A divine rhythm. God didn’t just create us to believe in Him. He created us to reflect Him. And part of reflecting God means being formed in relationship.

That’s why God looks at Adam, before sin ever enters the picture, and says, “It is not good for man to be alone.” Not “it’s sinful.” Not “it’s inefficient.” But it’s not good.

We were created for communion before cognition. For relationship before understanding.

Psychology actually confirms this. From the moment we’re born, we’re wired for connection. Babies regulate their emotions by borrowing the nervous system of their parents. We learn who we are, how to feel, how to respond, through relationship. We share minds. We mirror one another. Over time, communion shapes us.

And that’s exactly how God designed spiritual formation to work too.

So if belonging is part of our design, what do we do with that?

Two things.

First, join the family.

Paul says in Ephesians that we were once outsiders. Far from God. But through Jesus, we’ve been brought near. We’re no longer strangers, we’re members of God’s household. When we follow Jesus, we don’t just get forgiveness. We get adoption. We’re welcomed into the life of God Himself, the hospitality of Father, Son, and Spirit.

But here’s the truth, we don’t live that out alone with “just me and Jesus.”

We live it out together.

And yes, it’s messy.

The early church was messy. Corinth was messy. People argued. Took sides. Got offended. And Paul didn’t say, “Just split up.” He said, “Stay. Work it out. Don’t let division win.”

Church isn’t a consumer experience. It’s a covenant commitment.

Rolheiser says the church is like a hand of cards randomly dealt. Different personalities. Different politics. Different wounds. Different strengths. And precisely because of that, it forms us.

You don’t grow because community is easy.
You grow because it’s hard, and you stay.

And I can say this honestly: I am a better follower of Jesus because I didn’t walk away when it got uncomfortable. Because people loved me through my blind spots. Because I learned to forgive and be forgiven.

So here’s the invitation.

First, show up.
Come back next week. When it’s cold. When it’s hard. When you’re tired. When you’re discouraged. Show up.

Second, go deeper.
Don’t just attend. Belong. Join a connect group. Let people know you, and know them. Say the awkward things. Hear theirs. Stay anyway.

That rhythm, of showing up, forgiving, loving, staying, that’s what transforms us.

That’s how God designed us.

Let’s pray.

Jesus, thank You for creating us to belong, to You and to one another. Give us the courage to stay, the humility to love, and the endurance to grow together. Form us through community into the people You’ve called us to be.
Amen.

Group Questions:

Icebreakers (Choose 1–2)

  1. Belonging Moment:
     When was a time in your life when you felt like you truly belonged, a place, group, or season? What made it feel that way?
  2. Favorite “Home” Story:
     The sermon mentioned movies about belonging. What’s a movie, show, or book that feels like “home” to you, and why?
  3. Quick Check-In:
     On a scale of 1–10, how connected do you feel to others right now in this season of life? (No explanations required, just honesty.)

Opening Reflection

“The first rhythm of the Christian life is belonging.”

  • What stood out to you most from the message?
  • Was there a phrase or idea that stayed with you after Sunday?

Digging Deeper: Belonging as God’s Design

  1. The sermon said we were created for communion before cognition, relationship before understanding.
    • How does that challenge the way we often think about faith or spiritual growth?
  2. In Genesis, God says, “It is not good for man to be alone”, before sin ever entered the picture.
    • Why do you think loneliness is described as “not good” rather than sinful or wrong?
  3. How have relationships, healthy or unhealthy, shaped who you are today, for better or worse?

Living It Out: Joining the Family

  1. Ephesians describes salvation not just as forgiveness, but adoption into a family.
    • Which part of that idea is easier for you to accept, being forgiven or belonging? Why?
  2. The sermon said, “We don’t live out faith as ‘just me and Jesus.’”

    • Where do you see that individualistic mindset show up in church culture, or even in yourself?

The Hard Part: Staying When It’s Messy

  1. Church was described as a covenant commitment, not a consumer experience.
    • What’s the difference between those two mindsets in practical terms?
  2. Rolheiser compares the church to a randomly dealt hand of cards.
    • What kinds of differences in people are hardest for you to stay committed to?
  3. Can you think of a time when staying in a relationship or community, even when it was uncomfortable, actually helped you grow?

Practicing the Rhythm: Show Up & Go Deeper

  1. Which part of the invitation feels more challenging for you right now:
    Showing up consistently or going deeper relationally? Why?
  2. What fears or barriers keep people from moving from attending to belonging?
  3. What would it look like for you personally to take one step toward deeper community this season?

Prayer & Closing

  • Where do you sense God inviting you to stay, heal, or lean in relationally?
  • Take a moment to pray for courage, not to find perfect community, but to remain faithful in imperfect community.