"The Church" is often referred to as the temple of the living God (1 Cor 3; 2 Cor 6); it's where God’s presence dwells on earth, and you will often hear us refer to ourselves and our church as a community.
Spending time in the presence of the people of God and building each other up in times of prayer and worship is essential to our life together here at Emmaus Road. While there is a sense in which God’s Spirit dwells in each of us individually, individual Christians are lifeless apart from the Church. We believe our individual journeys can only be properly lived out in the context of community; while all of us were created with individual talents, passions, and purpose, if our personal relationship with God is completely individualistic and unique from every other believer, it is not properly Christian (Eph 1.22-23, 2.21, 3.19, 4.11-13).
Jesus calls us into a living, active, worshipping community that regularly gathers around his gifts (Acts 2.42-47, Hebrews 10.25) as He is reshaping us into his image, in the Church, surrounded by others, all of whom together, communally, are the one body of Christ.
Jesus spent a lot of time with people around tables, travelling, fishing, resting, teaching, and so much more. He lived life with people. He taught others how to share life with each other well, and we’re committed to this same passionate pursuit for community.
We're not just any community... we’re a Christ-centered community.
This means that Jesus is central to our relationships and interactions. As a result, we make space for everyone regardless of culture, social demographic, economic situation, age, etc. What defines us is not cultural or somehow subject to our preferences, likes, or dislikes, but is centred on Jesus and the life and community that He calls us to. We are committed to being a community of believers where there is no “Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28