The Gospel Gift of Intentional Community with Others
The concept of intentional community among believers is a significant aspect of the Christian faith, rooted in the understanding of the "gospel" as "good news" of salvation and God's grace [7, 8]. This community is characterized by mutual support, shared resources, and the exercise of spiritual gifts for the common good.
Early Christian communities exemplified this intentional sharing. In Acts 4:32-35, believers were united in heart and mind, willingly offering their possessions to meet the needs of others. This sharing was voluntary, driven by Christian love and concern [11]. The Apostle Paul encouraged similar practices, urging believers to "share with the saints who are in need" and to "practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13 BSB) [1]. This communal spirit reflects a "gracious gift" administered to honor God and demonstrate eagerness to help (2 Corinthians 8:19 BSB) [3]. The generosity shown by churches, such as the Corinthians, led to praise for God and demonstrated their submission to the Gospel of Christ and liberal distribution to others [5, 10].
A key element of intentional community is the use of spiritual gifts, or charismata, which are supernaturally bestowed by the Holy Spirit for the edification of the body of Christ [6]. As 1 Peter 4:10 states, "Just as each one has received a gift, use it for serving one another, as good stewards of the varied grace of God" (LEB) [2]. These gifts are diverse, including faith, healing (1 Corinthians 12:9 KJV) [4], and other abilities given for building up the community of believers (Ephesians 4:7-16) [14]. The distribution of these gifts is according to God's sovereign will (1 Corinthians 12:11) and serves to confirm the gospel and edify the Church [9].
The desire to share the good news and its benefits with others is a natural outflow of experiencing the Gospel. As Adam Clarke notes on John 1:41, those who find Jesus are moved to communicate this treasure to others, inviting them to partake [13]. This communal aspect is not merely about material sharing but also about spiritual communion, where believers dwell in God and God in them through the Spirit and grace [15]. The ministry of sharing the message of good news is considered a privilege, demonstrating God's mercy [12].
Sources
- Romans “Romans 12:13 (BSB) — Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
- I Peter “I Peter 4:10 (LEB) — Just as each one has received a gift, use it for serving one another, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.”
- II Corinthians “II Corinthians 8:19 (BSB) — More than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the offering—the gracious gift we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help.”
- I Corinthians “I Corinthians 12:9 (KJV) — To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;”
- II Corinthians “II Corinthians 9:13 (Geneva1599) — (Which by the experiment of this ministration praise God for your voluntarie submission to the Gospell of Christ, and for your liberall distribution to them, and to all men)”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Gifts, spiritual — (Gr. charismata), gifts supernaturally bestowed on the early Christians, each having his own proper gift or gifts for the edification of the body of Christ. These were the result of the extraordinary operation of the Spirit, as on the day of Pentecost. They were the gifts of speaking with tongues, casting out devils, healing, etc. (Mark 16:17, 18), usually communicated by the medium of the laying on of the hands of the apostles (Acts 8:17; 19:6; 1 Tim. 4:14). These charismata were enjoyed only for a time. They could not continue always in the Churc”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Gospel — A word of Anglo-Saxon origin, and meaning "God's spell", i.e., word of God, or rather, according to others, "good spell", i.e., good news. It is the rendering of the Greek evangelion, i.e., "good message." It denotes (1) "the welcome intelligence of salvation to man as preached by our Lord and his followers. (2.) It was afterwards transitively applied to each of the four histories of our Lord's life, published by those who are therefore called Evangelists', writers of the history of the gospel (the evangelion). (3.) The term is often used to express collecti”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gospel, The — Is good tidings of great joy for all people -- Lu 2:10,11,31,32. Foretold -- Isa 41:27; 52:7; 61:1-3; Mr 1:15. Preached under the old testament -- Heb 4:2. Exhibits the grace of God -- Ac 14:3; 20:32. The knowledge of the glory of God is by -- 2Co 4:4,6. Life and immortality are brought to light by Jesus through -- 2Ti 1:10. Is the power of God to salvation -- Ro 1:16; 1Co 1:18; 1Th 1:5. Is glorious -- 2Co 4:4. Is everlasting -- 1Pe 1:25; Re 14:6. Preached by Christ -- Mt 4:23; Mr 1:14. Ministers have a stewardship to preach -- 1Co 9:17. Preached before”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit — Foretold -- Isa 35:4-6; Joe 2:28,29. Of different kinds -- 1Co 12:4-6. Enumerated -- 1Co 12:8-10,28; 14:1. Christ was endued with -- Mt 12:28. Poured out on the day of Pentecost -- Ac 2:1-4. Communicated Upon the preaching of the gospel. -- Ac 10:44-46. By the laying on of the Apostles' hands. -- Ac 8:17,18; 19:6. For the confirmation of the gospel. -- Mr 16:20; Ac 14:3; Ro 15:19; Heb 2:4. For the edification of the Church. -- 1Co 12:7; 14:12,13. Dispensed according to his sovereign will -- 1Co 12:11. Were to be sought after -- 1”
- 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 9:13: Whiles by the experiment of this ministration,.... That is, the poor saints at Jerusalem having a specimen, a proof, an experience of the liberality of the Gentile churches ministered to them by the apostles, first, they glorify God; by giving thanks unto him, acknowledging him to be the author of all the grace and goodness which they, and others, were partakers of; particularly for your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel of Christ is the doctrine of grace, life, and salvation by Christ, of which he is the author, as God, the subject m”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 4:32: 4:32-35 The sharing of early believers was remarkable (see also 2:44-45; cp. 6:1). Being united in heart and mind, they willingly offered anything they possessed to meet the needs of other believers. This sharing was voluntary and without coercion, and it related to pressing needs in the community and was prompted by Christian love and concern for one another.”
- 2 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Corinthians 4:1: 4:1 This new way (or This new ministry) shows us God’s mercy. Paul felt privileged to have the ministry of sharing the message of good news (1 Cor 15:9-11; 1 Tim 1:12-17).”
- John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on John 1:41: Findeth his own brother Simon - Every discovery of the Gospel of the Son of God produces benevolence, and leads those to whom it is made to communicate it to others. Those who find Jesus find in him a treasure of wisdom and knowledge, through which they may not only become rich themselves, but be instruments, in the hand of God, of enriching others. These disciples, having tasted the good word of Christ, were not willing to eat their bread alone, but went and invited others to partake with them. Thus the knowledge of Christ became diffused - one invited another to com”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:7: 4:7-16 Though believers share a common faith, God has given different special abilities to each individual believer for building up the church. 4:7 He has given each one of us a gift of his grace for building up the community of believers (see 1 Cor 12:7; cp. Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:11).”
- 1 John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 John 4:13: Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,.... That there is a communion between God and us, and a communication of his love and grace to us, and an exercise of grace upon him; for God dwells in his people by his Spirit and grace, and they dwell in him by the exercise of faith and love upon him: and this is known, because he hath given us of his Spirit: not of the essence and nature of the Spirit, which is the same with the nature of the Father and of the Son, and is incommunicable; but either of the gifts of the Spirit, which are divided to every man as he ”