John Donne is credited with the phrase, “No one is an island.” It is a way of saying we need each other. And there are some benefits God reserves for us when we meet together. A group can be a sounding board to help us refine our ideas while offering us thoughts we never had before. Talking and listening helps us put our own issues in perspective so we can find solutions. Jesus said where two or three come together I will be there with them. When God delivered ancient Israel from Egyptian slavery, He took care of them for 40 years as they made their way through the wilderness. All this time they lived together as a group. True they gave Moses many headaches, but still God often God revealed Himself to them as a group. When their pain of hunger and thirst came to Moses, their leader, God graciously revealed himself to the entire community. On one occasion, God showed his glory in a cloud so the entire community would know that the meat and bread He was about to give them was, in fact, coming from him. God still reserves some blessings for group distribution. That is a powerful reason the Bible tells believers not to neglect meeting together. Otherwise, we might well miss our group blessing.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
