The Good Ole Boys movie about times when cowboys, horses and old plows are rapidly being replaced by big business, cars and technology. The young, dream about the new world while the old fret over the passing of the present. It was a time of drastic change, but not in every way. When the Callaways—long-time, good, hardworking residents of the community—nearly lose everything to a land-hungry banker, friends rally to help them raise funds to pay off the note. A friend, encouraging them to accept the help people want to give, explains, “There ain’t enough good people left in this country. It cain’t afford to lose a good family like the Callaways.” I love that line. People living in, and building, good community was deeply appreciated. People understood, then, its deep influence on life, and we still do today.

Let’s look at how Jesus and the early church spread the story of the gospel. We’ll look at two ways by which Christian community contributed. Simply put, Jesus believes that when his people act toward each other in good ways that are not natural or normal to man (due to sin), it provides testimony about the presence and power of the good news (gospel).

Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples” (Jn. 13:35a). Hear the outreaching direction of those words? Jesus passed on a way that was recognizable; he believed people would be able to see it (“by this”) in his followers and connect “this” way to his own way. What is “this” way? It’s love. The rest of the verse says, “if you love one another.” Jesus believes that when folks see disciples loving one another, they’ll conclude that these are his followers. Lots of people love, but not the way Jesus does. Jesus’ love is distinct. His love was not a love tainted with sin and selfishness. Jesus’ love was other-centered. It was constant whether or not anyone reciprocated. It wasn’t fair-weathered, for he loved all the way to death for those who abandoned him for fear of death. His love stretched around unrighteous, unjust and sinful humanity. Love is the reason Jesus walks with, communes with, cares for and washes the feet of those who both deny and betray him. Love compelled him to offer his life for people of all colors, religions, genders, cultures, occupations, incomes, sizes and sins. When disciples love one another as he loves, Jesus believes that folks will recognize them as his own. Love amazed those who observed early Christians sharing and caring (Acts 2, 3, 4). Love among Christians spreads the message that God’s love has come in Jesus, and is for everyone.

One more example brings us, again, to the context of community (John 17). Jesus believed that if his followers were one in their life together (empowered by being in God), onlookers would come to know that the Father had sent the Son. God always has his eye on spreading the good news. Focusing on ‘oneness,’ Jesus finds yet another God-intended way at which we prove, at least naturally, to be extremely inept, and that’s unity. If nothing else, war testifies to our weakness, here. I don’t even want to begin thinking about our verbal fights, our slander, our gossip, our hatefulness, our holding grudges, being bitter and general unwillingness to submit to and work with each other. Experience says that in so many ways our only hope is God working a miracle in and among us. That’s exactly why Jesus is praying (Jn. 17). He asks the Father to make believers one with each other (like the Father and Son are one) and in God, so that others might come to believe that the Father has sent the Son. Imagine what our Intercessor must be praying, even now. Unity among believers says to the world, “God sent his Son and united people in a way that nothing else could.” Unity preaches.

Those who seek Jesus will know they’ve found the real deal when they see unity. Love and unity make the message real and credible. And just as the Callaway family was appreciated and needed in their community, our world can’t stand to be without Christians that spread the good news of Jesus through loving, unified community.

By Randy Couchman