Built to Belong - Pastor Johnny Dyck

Today’s focus is on the truth that we are built to belong—created by God to live life together as a spiritual family. The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation, but in deep, authentic community with one another. Just as a single coal quickly grows cold when separated from the fire, so too does our faith lose its vibrancy when we try to walk alone. The early church in Acts 2 gives us a powerful example: they were together, sharing life, resources, meals, and prayer, united by a common purpose and devotion to Jesus. Their togetherness was not just about proximity, but about spiritual unity, vulnerability, and a willingness to meet each other’s needs—both material and spiritual.

This kind of community requires commitment and vulnerability. It means being willing to be known, to carry one another’s burdens, to encourage, and to forgive. The “one anothers” of Scripture—love one another, bear one another’s burdens, encourage one another, forgive one another—are not optional extras, but the very heart of what it means to be the church. True fellowship goes beyond surface-level relationships or socializing; it’s about doing life together, asking each other how we’re really doing spiritually, and being willing to walk alongside one another in both joy and struggle.

Barriers like isolation, busyness, and pride often keep us from this kind of belonging. Sometimes past hurts or fear of vulnerability make us hesitant to engage deeply. Yet, the call remains: to intentionally build habits of openness, to step out of our comfort zones, and to invest in authentic relationships. Small groups and shared meals are practical ways to begin, but the real transformation comes when we commit to living out these biblical “one anothers” with sincerity and devotion.

When we live this way, the church becomes a place of warmth, growth, and witness—a family that draws others in by its love and unity. The challenge is to ask ourselves: Who will I intentionally connect with this week? Which “one another” will I devote myself to practicing? As we do, we reflect the heart of Christ and become the church God intended—a spiritual family where no one walks alone.