In this article, Rob explores why our “private” sin affects others. In our individualistic society, it’s all to easy to believe that what we do on our own is just our business. He sensitively shows that God cares very much about all our behaviours, and that even our private actions affect others in the church.

What does the welcome look like in your church? Does it consist of a firm handshake and a service sheet, or is it being given a hug by someone in a bright T-shirt? But genuine hospitality, of course, goes way beyond creating a good first impression once a week.

Deciding how to share that your Same-Sex Attractions with others can be hard, particularly within your church family. Whom do you tell? Which person do you start with? For me, it started with my closest friend, followed by a few others. Then it became clear that I needed to tell my mentor, who was my student pastor.

New Monasticism seeks to take the positive aspects of the monastic tradition from the past and apply them to life today. Richard explains his experience of getting involved in this movement and what it taught him about meaningful community – lessons that have stuck with him even after returning to ‘regular church’.

There is a growing trend of students having a mentor to support them in their studies. Simon explores going further and surrounding ourselves with a whole team of people to help see us through. While a mentor would have a place in this team, there is a need for others too.

We all bring baggage with us when we approach Scripture. It might be personality quirks like introversion and self-reliance, or culturally conditioned philosophical concepts like individualism. These things act as static that we must try and tune out. When we do, we are better placed to hear what Scripture teaches on community.

It is often quite strange to look back over my life and see where God has brought me, sometimes with my full awareness, at other times organising events in the background. It would be great to say that my journey has been straight forward and pain-free, but that wouldn’t be honest or accurate.

Our so-called “connected lifestyles” have often failed to help us encounter other people in truly satisfying ways: being a virtual friend or subscribing to a newsfeed is no guarantee of closeness to another human being. We need to find meaningful community that is realistic in today’s world.

In an increasingly busy and individualistic world, and in a church culture which seems to promote nuclear family relationships over singleness, it can be challenging to build meaningful friendships within the church, especially for a childless person to build relationships with nuclear families. And yet Jesus calls for radical community centred around Himself and the gospel.