Why God Designed Us for Community
Understanding the Divine Blueprint for Family and Church
By Gregory Toussaint | September 10th, 2025
Have you ever wondered why isolation feels so unnatural to the human spirit? Why even the most introverted among us crave meaningful connection? The answer lies in understanding something profound about the very nature of God Himself. This month, we're exploring the different vehicles God has given us to manifest His glory, and one of the most fundamental is family and community.
When we examine our vision statement—"Our goal is to form a loving family"—we're not just talking about creating a warm, fuzzy environment. We're tapping into something deeply theological, something that reflects the very essence of who God is. The relationship between God's glory and family structure isn't coincidental; it's foundational to understanding how the divine operates in our world.
The Revolutionary Truth About God's Nature
Most people, when they think about God, picture a solitary figure sitting on a throne somewhere in the cosmos. But what if I told you that this common conception is fundamentally incomplete? The Bible reveals something far more extraordinary about God's nature—something that changes everything about how we understand community, relationships, and our need for one another.
God is not a person. God is a community.
This isn't just theological semantics; it's a game-changing truth that reshapes our entire understanding of faith and relationships. When the apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesians, he addressed his petition to "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory" (Ephesians 1:16-17). Notice that phrase: "Father of glory." There's an intrinsic connection between God's role as Father and His manifestation of glory. God's glory is revealed through His role as the head of a family and the leader of a community.
At the core of God's being, in His very DNA, if you will, exists a community of three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is what theologians call the Trinity—one God existing in three distinct persons. It's not three manifestations of the same person, like someone playing different roles in a play. It's three actual persons with distinct personalities, wills, and functions, yet operating in perfect unity.
The biblical evidence for this is overwhelming. In Deuteronomy 6:4, we read the foundational declaration: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!" This establishes God's unity. Yet as revelation unfolds throughout Scripture, we discover that this one God exists as three persons. The Father is identified as God in Ephesians 1:3. Jesus is declared to be God in John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Holy Spirit is referred to as God in Acts 5:3-4, when Peter tells Ananias that lying to the Holy Spirit is equivalent to lying to God.
The most beautiful demonstration of the Trinity's distinct persons working together appears at Jesus' baptism. Picture this scene: Jesus (the Son) is being baptized in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and the Father's voice speaks from heaven, saying, "You are My beloved Son." Three persons, one God, operating in perfect harmony.
Understanding Trinity Through Human Design
To grasp this concept, consider how God created humanity. Genesis tells us that God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness" (Genesis 1:26). Notice the plural pronouns—this wasn't God talking to angels; this was the Trinity in consultation. When God created humans, He designed us as trinities, too.
You are not just one person—you are three persons functioning as one. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 reveals this: "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless." You have a body (what people see), a soul (your mind, emotions, and will), and a spirit (the part that connects with God). These three aspects of your being work so seamlessly together that others perceive you as one person.
This is precisely how the Trinity operates. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in such perfect harmony that they function as one God. There's never jealousy, competition, or conflict among them. Jesus never complained to the Father about having to leave heaven's glory to die on a cross. The Holy Spirit never resented being sent to earth for two thousand years, while Jesus returned to heaven after just thirty-three years. They operate in perfect unity, each fulfilling their unique role in the divine plan.
The Community God Who Works in Community
Here's where this truth becomes revolutionary for how we live: God does everything in community. When God created the world, it wasn't a solo act. Genesis 1 shows us the Father speaking, the Spirit hovering over the waters, and the Word (Jesus) bringing creation into existence. The Father spoke through the Son, and the Holy Spirit executed what was spoken. Creation was a community project.
When God decided to save humanity, it was again a community effort. Ephesians 1 tells us that the Father predestined us, the Son redeemed us through His death on Calvary, and the Holy Spirit sealed the work of salvation in our lives. Even our salvation required the entire Trinity working together.
This is why statements like "All I need is Jesus" or "I'm spiritual but not religious—it's just me and God" are not just unscriptural; they're actually contrary to God's very nature.
If Jesus Himself needs the Father and the Holy Spirit to accomplish His purposes, who are we to think we can function in isolation?
The implications of this truth are staggering. It means that the popular modern notion of individualistic spirituality—the idea that you can have a meaningful relationship with God while avoiding community with His people—is fundamentally flawed. God operates through community because God IS community.
Why the Church Matters More Than You Think
This is why God established the church, despite all its imperfections. The church isn't perfect, but it's the primary vehicle God uses to develop us, reveal our gifts, and manifest His glory through us. Think about it: most of the talents and abilities that have shaped our world came out of communities, particularly church communities.
Consider the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. came out of the church. John Lewis was shaped by the church community. Even in the secular world, many of our most celebrated artists, musicians, and leaders trace their development back to church communities where their gifts were first recognized and nurtured.
I never knew I could preach until I got involved in a church community where someone said, "That young man is carrying something special." I wasn't aware of it, but the community saw it in me. Without community, your gifts remain hidden. Without community, God's treasures within you go to waste. Without community, God's purpose for your life remains unfulfilled.
This is why the mentality of "I love Jesus but hate the church" is so problematic. It's like telling someone, "I love your head, but I hate your body." Jesus is the head, and the church is His body. You cannot love the head while hating the body because they are one. Jesus and His church are inseparable.
The Refining Power of Imperfect Community
But here's something that might surprise you: God actually uses the imperfections in church community to perfect us. That sister who gets on your nerves? That brother who seems to have it out for you? They're not obstacles to your spiritual growth—they're essential to it.
The Bible commands us to "love your enemies" and "love those who hate you." But if everyone in your life loves you, how will you ever develop that level of love? If you never encounter people who challenge you, irritate you, or even dislike you, how will you grow in patience, forgiveness, and unconditional love?
The highest level of love isn't loving those who love you back—that's easy. The highest level of love is loving those who talk about you, gossip about you, or think they're superior to you. If you never encounter such people, you'll only develop superficial, emotional love. You'll never develop the deep, mature love that reflects God's character.
This is why you need community, even an imperfect community. You may not like everyone in your church, but you need them. They may get on your nerves, but God will use them to perfect you. Sometimes God works through the very people and situations we find most challenging.
God as the Perfect Family
But God's community isn't just any kind of community—it's a community that functions like a family. In the Trinity, we see the perfect family structure. The Father plays the role of the father, providing, protecting, and leading. We pray, "Our Father who art in heaven," and the Bible tells us that "as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him" (Psalm 103:13).
What many people don't realize is that God also presents Himself with maternal characteristics. In Isaiah 42:14, God says, "Now I will cry like a woman in labor; I will pant and gasp at once." In Isaiah 49:15, He asks, "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you." In Isaiah 63:13, God says, "As one whom his mother comforts, so that I will comfort you."
The Holy Spirit fulfills the maternal function in the Trinity. When Jesus told Nicodemus he must be "born again," He was referring to a spiritual birth that comes through the Holy Spirit. Your physical body came from your mother's womb, but your spiritual nature comes from the "womb" of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3). The Holy Spirit is also called the Comforter, fulfilling the nurturing and comforting role we associate with motherhood (John 14:16-17).
Jesus, of course, plays the role of the Son. Isaiah 9:6 declares, "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given." When Peter declared Jesus to be "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16), he was identifying Jesus' role within the divine family structure.
The Church as Our Eternal Family
This divine family structure serves as a model for how every community should function, particularly the church. When you're born again, you're not just getting a ticket to heaven—you're being adopted into God's family. Ephesians 2:19 tells us, "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God."
This spiritual family is actually more fundamental than your biological family. When people told Jesus that His mother was looking for Him, He responded, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers? Whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother" (Mark 3:33-35).
Think about it this way: if your biological family members don't know Jesus, you'll only have them for the duration of this life—maybe 70, 80, or 90 years. But the moment death separates you, if they don't know Jesus and you do, that's it. You'll never see them again. However, your spiritual family—the people sitting next to you in church who also know Jesus—you'll spend all eternity with them as brothers and sisters in God.
This eternal perspective should change how we view church community. The person who annoys you on Sunday morning? You're going to spend eternity with them. Your mansion might be in their neighborhood. When you're walking your dog on the streets of gold, you might run into them. We need to start practicing family now because we're going to be family forever.
Breaking Through the Fear of Community
So why do so many people resist authentic church community? Fear. Fear of being hurt, fear of being judged, fear of being disappointed. But this fear is actually keeping you from manifesting God's glory in your life.
Yes, the church is imperfect. Yes, some people will talk about you. Yes, you might get hurt. So what? What's going to come out of you when you connect with others and become part of a spiritual family far outweighs the risks. The growth you'll experience, the gifts that will emerge, the talents that will be discovered, the chains that will be broken in your life—all of this happens in community.
You don't go to a hospital because it's perfect. You go because that's where the doctor is. You don't come to church because the people are perfect. You come because Jesus is there. Sometimes the Great Physician uses the other "patients" in His healing process. We're all imperfect people sharing our lives under the guidance of the ultimate Counselor, Jesus Christ. And somehow, through our imperfection, God does His perfect work.
The Vision Realized
This is why our vision statement declares, "Our goal is to form a loving family." We cannot manifest the glory of God without functioning as a family. That's how the Father of glory operates—through family, through community. His glory at creation, His glory in redemption, His glory in everything He does is expressed through community functioning as family.
If you're not part of a church community, I challenge you to get connected. Let go of the apprehension. Let go of the fear. Stop making excuses about why you don't need other people. Even Jesus needed the Father and the Holy Spirit. Even the Trinity operates in community. How much more do we need each other?
The treasures God has placed within you—the gifts, the talents, the purpose, the calling—most of these will remain hidden without community. It takes a community for glory to come out. It takes a family to help you become who God designed you to be.
We grow by being in community, by being family. We learn to pray by hearing others pray. We learn Scripture by being around others who love God's Word. We develop character by interacting with people who challenge us to become better. We discover our gifts when others recognize and call them forth.
God is community. God works through community. And we want to manifest His glory in our lives. In that case, we must embrace the community He has designed for us—the church, functioning as a loving family, reflecting the perfect unity and love of the Trinity itself.
The question isn't whether you need community. The question is whether you're ready to step into the fullness of what God has for you by embracing the family He's prepared for you.
Small Group Discussion Questions
Reflect on Community and Growth
Think about a time when someone in your church or community challenged you or got on your nerves. How did that experience ultimately contribute to your spiritual growth? How does understanding that "iron sharpens iron" change your perspective on complicated relationships within the church?
Examine Your View of God
Before reading this post, how did you typically picture God—as a solitary figure or as a community? How does understanding God as Trinity (a perfect community of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) change the way you approach your relationship with Him and your need for others?
Evaluate Your Community Engagement
On a scale of 1-10, how connected are you to your church community? What fears or past hurts might be keeping you from deeper engagement? What practical steps could you take this week to move toward a more authentic community, and what gifts or talents might God want to reveal through your increased involvement?
Family as a Vehicle of God's Glory
This message teaches that family is one of the key ways God manifests His glory on earth. Scripture reveals God as the "Father of Glory," showing that His very nature is relational—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit living as a divine community. In the same way, human families reflect God's design and become a living expression of His glory when built on love, unity, and His presence.
God Moves in Community: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Creation
This teaching highlights the communal nature of God, showing that He is not a single person but a divine community—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. From creation in Genesis, we see the Father's will, the Son as the Word, and the Spirit bringing it into reality. Everything God does flows from this unity, revealing the power of divine community as the foundation of life and creation.
The Father, the Spirit, and the Roles Within the Trinity
This teaching explores how Scripture reveals God the Father (Yahweh) as fulfilling the role of the Father within the Trinity. At the same time, the Holy Spirit carries out the nurturing and life-giving role often likened to that of a mother. It clarifies that the Spirit is neither male nor female—since spirits have no gender—but functions in a maternal role by bringing life, comfort, and birth in the spiritual realm. Through biblical references, the message highlights the mystery of God's nature and the distinct roles of each Person in the Trinity.
