The nature of Christian faith is social. At its heart is a personal relationship with God incarnate in Jesus Christ. Jesus himself began his public ministry by inviting others to accompany him and share in his life (Matthew 4:18-22, 9:9, 10:1-4). In the context of a small group Jesus came to know and be known by his disciples. He taught them, opened the Scriptures with them, worshiped and served with them. Christian faith is lived in relationship with Christ and others whom he gives to accompany us. We come to know and be known by Christ through the relationships he gives to us with others — especially those we would never choose for ourselves.

John Wesley preached:

. . . Christianity is essentially a social religion, and . . . to turn it into a solitary religion is indeed to destroy it.
      By Christianity I mean that method of worshipping God which is here revealed to man by Jesus Christ. When I say this is essentially a social religion, I mean not only that it cannot subsist so well, but that it cannot subsist at all without society, without living and conversing with other men.
      (Source: Albert Outler, ed., Sermons I, vol. 1, The Works of John Wesley, "Upon our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, Discourse the Fourth." Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1984; 533:26-534:1.)

The context of these lines is Wesley's Discourse IV on the Sermon on the Mount in which he interprets Matthew 5:13-16. Wesley argues that true Christian faith must be shared with others and with the world. Christians must nurture one another in faith. From the love and nurture received in the community of the church Christians are empowered to share the good news of Christ with the world by the witness of their lives and, when necessary, their words. Regular "conversation" with other Christians was, for Wesley, an essential component of church life. He knew that women and men were formed as faithful disciples through participation in disciplined Christian community. Genuine faith could not emerge in isolation. It is received, learned, and lived only through "conversation" with others in small groups. Conversation for Wesley meant more than two or more people talking with one another. It encompassed the whole of personal interaction. Christian conversation means loving one another as Christ loves (John 13:34-35; 1 John 2:7-17). When human beings experience the love of God in their lives only then are they capable of truly loving one another and loving the neighbor. Therefore, through Christian conversation the love of God is conveyed and received in the household of Christ and for the world.

Steven Manskar (smanskark@gbod.org) is the director of accountable discipleship for the General Board of Discipleship.

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