More than just a religion, Christianity is a relationship. God has created us to be in relationship with Him, but He has also created us to live and love one another in community.

I have been so blessed to be a part of COOL Jericho, one of the English Service COOLs here at BIC. If I were to describe COOL Jericho in one word, it would be warm. As an English Service COOL, we are primarily made up of university students and young professionals from all different walks of life and cultural backgrounds, resulting in our COOL being an interesting fusion between Indonesian and Australian culture. Despite how different one member is from the next, we all feel a sense of belonging and are united by our love for Jesus.

Our COOL was formed in late March 2023 as a new COOL created for young adults living in the Eastern suburbs. It is so hard to picture our Friday nights any differently now, but before our COOL formed, many of us felt a little stagnant and lost in our spiritual journey and were unable to regularly attend fellowship with peers our age. Since our COOL started, we have really created a home that welcomes all and fuels our hunger and thirst for Christ as we pray, praise and worship and discuss and unpack the Bible together.

In our community of love, we find the most joy when it is not just one person but if everyone is growing spiritually in their faith. This is the blessing of community. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”. Sanctification is a community project. As Christians, our walk with God here on earth is not always smooth sailing. We often times struggle in our faith whether that’s due to internal battles, social pressures and external temptations. Therefore, we need a community to encourage one another to pursue Him above all else and grow in our Christ-likeness.

We need to be a part of a community that goes back to the basics—His Word—the ultimate solid rock and foundation that challenges us to stand firm in our faith and pursue His will. In COOL, it is through our pondering and dissection of the Scripture where we are stretched and mature in our faith, sharing personal testimonies of how God has moved in our lives and considering the practical implications for our daily walk. Through these conversations, God has really opened the spiritual eyes of our members and has allowed them to see His light and how our God is still alive and moving.

The spiritual growth of a COOL is a shared responsibility that we humbly pursue with love. Instead of being heavy and burdensome, it is light. Each of us supports and carries one another’s burdens, as we have been called to love our neighbours (Galatians 6:2; James 2:8).

This COOL has truly become my second home. What began with just five people has nearly tripled in numbers by God’s grace, a testament to how He is using our COOL to reach out and bring others to experience true life in Jesus Christ. This is not a solo journey but one we walk together as believers. Together, we form the body of Christ.

Christianity has always been about relationships, relationships, relationships. It is not a coincidence that the cross has two wooden beams: one vertical (our relationship with God) and one horizontal (our relationship with others). You need both beams to form a cross, just as how you need both elements to walk as a Christian.

The Christian life was never meant to be walked alone; we all need community. If you’re reading this without a community of love today, come, for God is calling you.