Have you ever stopped to think about the people and places that shaped your faith? The ones who prayed with you, believed in you and pointed you back to God even when you didn’t know you needed it?
Today I want to take you back to one of mine.
I once wrote an article titled ‘Five People Who Have Had the Biggest Impact on My Faith’ — you can find it on the blog. But today I want to talk about a community that helped shape my belief in God and my faith in Him and His word.
How did I find myself there? The power of evangelism. You know how you feel like the people who come to share the word with you are just disturbing you? But one thing I would never forget was their consistency.
One day, alongside my friends, we decided to honor the invitation and showed up at fellowship. And we stayed and became part of that community – (The Believers Loveworld Campus Fellowship) at the University of Calabar. This was over 20 years ago.
But it is remarkable to see how the seeds of faith planted in that season of life have carried me through my life’s journey.
What I Found There
It was there I began to grasp the reality of our new life in Christ as children of God. I got to know about my rights and privileges as a child of God. I began to learn about my authority as a believer. The scriptures became alive and had more meaning.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)
And between the many messages preached by Pastor Donald and Pastor Emmanuel during my stay at the University, this is what I will say — my faith in God was built, my love for God expanded and my trust in Him grew deeper.
I learnt to pray and intercede for others. I learnt to boldly declare God’s word without fear. We prayed together and prayed for each other.
It was also in this place I learnt to share the gospel with others. Amongst the student community, we would take out time to tell them about Jesus and invite them to fellowship.
I remember the cell fellowship units too. These were small groups led by one person, which would eventually break up into another small group. Through this, the gospel was being preached and more people were being brought into the kingdom.
We were also given opportunities to serve. As I write this, I remember Sister Stella and her diligence in all things. Small but mighty woman of God. 😊
We practiced excellence and showed great dedication. We understood teamwork and working together to achieve goals. We learned to give our best, to practice our faith and to trust God irrespective of the challenges or mountains that showed up in our lives.
And one other thing — you were so encouraged and also seen in your own little corner. And amongst ourselves, we supported, listened to and were there for each other.
The People I Will Never Forget
To Gabriel and Faith — the two siblings who shared their space with us for almost a year when we had accommodation problems. It was inconvenient and you did not have to do it, but you did. You took in all three of us. We were without shelter and you gave us a place to stay. I have never forgotten your act of kindness. Thank you.
To Joy — who housed me in the latter months when I had to sort out pending issues. Your calm personality, your caring heart and support. I remember the day the miracle happened and you rejoiced wholeheartedly with me. I was in a hard season and you supported me by listening, sharing and caring. Thank you.
And I will never forget the moment I saw the pastors and leaders alight from a bus in faraway Agbor, Delta State, at Pamela’s mum’s funeral. You showed up for one of us in one of her most difficult moments. She was broken by the loss of her mother, and I know your presence that day meant everything to her. Thank you.
To Pastors Donald and Emmanuel — if you have ever doubted whether you touched lives in that season, I want you to know that you did.
Many years ago, multiple sermons were preached, seeds were planted, wisdom was bestowed, purpose was redefined, faith was ignited, destinies were realigned and lives were transformed. It may not have been evident in that season, but it was the foundation that has brought us this far in our faith journey and walk with God. Many of us found God. And today we are growing in our relationship with Him.
The Gift of Spiritual Community
There are people and communities that will lead you to God.
Some will help you discover Him and grow in your relationship with Him. There are those that will help you stay rooted and grounded in the word. Some will minister the love and compassion of God to you in an unforgettable way — holding and supporting you until your feet are steady.
And then there are those that will teach you how to renew your thinking, refine your character and help you become more like Christ. They never leave you the same way they met you.
Take a Moment to Reflect
As you read through my story today, I want to invite you to pause and think about your own faith journey.
- Who are the people that have had the greatest impact on your faith and walk with God?
- Is there a community — a church, a fellowship, a small group — that helped you find or grow in God?
- Have you ever taken a moment to thank someone who helped shape your faith journey? It is never too late.
- Are you currently planted in a community that is helping you grow, learn and thrive in God?
- And finally — who can you show up for today, the way someone once showed up for you?
Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is to be the community we once needed.
Today, I am grateful for every person and community that God has used to inspire my faith and my journey with Him. And it is my prayer that you find those people and spaces that God will use to build and strengthen your faith today.
Over to you — who are the people and communities that God has used to inspire your faith? Share in the comments below. I would love to hear your story.
I wouldn’t be where I am today with my faith without the communities I’ve been in.
So many people have inspired me over the years: from students in my classroom who lived their faith in very real ways to older mentors and coworkers! God heals us together, not alone!
I would have to say that some of the people that have impacted me the most have been my parents, and grandparents. I can see Gods hand in my life in that my parents and both sets of grandparents are/were believers. I used to think thats how it was for everyone, but as I have grown up i realized its not. I’m so thankful that God gave me many people in my life to point me to him at a young age!
Thank you for sharing these truths about how important it is to reflect on hoe others have helped us grow. I am thankful for past SS teachers and pastors who have helped develop my walk as well.
Community is so important. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for the steadfastness of my family. I was raised in a family and household where God was always first and even at times when I got off track my family was there to intercede on my behalf and remind me of Biblical principles I was raised on. I’ve also learned to lean on friends that have the same values and morals as I do. It makes navigating through life and the Word better. Thanks for sharing your story.