Weâd love for you to join us this Sunday, December 7 at 7PM for a worship service on campus at the Harriet B. Wick Chapel, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
This special gathering is hosted by the Sunday Dinner Microchurchâa group of young adults who meet weekly for connection, conversation, and growing in faith together. After their usual Sunday gathering, theyâre heading to UPB to lead a night of worship, and youâre invited to be part of it!
đ What to Expect
Live worship led by young adults
A warm and welcoming space for students and friends
A chance to pause, breathe, and encounter God together on campus
đ Location:
Harriet B. Wick Chapel University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
đ Time:
Sunday, December 7 at 7:00 PM
Bring a friend, bring your questions, or just bring yourselfâyouâll find community waiting for you. We canât wait to worship with you this Sunday night!
Have you ever spent hours putting together a puzzle, only to realize one piece was missing? The picture looks almost completeâbut that single gap draws your eyes every time. You canât unsee it.
Thatâs what life feels like when we try to live without community. You might have a career, hobbies, even faithâbut without people walking beside you, something vital is missing.
In this message from our Do As I Do series at Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, we explore how Jesus lived in community, why isolation is so dangerous, and how the right relationships can transform your spiritual life.
đď¸ We Were Made for Community
Even in the perfection of Eden, God declared something profound:
Genesis 2:18 (NIV) âThe Lord God said, âIt is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.ââ
Adam lived in paradise and walked in perfect fellowship with Godâyet God still said it wasnât good for him to be alone. Why? Because we were made in the image of a relational GodâFather, Son, and Holy Spiritâeternally connected in community.
That means you and I were designed for relationship. Life apart from meaningful connection was never part of Godâs plan.
Author John Mark Comer puts it this way in Practicing the Way:
âFollowing Jesus isnât just about believing certain truths in our headsâitâs about adopting His way of life.â
And His way of life was always rooted in relationship.
Imagine a campfire: as long as the coals stay together, they stay hot. But separate one from the pile, and it quickly grows cold. Thatâs us. Together we burn brighter. Alone we fade out.
đŤ The Danger of the Wrong Communityâor No Community at All
Not every group we belong to is good for us. Scripture makes that clear:
Proverbs 13:20 (NIV) âWalk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.â
1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) âDo not be misled: âBad company corrupts good character.ââ
The people around us shape who we become. If youâre trying to grow closer to God, but spend your time with people who pull you in the opposite direction, itâs like trying to swim upstream in a current of compromise.
There are also pseudo-communitiesâgroups that look like real relationships but donât feed the soul. Social media can make you feel connected, but typed words and emoji hearts canât replace a hand on your shoulder when youâre hurting.
Workplaces, friend circles, and even online âtribesâ can become substitutes for real connection, but without spiritual depth, they leave us empty.
And when we withdraw entirely, isolation becomes the enemyâs playground. Peter warns us:
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) âYour enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.â
Who does the lion attack? The one who strays from the herd. When we believe the lies that âno one understands,â âno one cares,â or âI donât belong anywhere,â we become easy prey.
Thatâs why community isnât optionalâitâs essential.
âď¸ Jesus Chose Community
If anyone could have done life alone, it was Jesus. Yet He deliberately chose to surround Himself with others.
Luke 6:13 (NIV) âWhen morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.â
Jesus lived, ate, prayed, and traveled with His disciples. He shared His most vulnerable moments with His inner circleâPeter, James, and John. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, as He faced the cross, He asked them to stay and pray with Him.
He also sent His followers two by twoânever aloneâbecause He knew the power of shared mission.
If the perfect Son of God didnât walk alone, why do we think we can?
đď¸ The Early Church: A Model of True Community
After Jesus rose from the dead, His followers didnât scatterâthey gathered.
Acts 2:42â47 (NIV) âThey devoted themselves to the apostlesâ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.â
The early church didnât grow because of marketing or buildings. It grew because people saw a community of love, generosity, and togetherness unlike anything in the world.
Hebrews 10:24â25 (NIV) âAnd let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.â
Real community isnât just a Sunday handshakeâitâs sharing meals, carrying burdens, and walking through life together.
â¤ď¸ Why the Right Community Matters
Galatians 6:2 (NIV) âCarry each otherâs burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.â
Ecclesiastes 4:9â12 (NIV) âTwo are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.â
The communities we join will shape the people we become.
The wrong community can pull us down.
No community leaves us vulnerable.
The right community helps us flourish.
John Mark Comer says that spiritual formation happens in three environments: teaching, practice, and community. We can listen to sermons and pray faithfully, but if weâre not rooted in relationships, transformation stalls.
đŹ So What Does This Mean for Us?
Ask yourself: Who are my people? Who is my church? The church isnât a buildingâitâs a body.
Donât just attendâbelong. Church isnât a concert where we watch from the crowdâitâs a team where everyone plays a part.
Practice vulnerability. Growth requires honesty. Real connection starts when we stop saying âIâm fineâ and start saying âIâm struggling.â
Guard your community. Be wise about who you allow to influence your heart. Not everyone deserves a seat at your table.
Contribute. Community isnât about consuming; itâs about serving. Look for someone to encourage or lift up today.
John 14:12 (NIV) âVery truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.â
This isnât a solo mission. Itâs a community mission.
Alone, you might change one life. Together, we can change the world.
đ¤ The Body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:12â26 (NIV) âJust as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. âŚThe eye cannot say to the hand, âI donât need you!â âŚIf one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.â
Thatâs what the church is meant to beâa body where everyone matters, every gift counts, and every person belongs.
Jesus didnât walk alone, and neither should you.
Community isnât optionalâitâs essential.
Find your place. Open your life. Belong to the body of Christ.
Because together, we can do greater things.
⨠Looking for a Community in Bradford, PA?
Join us Sunday mornings at 71 Congress Street, Bradford, PA. At Open Arms Community Church, youâll find a place to grow, connect, and belong.
Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA is launching a new microchurch called Hope in Life, led by Angel Atkinson. This weekly gathering is designed to nurture the whole personâspirit, mind, and bodyâthrough faith, conversation, and hands-on learning.
Hope in Life meets every Friday evening from 5â7 p.m. Each week includes a time in the Bible, space for group discussion, and an opportunity to practice a new skill. The focus changes weekly, from cooking and sewing to self-care, cleaning, or even understanding emotions. On the fourth Friday of each month, the group hosts a shared dinner, creating an atmosphere of friendship and community.
Angelâs heart for this ministry is to provide a place where practical tools and spiritual encouragement come together. By offering both, Hope in Life helps participants grow stronger in faith while also equipping them with everyday skills that build confidence and hope.
Why Hope in Life Matters
True wholeness touches every part of life. Struggles with daily routines can often weigh down the heart, just as spiritual burdens can make even simple tasks feel overwhelming. Hope in Life creates a safe place where people can find encouragement, learn together, and discover that God cares about their entire well-beingâspirit, mind, and body.
Refer Someone Who You Know
Hope in Life is not just for those who already know what they need. Sometimes the best way to help is simply to extend an invitation. Friends, neighbors, or family members may benefit from a group like this even if they would never ask for it themselves. Referrals are a vital part of this ministryâpointing someone toward a supportive community can open the door to healing, growth, and renewed hope.
Hope in Life meets every Friday from 5â7 p.m. at Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, and is led by Angel Atkinson. This microchurch is committed to walking alongside people as they grow stronger spiritually, emotionally, and practically.
My wife listens to a podcast every morning by JD Walt called âThe Wake-Up Callâ. I have listened alongside her on occasion, and I had the privilege of briefly bumping shoulders with JD at the New Room Conference last year.
I decided to start listening for myself as Iâm on a quest for a bit of a mental and spiritual reset. Too much scrolling on my phone has my dopamine levels all out of whack. The current climate on social media has turned toxic, and so my options are watching people I love argue with each other, or the âbrain rotâ content that occasionally makes you chuckle, but definitely doesnât build your soul.
This morningâs episode resonated deeply with me, for a few reasons. Iâll start with the end of the podcast first. At the end of each episode JD sings a hymn. Todayâs hymn was what he called âThe Baptist Fight Songâ and while growing up in an old fashioned Baptist Church, Iâve never heard that phrase, but before he said the title, I knew he meant âJust As I Am.â
I was driving while listening, and that song broke open my tear ducts. Iâm sure I was all over the road this morning, wiping tears from my eyes as I was transported back to my childhood and teenage years, standing up at the end of sermon, listening to Mrs. Florence Sinsabaugh in her finest polyester dress, as she let the foot pedals on the organ swell, and both hands holding out the long chords, while Judy Youngblood accentuated with the piano. Pastor H.D. Youngblood would lead us in singing, waving his hand to keep the time, and between verses, heâd call us home. Rarely did anyone go up to the altar. But with every head bowed, and every eye closed, hands were raised to pledge commitment to Jesus.
We didnât applaud much in the Baptist Church, but inside out hearts, we were cheering when Pastor would say, âI see that hand, Thank You Lord.â
Weâd usually sing verses 1, 2, and 5, and there was usually an instrumental verse in there too.
1.
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidâst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
2.
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot;
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
3.
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt;
Fightings within, and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
4.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind;
Yes, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
5.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
6.
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
And I was reminded of another very personal story, that has echoed deeply in my family lore. My maternal grandfather was a bad man. The best thing he had ever done was to abandon his family. That may sound like a bad thing, but the truth is, abandoning them was the best thing. I wonât get into telling the story that really belongs to my mother and her siblings. Iâll just say he was a bad man.
Abandoned, my grandmother turned to Jesus, and paved the way for her family. They met Jesus, many of them probably hearing Pastor Youngblood sing Just As I Am, and our familyâs direction was changed.
At some point, my grandfather had stumbled into a church, probably drunk. He told the story, âIf that preacher would have sang one more verse of Just As I Am, Iâd have walked up to that altar.â – But of course he didnât.
Years later, after leaving a lifetime of pain and struggle in his wake, my grandfather called my grandmother. âDeanie, Iâm dying. I have cancer. Would you come out and see me?â
The story I remember is that he was found laying on the ground with a pile of cigarette butts on one side, and a pile of beer cans on the other. The cancer had eaten through most of him, and he was on his way out of this world.
My grandmother went out, and invited the rest of the family.
They didnât go because they wanted to be with him. They went because they had a mission, to introduce Grandpa Dave to grace. To plead for his soul to be saved.
They preached the gospel, sang songs, and Uncle Mike started playing Just As I Am. When he got to the end of the song, the old man said, âKeep playing.â Grandpa Dave prayed, probably for the first time in his life. He asked for forgiveness for his sins. And in the remaining few days of his life, there was a change. Tiny fruits of the Spirit growing in the small window he had left.
Just as he was. Without a plea, except that Jesus’ blood was shed for him.
â———–
The podcast episode was centered around this thought. A woman told JD in conversation, âI donât want you to think Iâm not a good person.â
JDâs response, âYouâre not a good person. And Iâm not a good person.â
This truth is one we need to grasp fully.
I see it echoed on the social media feed that Iâm trying to ignore right now.
Virtue signalling.
Folks pointing fingers at the âevilâ they see on the other side.
âThose folks are violating what the Bible clearly commands!â
âThose folks are bigots and hypocrites!â
With the inference that âIâm better.â
We post things on the internet, and say things in conversation because we want others to think we are good people.
âIâm a good person. I donât condone sin.â âIâm a good person. I hate racism.â âIâm a good person. I love America.â âIâm a good person. I challenge broken systems!â
âIâm a good person. I want justice!â âIâm a good person. I stand with So and So!â
Donât get me wrong, a lot of these might be good things, to stand up for the oppressed, to long for justice, to support your country, to stand for truth and righteousness.
But the thing is, none of us are good people.
Thatâs whatâs so hard for people to accept. Thatâs whatâs so scandalous about the gospel.
We donât earn right standing with God by your good deeds.
We donât deserve to be seen as heroes and martyrs and virtuous.
When Jesus delivered the sermon on the mount, and he said this:
âYou have heard that our ancestors were told, âYou must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment. But I say, if you are even angry with someone,you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,[e] you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,[f] you are in danger of the fires of hell.â -Matthew 5
Iâd encourage you to read that whole passage. If I paraphrase what heâs saying,, âYou guys are missing the point. In order to earn Godâs favor, you have to be better than the commands. The commands say âDonât murder.â But if you hate someone in your heart or call them an idiot, youâre just as bad. If you lust after a woman, itâs just as bad as having sex with her.â
Heâs making a point and establishing his authority, and emphasizng that all of us are not good people.
Paul reiterates it:
âFor all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Godâ – Romans 3:23
This is the beauty of it.
He paid the cost for us.
âHe himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sinsâand not only our sins but the sins of all the world.â – 1 John 2:2
We arenât good people. We are all sinners, and all of us are short of Godâs expectations. And even if we kept the commandments in practice, weâd break them in our hearts.
But thank God!
âBut God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.â âRomans 5:8
He meets us just as we are, and He makes up for what we lack, so that we can be right with him.
Sometimes, we who He has redeemed forget where we came from. We forget that weâre only right with God because of what Jesus did. Weâre not good people. Weâre His people. He paid for us. He bought us with His suffering on the cross.
Anything good in us is because God put it there. Even before we knew Him, the good in us was the reflection of His image in us, because He made us. And now that we have surrendered to Him, the good is not because of us. Itâs because of Him.
Let us never forget that.
written by
Josh Hatcher
Josh Hatcher is the Communications Director at Open Arms Community Church. He is married to Pastor Zoe Hatcher, and leads the Tribe of Lions Microchurch for men. He also is the founder of Manlihood.com
At Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, we recently celebrated 28 new lives in Christ through baptism. Baptism is a powerful step of faithâbut itâs also a starting line, not the finish. The real question is: Now what?
Thatâs where our new series, Do As I Do, begins. Jesus never said, âDo as I say, not as I do.â Instead, He invited us to actually live the way He lived.
What Are You Following Right Now?
Whether we admit it or not, weâre all following something.
Culture and its shifting opinions đş
Family and friendsâ expectations đŞ
Money and success đź
Our own version of the âAmerican dreamâ đĄ
But can these things really satisfy? Jesus said:
Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
âNo one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.â
In other words, you canât follow both. At some point, youâll have to decide which path youâre really on.
What Did Jesus Actually Invite People Into?
In the first century, rabbis (teachers) never pursued students. Students had to beg to follow a rabbi, like applying to an Ivy League school.
But Jesus flipped the script. He went out of His way to call people personally:
Mark 1:16â20 (NIV)
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 âCome, follow me,â Jesus said, âand I will send you out to fish for people.â 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Mark 2:13â15 (NIV)
13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collectorâs booth. âFollow me,â Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Leviâs house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
NoticeâHe didnât invite them to âbecome Christiansâ (that word came later). He invited them to apprentice under Himâto learn a whole new way of living.
What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus Today?
Pastor Zoe laid out three rhythms for what it really looks like:
Be with Jesus
Become like Jesus
Do what Jesus did
This isnât a program or a checklist. Itâs a way of life. Spend time with Him, let that time transform you, and then live differently because of it.
How Do I Actually Spend Time With God?
Being with Jesus starts with simple, practical steps:
Prayer: Talking and listening.
Abiding (meno in Greek means âstayâ): Staying close to Him, like a loyal friend or even a lapdog at your feet.
Contemplation: Fixing your thoughts and emotions on Him. Making Him your true home.
An old peasant once described his prayer this way: âI look at Him, He looks at me, and we are happy.â That kind of relationship is what Jesus invites you into.
How Do I Become More Like Jesus?
Being with Him naturally leads to becoming like Him. That happens through:
Teaching: Reading Scripture, hearing preaching, listening for Godâs voice.
Practice: Engaging in rhythms like Sabbath, prayer, fasting, solitude, generosity, and service.
Community: Real transformation happens with others, not in isolation. God Himself exists in community (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).
And thereâs one clear test: Am I becoming more loving? Ask yourselfâand even better, ask the people around you. If love is growing, youâre on the right track.
Why Does Following Jesus Involve Struggle?
Becoming like Jesus is not instantâit takes time, surrender, and yes, even suffering.
Matthew 10:24â25 (NLT)
24 Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. 25 Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!
Matthew 10:24â25 (MSG)
A student doesnât get a better desk than her teacher. A laborer doesnât make more money than his boss. Be contentâpleased, evenâwhen you, my students, my harvest hands, get the same treatment I get. If they call me, the Master, âDungface,â what can the workers expect?
If Jesus suffered, why would we think we get out of it? Hardship is often where real growth happens.
But hereâs the encouragement: change doesnât come from our willpowerâit comes from surrender to the Holy Spirit.
Whatâs More Important: My Resume or My Legacy?
When life is over, people wonât remember us for our accomplishments as much as how we loved them. Are you living for your rĂŠsumĂŠ, or your eulogy?
Funerals remind us of this truth: people share stories not of achievements, but of kindness, love, and presence. Thatâs what lasts.
What Did Jesus Actually Do?
We donât just be with Him and become like Him for ourselvesâwe do it so we can do what He did.
Hospitality: Making people feel welcome.
Preaching the Gospel: Sharing good news with our words.
Demonstrating the Gospel: Showing Godâs love through miracles, healing, justice, and compassion.
The end goal? To grow into the kind of person who can say and do the things Jesus said and did.
Am I Ready to Follow Jesus?
Following Jesus isnât about trying harderâitâs about training with Him as your coach. Like preparing for a 10K, it takes small steps, consistency, and daily commitment.
As St. Augustine said: âWithout God, we cannot. Without us, God will not.â
The same Spirit who empowered Jesus is available to empower you today. But discipleship means counting the cost:
Luke 14:25â33 (MSG)
One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, âAnyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sistersâyes, even oneâs own self!âcanât be my disciple. Anyone who wonât shoulder his own cross and follow behind me canât be my disciple. ⌠Simply put, if youâre not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you canât be my disciple.â
It sounds harsh, but Jesus is honest: following Him means leaving behind competing loves. Are you ready?
What Do You Really Want?
In Johnâs gospel, Jesus asked a life-changing question:
John 1:35â39 (NIV)
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, âLook, the Lamb of God!â 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, âWhat do you want?â 39 âCome,â he replied, âand you will see.â
Jesus still asks the same today: What do you want?
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If youâve been chasing culture, money, or success and still feel empty, Jesus is inviting you into a better way.
âĄď¸ You can watch this full message on our Open Arms YouTube channel. đ Or better yet, join us in person Sunday mornings at 71 Congress Street in Bradford, PA. Find service times and plan your visit here.
At Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA, youâll find a community where hope, healing, and purpose are waiting for you.
What is Freely Given is a Narcotics Anonymous group that meets at Open Arms Community Church. This group provides a safe, confidential space for recovery, healing, and support.
đď¸ Sundays â° 5PM đ Open Arms Community Church
