Community?

Do you assume that a sense of community is difficult to achieve in a large church, and that it comes automatically in a small group? There is nothing automatic about a sense of community in any group, large or small. Have you ever heard of a group of people being in the same boat? This is a metaphor for community, but at the most basic level it just means that they will arrive at the same place and the same time, and they share the hope that the boat will not sink. A true community of believers requires more than this. I draw together members of enormous diversity into my body, giving them unity in my own identity, a common destiny and purpose, and deep involvement with each other.