In Issue 47, Preach turns to the biblical call for God’s people to be set apart for the sake of others. This issue explores how Scripture shapes our understanding of community, connection, and service, and what faithful engagement beyond the Church might look like today.

We hear from Andy Peck as he reflects on the picture of community in the book of Acts. Matty Hawthorn explores what it means to be a living letter – shining the light of Jesus as we live and work in community. Roger Sutton shares stories of churches uniting to bridge communities in local contexts, while Dr T Ayodele Ajayi addresses mental health in our communities and considers how churches can offer support and hope.

Our regular contributors also offer practical wisdom on engaging meaningfully with community life, as well as reflections on how other communities – such as the forest floor – reveal God’s design in creation. Ian Paul and Ashley Hibbard take us deeper into Scripture, helping ground these themes firmly in the biblical text. We pray that this issue will encourage you to reflect on where, and how, you are being called to connect with your local community.