Community
Community.
I have to be honest, I didn't really get what the big deal was regarding community until recently. A few things have got me thinking about it....
1.) My sister and bro-in-law decided to buy a house with another couple and move in together, to have community in their home. I didn't really get it, but it sounded cool. And it is.
2.) I am part of a church which has 3 principles around which we gravitate..
Commune, Community and Mission. Being incorporated into this group of folk has been awesome, if challenging at times.
I know that my brother in law read blue like jazz (Donald miller) a while back and I now wonder whether this was something that spurred them onto living in community. Here is what he has to say on the issue...
"Rick told me a little later, I should be living in community. He said I should have people bugging me and getting under my skin because without people I could not grow - I could not grow in God and I could not grow as a human. We are born into families, he said, and we are needy at first as children because God wants us together, living among one another, not hiding ourselves under logs like fungus. You are not a fungus, he told me, you are human, and you need other people in your life in order to be healthy"
His initial thoughts on community also mirrored mine.......
"I didn't know what to think about the idea of living in community at first. I had lived on my own for about 6 years, and the idea of moving in with a bunch of slobs didn't appeal to me. Living in community sounded so, um, odd. Cults do that sort of thing, you know. First you live in community, and then you drink punch and die"
Community is a buzz-word in our church. At first I was like, whatever, community, yawn. Now I need it, it helps me to remain healthy, it keeps me accountable, and prevents people in our church from being alone. Obviously we need to do that bit better, but it's a start. I love my community.
I have to be honest, I didn't really get what the big deal was regarding community until recently. A few things have got me thinking about it....
1.) My sister and bro-in-law decided to buy a house with another couple and move in together, to have community in their home. I didn't really get it, but it sounded cool. And it is.
2.) I am part of a church which has 3 principles around which we gravitate..
Commune, Community and Mission. Being incorporated into this group of folk has been awesome, if challenging at times.
I know that my brother in law read blue like jazz (Donald miller) a while back and I now wonder whether this was something that spurred them onto living in community. Here is what he has to say on the issue...
"Rick told me a little later, I should be living in community. He said I should have people bugging me and getting under my skin because without people I could not grow - I could not grow in God and I could not grow as a human. We are born into families, he said, and we are needy at first as children because God wants us together, living among one another, not hiding ourselves under logs like fungus. You are not a fungus, he told me, you are human, and you need other people in your life in order to be healthy"
His initial thoughts on community also mirrored mine.......
"I didn't know what to think about the idea of living in community at first. I had lived on my own for about 6 years, and the idea of moving in with a bunch of slobs didn't appeal to me. Living in community sounded so, um, odd. Cults do that sort of thing, you know. First you live in community, and then you drink punch and die"
Community is a buzz-word in our church. At first I was like, whatever, community, yawn. Now I need it, it helps me to remain healthy, it keeps me accountable, and prevents people in our church from being alone. Obviously we need to do that bit better, but it's a start. I love my community.
posted by Andy Ashworth at 2:48 PM
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