Are you experiencing real community?
I ran across an excellent article by Tom Sine, entitled “Church Re-Imagined,” in a Christian magazine* this past week. Sine is co-author of a book, The New Conspirators: Creating the Future One Mustard Seed at a Time
“Does the future have a church?”
“What will a post-Christendom, post-institutional, post-Western, post-congregational future for the Church look like?”
“Is it possible we have got what it means to be church wrong?”
“Is it possible that many of us unwittingly accept this popular cultural notion of church as a place we go for two hours each week to have our needs met?”
Basically, our brother and fellow pilgrim points us to the New Testament, using the radical language of family to describe what we have become when we take that first step of faith in Jesus Christ. What matters is not our genetic code, but our shared spiritual DNA that recreates all of us into family members—rich, poor, young, old, multi-colored, slave, free, male, and female. He describes our new family like this:
One of the most compelling characteristics of this first family, as it emerged in the Early Church, was the remarkable way these first followers of the Way loved each other and their neighbours. As we know, communities like the Jerusalem church sold their possessions and shared resources. This new family was known for rescuing infants from rubbish dumps and bringing them home, as well as caring for those who were ill in their neighbourhoods, sometimes with highly contagious diseases. While they didn’t all live under the same roof, they operated like a large, organic, extended family. They often lived in proximity and were involved in one another’s daily lives, “breaking bread from house to house.”
I think most of us are aware today that it isn’t possible to experience real community by simply going to church once a week.
That last sentence really arrested my attention because I wholeheartedly disagree with Mr. Sine. He’s got it wrong: the first six words, anyway. I would suggest re-writing his statement in this way: “I DO NOT think most of us are aware today that it isn’t possible to experience real community by simply going to church once a week.”
So what do you think? Are you JUST going to church once a week? Do you wonder why it feels like something is missing in your spiritual life? Would you like to experience real community like the early church? Well, here’s a well-intentioned piece of advice: get involved with fellow believers on a more intimate basis! Don’t just attend a few extra meetings with a Christian agenda (whether it’s a Bible study group or you-fill-in-the-blank). There’s nothing wrong with getting involved in these things, but the point is that “attending meetings” will not necessarily foster the sense of biblical community that many of us are searching for. That can only be found by investing our lives in one another. We should do things together, sharing our lives from day to day, learning to bear one another’s burdens and rejoicing in God’s daily provisions together!
[*Excerpts from "Church Re-Imagined" by Tom Sine, FaithWorks, Autumn 2008, p. 26-28.]
“it isn’t possible to experience real community by simply going to church once a week.”
I fully agree! However, when you drive 30 miles to attend church because there are no churches in your community that are (for lack of a better word) – Biblical. It is very difficult to get involved with fellow believers.
We have been looking at home based fellowships on Wednesday nights in each of the communities where we have more than one member to help us achieve “real community” with fellow believers. Yet, we would still be coming together on Sunday as the full congregation for worship.
You have given me encouragement to at least make an attempt to get more involved in the lives of fellow believers.
Thanks Bill,
Greg: Hi, brother! Long time no hear.
One of the greatest sins we need to face as Christians is refusing to acknowledge other Jesus-followers in our immediate neighborhoods. How do we justify this simply because we don’t sit in the same worship service every Sunday?
Before we moved to Wales, we drove 60 miles to attend church in another state, primarily for the reason you’ve given: we didn’t think there was a “biblical” church we could attend locally. Truth is, we just wanted to attend a 501(c)3 organization that ticked all the right boxes for our personal preferences: Reformed theology, expositional preaching, and a more reverent style of worship. Looking back, I’m convinced that was a VERY narrow-minded and completely self-centered approach to being part of the body of Christ.
I would do things much differently today. I have no right to write off my brothers and sisters who live in close proximity to my house, no matter what church they attend on Sunday. Ideally (and what I see in the New Testament) we would all gather in our local communities to encourage one another in the faith, rather than ignoring one another week after week. It must really grieve the Lord that His children are so deeply divided.
Bill,
I agree with much of what you say… and I can, and do, fellowship with many Christians in my community that belong to a different Church than I belong to. Brother, I have come to realize that most of the things that divide us are indeed not the essentials of the faith.
However, I am very uncomfortable with saying: “I have no right to write off my brothers and sisters who live in close proximity to my house, no matter what church they attend on Sunday.”
Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is in truth a Christian… I am talking about some of the way-out-their groups… However having been excluded from fellowship by my local Baptist Association because I am a Calvinist has taught me to be very careful about excluding others, but we must draw the line somewhere.
Grace Always,
I’ve found that Christians that I meet now since I “cut the cord” and participate in house church are very skeptical when I suggest cooperation. I think that they see house church as somewhat subversive, and IMHO for good reason. That said, I do think that traditional congregations of Christians that have buildings, paid staff, etc. have a lot to offer ‘us’ and vice versa, and spend a lot of time thinking of how to cooperate. If only I’d spend less time thinking and more time doing something. Oh well.
Greg: I’m not sure why you’re so uncomfortable with my statement about the “brothers and sisters” that live close by. If they are not genuine believers, they would not be my brothers and sisters, would they? Paul met one group in his journeys that was really “way out there” (they had not yet heard of the Holy Spirit) and yet he considered them members of the body of Christ. See, that’s the real sense of belonging that I’m talking about: we belong to one another, not to a non-profit corporation, when we become followers of Jesus Christ.
Bill,
I have learned over the years that there is much wisdom in your words… “we belong to one another, not to a non-profit corporation,”
This is a truth that, if understood, would be a great blessing to all those believers in the state where I live (Florida) that belong to one of those non-profit corporations.
Speaking of those non-profit corporations; they cannot be found anywhere in the Bible, so are they Unbiblical? I have come to believe that loyalty to them above loyalty to the Word alone is the very reason why many Churches in America are in the sad shape they are now in. I just wonder how these Churches (and Christians) would treat one another if these non-profit corporations just vanished? I’m betting much better than they do now.
Anyway, it sure is good to chat with you again my Brother.
Grace Always,
Bill,
It’s been awhile since I’ve ventured on your blog…staying extremely busy here stateside. I actually wrote about this very issue a few months ago. Would love for you to check them out. Here’s the first link: http://recapturedpassion.blogspot.com/2008/08/authentic-christian-community.html,
and here’s the second link: http://recapturedpassion.blogspot.com/2008/08/is-this-your-experience.html,
Have a great one,
Jeff
Bill,
Great articles on your website – I have been looking for resources on community so was drawn to this article then realized that you were quoting my husband! Hmm maybe I need to look closer to home for the resources. Anyhow would appreciate suggestions on good books to read.
Blessings on all you do