*Anyone who has graced the campus of a small Christian institution (whether here in the Midwest or out on the West Coast, and everywhere in between) has heard the word, probably in gross excess.
Painted on Student Development office walls, discussed in our humanities courses, or ministry courses, pasted up in the hallways of residence halls in colorful fonts propagating this abstract, undefined concept.
The buzz word, community, and the man behind the curtain, Bonhoeffer, are so entirely misused, overused, misunderstood at large in contemporary, relevant Christian circles.
Anyone who has breached the topics of campus-life, Christian community, or authenticity with me in the past twelve months has probably gotten a much larger earful than they signed up for upon entering the conversation. It's something I'm passionate about, and I want to continue to discuss and challenge this concept and the status-quo understanding thereof in modern Christian society. I wrote an angry essay about it once, but that was in a former life when I was quite bitter about the "community" in which I was living. Since then, my understanding of this concept has matured slightly, though, like many of us, is most likely still in need of development and deepening.
Ekklesia, the church we attended on Sunday morning, explains their value of community on their website. They call it "Authentic, Accepting Community," and begin by claiming that "Ekklesia exists as a community." The house where I lived a year ago championed their community and how much like the Acts 2 church we were. Student development meetings on campus strive to create and develop community.
These perspectives are all quite valid, but seemingly incomplete at their core. Community, as idolized by Christians in America today, is really nothing more than the bi-product of Christian living. It's a fruit; it's not the tree. Community can't beget more community. Community is the transcendental, incalculable, immeasurable, ideal and inevitable result of, well, the active application and implementation of the principles taught by Pastor James at Ekklesia out of Matthew 5.
"You have heard it said [insert external behavior here], but I tell you [love, purity, perseverance, integrity, selflessness, and grace]" are the internal, Spirit-filled attitudes and lifestyles that Christ requires. Go back and look through Matthew 5:21-48 and you'll find those themes in Christ's specific examples.
When we, all of us, simultaneously, together, at the same time, are moved and matured by the Holy Spirit to the place where those mindsets naturally pervade our entire existences, then our gathering will become a place of community. Community is the result of Spirit-filled living. Much in the same way that the fruit of the Spirit are... the fruit... of Spirit-filled living. The fruit isn't the focus. Community isn't and can't be the goal. The Spirit is the goal.
Bonhoeffer explains that "He that loves community destroys community. He that loves the brethren builds community." Building community is the after-effect of Christian-living. Let us not misunderstand the champion of Christian community. Life Together is about Christian-living, which begets Christian community.
I have more to say, but this has gone on long enough. I want to know your thoughts on this issue. I'm one man and in no way the source of all wisdom. Let's talk.
*gotta cite the photo http://www.ubfriends.org/2012/05/02/community-life-together-dietrich-bonhoeffer/
There is so much to say in regards to this topic, but I will try to keep it brief. You will begin to notice I am all about how one interprets the meaning of something, such as church, so I will do the same for community. From my experience with a variety of community settings (the Christian College, Christian Summer Camp, Full Time Ministry, the Church), I think a lot of the break down in community might come from everyone having a different idea of what community is and also wanting something specific out of it. We place such a high expectation on that community that we immerse ourselves in, and when our expectations aren’t met, we tend to get angry, withdraw, or up and leave the community. I have been in some terrible communities where I felt hated, scorned, and tossed to the side. I have also been a part of communities where I felt so loved and accepted.
ReplyDeleteI myself went into the Christian College community expecting to be “helped” and “encouraged” and “held accountable” as I was coming out of a rough patch in my life. I did not get that in the least bit of the sense. I’m not here to rant and rave about my experience, however, I ended up diving deeper into the life of sin I was living partially due to not having support of my fellow Christians, not that I had asked for it. I didn’t want it, but after sharing my testimony one evening in a small group, the majority of the campus community looked at me differently (in disgust for lack of better verbage). They were judging me off of truth sometimes, but mostly rumors. My idea of community at that time was that I was going to be surrounded by these people who would support me in my journey, not hinder it. I didn’t feel love, support, encouragement, or comfort, I felt outcast, lonely, weak, and tired. So I fell right back into that lifestyle of sin that I was desperately trying to escape.
On the flip side of community, while working for an inner city ministry during my summers in college, I experienced what I feel was one of the most genuine communities I have had the privilege of being a part of. I was loved for who I was and for who I was striving to become as a Christ Follower. There was support, encouragement, accountability, prayer, team building, and so much more. There wasn’t the judgment that existed on my college campus; I didn’t have this “mark of a sinner” on my back here (this could be a long tangent, but I’ll restrain). This community recognized that God meets us all where we are at, no one is better than another in His eyes, so how dare we treat anyone different.
I think when we come to the basic understanding that everyone struggles with something, whether internally or externally, we begin to realize that we aren’t perfect, we can’t be, that would put us at a level equivalent to God Himself. While we journey through life striving for perfection, there will be trails and temptations. We will fall into sin. Our community should be a safe place where one can be open and honest about those struggles knowing that support, encouragement, and love will be abundant. My idea of community may be completely different than others; however, the communities I surround myself with today are ones that I know I can count on in my hour of joy and my hour of pain. Our God is a God of grace, of mercy, of forgiveness. Are we not to be imitators of Christ?
I really like your blog. You have a unique perspective, and I love hearing about the different churches in our area. I agree with your belief that community comes after people are unified by the Spirit; I have been able to experience that myself and it is so much better and rewarding than the forced kind. Can't wait to hear about where you went this weekend!
ReplyDeleteAs you, I have heard so many ideas on community that my head spins. One simple idea always bounces around within my head - I think that it actually originated with Bill Hybells of Willow Creek Community Church -
ReplyDelete"Love and be loved;
Know and be known;
Serve and be served;
Celebrate and be celebrated."
That seems like a pretty great vision to set and shoot for within any church setting!
It can always be fleshed out more but it seems to be a great start - if we were living that out it would be so much more real in life!