the purpose of life happens in community (part 2)

(culture is looking for a place to connect)

Sometimes it's good to be alone. To focus, recharge, rest, and prepare for the next round of relationship encounters. Jesus did it, for sure. But Jesus spent the most of his time with people. Sometimes with a few, the twelve disciples. Other times it was with huge crowds. All of the time he was mixing with the culture and connecting with other people.

The American culture is no longer one of community. We try to say we're a culture of community because we still know it's valuable. So we give churches the name "community" church and there are online "communities". There are gated "communities" and we have "community" centers. How much community really takes place? How much do people genuinely connect and feel wanted and cared for? Are real relationships being engaged or have we started giving places the name "community" in hope that community might really happen?

So what is community anyway? (I'm starting to sound like the old guy on 60 minutes!) The sitcom Cheers was a good example. Mayberry RFD was another good example. A good movie example would be Cheaper by The Dozen. Community is/was when people knew who you were. They accepted you for how God made you, quirky personality and all. They lived life with you. They laughed, cried, mourned, and enjoyed sharing a meal with you. They even told you when you screwed up and let you know about it. Community is a place to know others and be known by others.

From a Christian perspective, an authentic, functioning Christian community has all of the above but it goes a step further and invites people into the community for the sake of friendship, healing, accountability, fun, worship, and learning. You may not have realized it but within that definition of an authentic Christian community the five purposes of the church...evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and worship.

We were created for community, for relationships (Read Genesis chps 1-3). God created us so we would have a relationship with him. He gave us other humans to have relationships with. We've been created with an innate desire to have meaningful relationships. So how do we connect in urban/suburban culture, where we can be sitting in traffic, at a sporting event, at school, even at a megachurch and never connect with one single human being? Even though we may have been around thousands of people in one day? An authentic, Christian community.

The redeeming, healing, and connecting message of Jesus Christ is designed to bring people together in community. Our purpose as followers of Christ is to share that message and create a community of faith where hurting, disconnected people can be redeemed, healed, and connected...with God and with other people.

So here are two questions to challenge you today: What can I do to connect better with the people of The Journey? Who do I know that needs to be redeemed and healed and connected with God?

People are looking for a place to connect and be part of a community. Let's be there for them.

Have a great day.