Comments on: Community: Different than Church http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2007/03/19/community-different-than-church the home of Nathan Colquhoun Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:45:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: paige http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2007/03/19/community-different-than-church#comment-1531 paige Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1531 This makes me think of something I was reading on the ferry last night... there's some before this which would add perspective but I don't want to make this too long..."There is probably no Christian to whom God has not given the uplifting experience of genuine Christian community at least once in his life. But in this world such experiences can be no more than a gracious extra beyond the daily bread of Christian community life. We have no claim upon such experiences, and we do not live with other Christians for the sake of acquiring them. It is not the experience of Christian brotherhood, but solid and certain faith in brotherhood that holds us together. That God has acted and wants to act upon us all, this we see in faith as God's greatest gift, this makes us glad and happy, but it also makes us ready to forego all such experiences when God at times does not grant them. We are bound together by faith, not by experience." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer 'Life Together' sorry this was not more personal- I just can't explain it better than that...- Christian community is not like other community for it is Christ in each other that we see...<br /> <br /> Paige This makes me think of something I was reading on the ferry last night… there’s some before this which would add perspective but I don’t want to make this too long…”There is probably no Christian to whom God has not given the uplifting experience of genuine Christian community at least once in his life. But in this world such experiences can be no more than a gracious extra beyond the daily bread of Christian community life. We have no claim upon such experiences, and we do not live with other Christians for the sake of acquiring them. It is not the experience of Christian brotherhood, but solid and certain faith in brotherhood that holds us together. That God has acted and wants to act upon us all, this we see in faith as God’s greatest gift, this makes us glad and happy, but it also makes us ready to forego all such experiences when God at times does not grant them. We are bound together by faith, not by experience.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer ‘Life Together’ sorry this was not more personal- I just can’t explain it better than that…- Christian community is not like other community for it is Christ in each other that we see…

Paige

]]> By: Chris Marsden http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2007/03/19/community-different-than-church#comment-1533 Chris Marsden Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1533 I am in much the same place, wrestling with definitions of terms and trying to find a balance between what the church should be, the institution it should not be, and how it all fits into The Church.<br /> <br /> Recently I got the chance to hang with some people where we were discussing these very questions. The question posed was how do you form community (in the church sense). The answer was that we had the wrong question. We should instead be focusing on cause and that people joined together for a cause can't help but form community.<br /> <br /> Still wrestling with that thought and what it looks like in the real world.<br /> <br /> The two pictures I am currently playing with in my head are the triangle from chapter 5 of the shaping of things to come. Three things you need to "be a church". Communion, community, and commission. Basically, a relationship with Christ, a relationship (with accountability) to each other, and a relationship (specifically purpose) with the world.<br /> <br /> The other picture is one you hinted at. The idea of overlapping circles. I am a member of several communities. One of those is the church I am currently a member of. Each of those members have their own circles of community. Some overlap in several places, some overlap in only a few. As "the church" gets bigger, we realize that there is not one community circle that represents the church except in an institutional, membership sort of way. Some communities are on the fringe of "the church" some are closer to the core purpose. Many overlap. <br /> <br /> I don't necessarily like this picture, it is just where I am at in process. I am meeting regularly with a couple of guys and tearing apart these kinds of things. I don't know if a "new church" will be the result or just maybe a better understanding of the gospel, the church, and my purpose in those contexts. I am in much the same place, wrestling with definitions of terms and trying to find a balance between what the church should be, the institution it should not be, and how it all fits into The Church.

Recently I got the chance to hang with some people where we were discussing these very questions. The question posed was how do you form community (in the church sense). The answer was that we had the wrong question. We should instead be focusing on cause and that people joined together for a cause can’t help but form community.

Still wrestling with that thought and what it looks like in the real world.

The two pictures I am currently playing with in my head are the triangle from chapter 5 of the shaping of things to come. Three things you need to “be a church”. Communion, community, and commission. Basically, a relationship with Christ, a relationship (with accountability) to each other, and a relationship (specifically purpose) with the world.

The other picture is one you hinted at. The idea of overlapping circles. I am a member of several communities. One of those is the church I am currently a member of. Each of those members have their own circles of community. Some overlap in several places, some overlap in only a few. As “the church” gets bigger, we realize that there is not one community circle that represents the church except in an institutional, membership sort of way. Some communities are on the fringe of “the church” some are closer to the core purpose. Many overlap.

I don’t necessarily like this picture, it is just where I am at in process. I am meeting regularly with a couple of guys and tearing apart these kinds of things. I don’t know if a “new church” will be the result or just maybe a better understanding of the gospel, the church, and my purpose in those contexts.

]]> By: Justin Skogen http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2007/03/19/community-different-than-church#comment-1551 Justin Skogen Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1551 I love the contemplation of church vs. community. I believe ones church is part of one's community, uniting the point that communities are comprised of individuals and smaller clicks of folks with similar beliefs, interests, an bonds. <br /> <br /> However, I am not sure that would lend that communities should be small, or linked to any particular size. More importantly, the community's strength and reputation should be the focal point. <br /> <br /> Too often in our Western civilizations, size and stature seem to weigh heavily on our perception. To me the strength and bond created within a community is what makes it prosper...and that, many times can be leveraged by the church.<br /> <br /> I do not attend a church regularly, but do have my own beliefs and views on how the church has failed (ragardless of sect) and how it still succeeds.<br /> <br /> The bottom line---if one can exist in his/her community, participate, grow, and better themselves and the communities environment...then they have attended the greatest church of them all...the church of "community".<br /> <br /> Just my two cents...great post...really makes one ponder... I love the contemplation of church vs. community. I believe ones church is part of one’s community, uniting the point that communities are comprised of individuals and smaller clicks of folks with similar beliefs, interests, an bonds.

However, I am not sure that would lend that communities should be small, or linked to any particular size. More importantly, the community’s strength and reputation should be the focal point.

Too often in our Western civilizations, size and stature seem to weigh heavily on our perception. To me the strength and bond created within a community is what makes it prosper…and that, many times can be leveraged by the church.

I do not attend a church regularly, but do have my own beliefs and views on how the church has failed (ragardless of sect) and how it still succeeds.

The bottom line—if one can exist in his/her community, participate, grow, and better themselves and the communities environment…then they have attended the greatest church of them all…the church of “community”.

Just my two cents…great post…really makes one ponder…

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