Jon's Journey: Community I Desire
You aren't alone in your desires. There are many of us who are noticing the definite holes in that which we have come to know as 'church'. In many ways it pales in comparison to what it could be. We are satisfied with something so far short of what it could truly be.
For myself, I really see the typical corporate church setting as nothing much more than a 'bless ME' club, with little or no contemplation of the world at large. We might sing that "It's all about you, Jesus", but really it's our good feelings that matter most.
I have been thinking quite a bit about how discussion, questions, and differing opinions are very important, but missing within the typical 'lecture style' sermon. It usually is just one guy's ideas, and then we go home.
Along with the rather novel (but decided biblical) ideas you mention, I think we also need to consider that community is much more than just hanging with those who believe like we do for an hour or two, and then going home. I think community needs to be a way of life, and include much more than just our similarly-thinking buddies. Jesus talked a lot more about people like the poor, the sick, the outcasts than he did about separating ourselves from them in church. And he told us we shouldn't hide our lights under a basket (or inside a church building).
As you have observed many times in your 'playdough' scriptures, we have become quite accustomed to twisting and interpreting scripture in ways quite foreign to its intent. This is as obvious in the whole concept of church as elsewhere.
Thanks Al for your input. I've been feeling as well that I have been lacking an outward focus. My church experience has been mostly done within the safety of church functions and groups. We're feeling God leading our family to have more a relational focus, having people into our home and lives... and not just our comfortable church friends.
You definitely aren't alone in this desire. About three+ years ago, the Lord placed the same desire into my heart (and my husband's) which led us to opening our home to "like-Spirited" people with the same desire. For nearly three years we have had a sweet fellowship group of about 20 people meeting in our home on Sunday mornings. What a blessed time it is and what an awesome God we serve!
I will be praying that as the Lord has placed this desire within your heart, that He will lead you to people with whom He may fulfill it with!
Thanks Lysa for the prayers. I'd like to add that I pray that all may be done while maintaining a degree of unity with my brothers and sisters whom I love but are on a slightly different path.
... well we are all on slightly different paths, none of us are the same... but it may be easy to look at me and say I'm too far off their path... I pray that we can see Christ in each and recognize what unifies us.
Yes, Jon, when I say "like-Spirited" I mean those who are a similar path. I don't mean to forsake all others-that would be the opposite of unity.
The Lord put us together with people who are on a similar path for our "intimate" fellowship and has called us to go out into the rest of the Body, promoying unity in LOVE!
I hope you didn't misunderstand my previous comments!
Hi, sorry, no that unity thing wasn't directed at you at all. I was just adding on to the prayer you started for me. Thanks. :)
Jon's Journey: Community I Desire
You aren't alone in your desires. There are many of us who are noticing the definite holes in that which we have come to know as 'church'. In many ways it pales in comparison to what it could be. We are satisfied with something so far short of what it could truly be.
For myself, I really see the typical corporate church setting as nothing much more than a 'bless ME' club, with little or no contemplation of the world at large. We might sing that "It's all about you, Jesus", but really it's our good feelings that matter most.
I have been thinking quite a bit about how discussion, questions, and differing opinions are very important, but missing within the typical 'lecture style' sermon. It usually is just one guy's ideas, and then we go home.
Along with the rather novel (but decided biblical) ideas you mention, I think we also need to consider that community is much more than just hanging with those who believe like we do for an hour or two, and then going home. I think community needs to be a way of life, and include much more than just our similarly-thinking buddies. Jesus talked a lot more about people like the poor, the sick, the outcasts than he did about separating ourselves from them in church. And he told us we shouldn't hide our lights under a basket (or inside a church building).
As you have observed many times in your 'playdough' scriptures, we have become quite accustomed to twisting and interpreting scripture in ways quite foreign to its intent. This is as obvious in the whole concept of church as elsewhere.
Thanks Al for your input. I've been feeling as well that I have been lacking an outward focus. My church
 experience has been mostly done within the safety of church functions and groups. We're feeling God leading our family to have more a relational focus, having people into our home and lives... and not just our comfortable church friends.
You definitely aren't alone in this desire. About three+ years ago, the Lord placed the same desire into my heart (and my husband's) which led us to opening our home to "like-Spirited" people with the same desire. For nearly three years we have had a sweet fellowship group of about 20 people meeting in our home on Sunday mornings. What a blessed time it is and what an awesome God we serve!
I will be praying that as the Lord has placed this desire within your heart, that He will lead you to people with whom He may fulfill it with!
Thanks Lysa for the prayers. I'd like to add that I pray that all may be done while maintaining a degree of unity with my brothers and sisters whom I love but are on a slightly different path.
... well we are all on slightly different paths, none of us are the same... but it may be easy to look at me and say I'm too far off their path... I pray that we can see Christ in each and recognize what unifies us.
Yes, Jon, when I say "like-Spirited" I mean those who are a similar path. I don't mean to forsake all others-that would be the opposite of unity.
The Lord put us together with people who are on a similar path for our "intimate" fellowship and has called us to go out into the rest of the Body, promoying unity in LOVE!
I hope you didn't misunderstand my previous comments!
Hi, sorry, no that unity thing wasn't directed at you at all. I was just adding on to the prayer you started for me. Thanks. :)