Building a Community

I often hear people talking about church. Some are adamant that it is an essential part of a Christian's walk with the Lord. Others think it is optional. I have met a lot of people who believe that they are Christians but they do not go to church. They insist that they are more "spiritual" than "religious."

I understand where they are coming from. 

Many of my most spiritual experiences have happened outside of church walls, and I certainly don't believe that a person has to be in a church to commune with God. What, then, is the church for?

Evangelism, of course. And community...more specifically a Christian community.

My hubby is a biogeochemist (don't ask me what that IS exactly), so he often draws life lessons from nature. He had quite a bit to say about the importance of strong community in nature. Here is just one example:

Redwoods have a very unique ecosystem – these are giant trees, some measured at more than 360ft in height, and over 20 ft in diameter – the tallest trees in the world. Sometimes they are called Sequoias; that’s their scientific name Sequoia sempervirens. They average around 200 -240 ft tall with typical diameters of 10-15 ft. But funnily enough it’s not the height that is the most impressive thing about redwoods. 

Early in development they have a fairly deep root system, as the tree gets taller, the roots get shallower and grow more laterally than vertically – typically these roots are within 4-5 feet of the soil surface and in mature trees these roots reach out 100, 150 and even 200 ft (that’s over 4 ac² of influence) and the roots are quite thin maybe 1 – 2 ft in diameter. Redwoods do not have a tap root – roots only penetrate maybe 10-15ft in the ground (not far for a tree that’s 200ft tall).

Now take that idea and think a little broader – these redwoods live in the coastal environment in California – high winds, strong storms … why would a tree that lives in a harsh coastal environment and has a shallow root system grow to be the tallest in the world? Well, they can grow that tall because of the redwood community. All these lateral roots interlock, intertwine and interweave, enabling the trees to protect and support one another

Simply put, these trees survive because of a strong community. Is it such a stretch to think that we might do the same?

I’ll give you three basic tenants for the basis of a strong community, from a biblical perspective:

1.      Foundation of a community: We are all based on one thing – our faith in Jesus Christ that is our foundation. See Ephesians 4:4-6 … There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to one hope at your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all

Put this passage in context … If you go back to Ephesians 4:3, Paul is writing this letter to the Ephesians and he isn’t praying for the Ephesians to be unified – that has happened already, but for them to stay unified or keep the unity. Therefore, if we have a foundation of a community, we need a purpose …

2.   The purpose of the community: See Ephesians 4: 14-16. The purpose of the community is to speak the truth … this passage points to speaking the truth in love. Sometimes speaking the truth in love is a painful message. One of the fundamental commands given to use is love your neighbor as yourself – sometimes this love needs to be a spoken painful truth. Look back in Leviticus 19:17-18, where the mosaic law is given to the Israelites

Love without truth is weak

Truth without love is harsh.

See also 1 John 1:6-8.

3.      The Characteristics of the community. See Ephesians 4:25-32. Focus on the word opportunity in verse 27. In Greek, this is topos, which means place. Letting the sun go down on your anger creates a place for the Devil, inviting him in.

Paul consistently refers to the church and its member community as a body – the body of Christ – he uses this metaphor 91 times in his letters to the early churches. Each part of the body a necessary and valuable item to making the whole. For example – ligaments – you probably don’t think much about ligaments until you injure one – like tearing your ACL, then you know how a little ligament allows you to walk, run and move.

A final thought... 

Acts 4:32-37 gives us an example of the church as a community:

" ³² All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. ³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all ³⁴ that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵ and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need." 

I love the idea of "no needy persons among them." That is the purpose of community. Wouldn't the world be a wonderful place if we truly acted as a community?