Community is one the keys that sets following Christ on a different page than following any one else. Community is vital not only to the existence of church but for the fleshing out of the believer. Vernard Eller places incredible weight on living in community.

“You probably think we should talk about the lifestyle of the individual Christian before moving on to that of the church. But I am convinced that establishing the proper sort of community is the most critical factor in generating truly Christian lives. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that there is not even the possibility of a fully Christian style of life outside the context of the right sort of Christian community (church).” – Vernard Eller

Hebrews live out their whole lives in community. Their understanding of identity as a people, as well as how they relate to their God is fleshed out in community. A great understand of this is found in Isaiah 6:5. Isaiah doesn’t even know how to identify himself solely as an individual when relating to God.

People to people relations

One of the broken elements in need of repair, resulting in Adam and Eve’s choice is people to people relationship. In joining up with God in his redemptive story we must help in restoring God’s design for community.

Throughout history God has provided ways for his people to recapture the right relationships that the brokenness of sin has caused. The ancient offering of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) was one of the most important days within the life a Hebrew person. This is the day when all of the sins of the people (corporate) were forgiven.

Leviticus 16 gives us a description of Yom Kippur. However Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and God, not for sins against another person. To atone for sins against another person, you must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed against them if possible. That must all be done before Yom Kippur. As God setup the system for reconciling people back to himself, he built-in a must for the reconciliation of people to people as the first step in redeeming people to himself.

This people to people reconciliation is not just for an ancient people. In Matthew 5:23 Jesus reflects on this principle by stating that our offerings can’t even be given to God without first correcting our relationships to and with others. This has huge implications for us as true believers living out biblical community.

Community is lived out in fellowship

Communal fellowship goes far beyond the common view of sharing punch and cookies, coffee and cake in the foyer after service. Biblical fellowship requires something of us. It requires us to have part ownership.

Fellowship in a community cost people something: there are 85+ ‘fellowship offering’ references in the Old Testament alone (click here for more info).

This understanding of community is still being lived out today. In Scotland a small community will band together to buy a cow. All members sharing part in both the cost and the blessing.

I’m wondering if the Biblical example of our fellowship with one another is that it should cost us something as well? The New Testament examples of fellowship also show there being a co-mingling of relationship, a cost, and a communion with God where we join in with Him.

In a paper by Vernard Eller called “The Outward Bound” he uses the idea of the church being a Caravan instead of a Commissary:

Essentially, the New Testament pictures the church as a caravan. This “caravan” understanding seems to have been normative until the time of Constantine, when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. This acceptance of Christianity by the world brought with it a different concept of the congregation–a concept that has dominated the church scene to the present day. According to this understanding, the church is pictured basically as a commissary.

A commissary is an institution that has been commissioned to dispense particular goods, services, or benefits to a select constituency. The commissary church, then, sees itself primarily as an institution, a divine institution franchised by God. God has stocked the institution with a supply of heavenly graces (Bible truths, correct theology, the sacraments, etc.) which the clerical proprietors, through proper transaction, can disburse to the customers. The measure of a commissary, it follows, lies in the legality of its franchise, the warranty of its goods, and the authorization of its personnel.

A caravan, on the other hand, is something entirely different. It (and a walking caravan best fits our idea) is a group of people banded together to make common cause in seeking a common destination. (Cur emphatic use of the word “common” makes it evident that we are speaking of a community rather than an institution) The being of a caravan lies not in any signed and sealed authorization but in the way it functions. Its validity lies not in its apparatus but in the performance of its caravaners–each and every one of them. A caravan is a caravan only as long as it is making progress–or at least striving to make progress. Once the caravaners stop, dig in, or count themselves as having arrived, they no longer constitute a caravan.

When I travel, it costs me something. I have to give time, energy, and resources to reach a destination. My prayer is that we would be willing to give of ourselves in order to live out community God’s way. That we would celebrate both in the cost and the blessing of traveling together. My hope is that all of you will travel with me on this amazing journey.

God has a way of taking the things you think you have figured out and turning those things upside down - reminding you the whole time that He knows way more than you ever could. Just the sheer though of knowing and understanding what God does, brings on a headache. To often in my life I have placed my hope and trust in my own understanding and not God’s. For some reason just seeing that written down brings out the stupidity of that mind set. I make a proclamation that could forever change the course of my life. From this day forth I will live by God’s understanding and not my own. You would think that I would have come to this before now … well … so times I learn a little slower.

In 6 to 7 weeks I will be leaving everything I know for an adventure I know nothing about. Using God’s understanding as the ores, I am convinced that my boat will go further – I am not sure the water will be any smoother or the harbor any closer, but I know the boat will have a much stronger guiding.

Jesus calls us to be his disciples, not a country club of
t-shirt wearing, card carrying members that remain within the safety of the church walls. The call of a disciple is one of selfless commitment. In Jesus’ day a disciple was a person that committed their life to more than simply knowing their Rabbi, but in essence becoming just like their Rabbi. When Jesus called out “come follow me,” he was using a common hebrew invitation which a Rabbi would extend to students of the Torah if he thought they could become like him. How amazing to think that Jesus calls disciples because he sees in us, more than we see in ourselves.

There was a common saying in Jesus’ day that came about after observing disciples follow their Rabbi around, “may you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi.” It’s my prayer that you and I follow Jesus so closely as to be covered with his dust. May all of our days be dusty.

This is my first venture into the world of wordpress and from what I can tell it is going to be a fun journey. Check back and check often as we embark on the journey of living life together.

Yesterday as I dropped Elle off at school, she was taking her time getting to the front seat of the car where she gets out. I was rushing her because we were in the car line and others were waiting behind me. We always pray before she leaves for school and one of the things we pray, is that she would be filled with love for others - however I never thought this meant me. She kissed me and jumped out of the car, turning she says “I love you daddy” and waves bye. As she walked down the hallway toward her classroom she sticks up the “I love you” sign and blows me another kiss. Driving away I know I am blessed. Once I reach the church and start getting my stuff out of the back seat, I notice that my note pad has some writing on it. My daughter, as quickly as possible, scratched out this little note:

“Dear Daddy,
I hope that you have a good day today. I love you.”

Such a simply thing and yet so impactful.

It amazes me how God uses everything and I do mean everything as a tool by which to sculpt us. I’m not sure I like this process, but I do like the outcome. Bumps and bruises abound. Currently I feel must like the piece of marble out of which Michelangelo so majestically crafted “David.” The longer I live the more I am convinced that God created us as a block of stone with hidden potential. Through years, growth, lessons and life God partners with us to make some beautiful.

what is peace without conflict?
nothing more than sound sleep.

for if you remove the two from each other you have nothing to measure either by.

life would seem so sweet (or so we think) if conflict would die, but peace is merely … zzzzzzzzzz unless given something on which to lie.

happy endings are truly that for when the happily ever after begins the story is coming to and end.

without conflict, turmoil, or stress - peace doesn’t offer much rest.

I know this is prime information, but last night I cut my grass. Now, to the normal person that is nothing out of the ordinary, but for me it’s a modern day miracle. (Who said God is not still in the miracle business). This is the first time in almost ten years that I have mowed grass. To make matters even worse, I had to push mow the whole 1/4 acre. To be honest it wasn’t that terrible. I actually found it quite relaxing. My adventure in lawn care gave me a chance to slow my busy life to that of a low end, gas powered, single stroke John Deer push mower. While blades of grass flew through the air I found my mind wondering what God might be doing. On this warm spring evening might the crystal sea need dredging or the streets of gold need polishing, (is his concern up there or down here - or is there a difference). Or might he be in the middle of writing the opening concerto for tomorrow’s sunrise. I love the moments in my life when I can press pause and just admire the image on the screen. I need to learn to stop misplacing the remote. The smell of freshly cut grass, mixed in with scent of rain on the wind scream volumes about the God I love and worship. –Father may I never fail to find you in blades of grass.–