I need your help!
I am speaking this weekend on the importance of community…the big idea is simply this: Jesus died so that we could have community with God…what needs to die so that we can have community with others?
I will be using the story from "To End All Wars" about a Japanese prison camp where there was an almost total lack of community…how it was transformed by the sacrificial act of one prisoner.
Help me here:
- Why is community important?
- What causes community breakdown?
- What has to die in order for community to be restored?
Ideas, stories, anecdotes, insights would be greatly appreciated.
Greg
Greg –
I have Marty working on the clip from "to end all wars"…we will just need to sit down and find what part you want to use…
Comment by Shawn Wood — September 13, 2005 @ 7:05 am
things that need to die:
ego, self-centered-ness, me me me syndrome
become more Christlike-
Why can't everyone just get along?
It should be "principles above personalities".
Comment by Judy Morast-Morin — September 13, 2005 @ 7:10 am
1.
a.without community, we wouldn't have many opportunities to excersise love, and that's precisely what the Bible says we are supposed to do: love.
b. accountability
c. it's fun
2.
a. selfishness, pride, greed, gossip, apathy, laziness, and football rivalries.
3.
a. Well, as far as "perfect community," i think maybe Satan has to die.
b. As far as community that us human dummies have the capacity for here on Earth, I think if we have any characteristic that is the opposite of Jesus AND it is predominate in our lives, that has to die.
Comment by joey svendsen — September 13, 2005 @ 7:18 am
1. We're made for it…we are incomplete without it.
2. Definitely selfishness, pride, fear, gossip, lack of "safety" within the group
3. self, need to be right, fear of man, everything I listed above…
Comment by Mel Alm — September 13, 2005 @ 7:28 am
I am reminded of the death of my daughter when I came home from the scene of my daughter's death and told one neighbor coming out of her house and by that evening I had food from all my neighbors including a family two blocks away that I didn't even know. It wasn't that I could eat but that so many people from my community gathered to bring comfort… that meant the world to me.
We need communities to not only be there in times of need but also in the good times. That same neighbor from two blocks away was taking her young son to play in his first soccer game and myself and a few other neighbors went to cheer her son on and the look on his face, when we all cheered his name was worth every bit of the effort it took for us to organize the car pool to get there.
It's the small things that speak so loudly of belonging. We all need that, don't we?….to belong. God told us to love one another even to the same extent that we love ourselves. There are "gift's" to be found in
becoming a part of a "purpose driven" community
but people let fear of one sort or another get in the way of receiving those gifts.
Comment by Suzanne Owens — September 13, 2005 @ 7:32 am
When we see a tragedy as the recent hurricane "community" seems to really be vital for survival-it gives hope for a future…allows people to believe in the good in people when sometimes we do not see that goodness in our day to day living. How do we allow "community" to be part of our everyday living rather than a tragedy bringing this goodness to the surface? Another thought…community seems to be universal-it crosses cultures,denominations,political views… It rises to the occasion…is this an attribute God has instilled in all of us?
Comment by Debbie Surratt — September 13, 2005 @ 7:41 am
This may not be what you were looking for but…
What popped into my head was the scene from Backdraft where Scott Glenn is dangling over the fire being held by Kurt Russell and even though Glenn betrayed the firefighters and is asking Russel to let him die, Kurt Russel gives that timeless quote that should define true community, "You go, we go"
Comment by Sheila - Irmo — September 13, 2005 @ 9:07 am
1. a. If one falls down by himself, he has no one to help him up…(my paraphrase of that one verse…you know) We were created for relationship. We need people to talk to, share with, encourage, and be encouraged by.
b. It's with and through other people that we can do what God has called us to do. God gives us gifts that can really only be useful if we use them in community with other people (different parts of the body).
Anecdote: a good friend of mine had to live in a one-bedroom apartment for a while. That situation works well for some personalities, but we found out that my friend (who was also struggling with her job and was not involved in a small group at the time) really needs people around–not so that they'd encourage her, but so that she would be able to serve and invest in other people. I watched as she struggled with severe loneliness and a feeling like her life had no purpose because she had no one around her that she could serve and share with!
2. Community breakdown can result from broken hearts and wounds caused by other believers. (The restaurant analogy Geoff gave concerning small groups may be good for this argument.) Pride, judgment, preconceived notions, and unreasonable expectations are other causes.
3. I suppose the desires to be served, to get your own way, to be the center of attention…need to die. We have to look at others and really say, "What can I do for you?" rather than think, "What can you do for me?" We have to die to ourselves.
Comment by Sarah — September 13, 2005 @ 10:25 am
1. Community is important because the Bible is filled with "one anothers". Part of our spiritual growth involves others.
2. Pride, Jealousy, hate cause community to break down.
3. Pride has to break down b/f community can be restored. We must realize that we need each other.
"Everyone is normal, until you get to know them!" by John Ortberg is a good resource for this, especially the illustrations about the porpupines.
Comment by Sarge — September 13, 2005 @ 10:48 am
1) Community is for us to encourage each other and help protect us from Satan.
2)Breakdown is caused by selfishness. If you're more concerned about how others are doing, then your self, it's hard to imagine a fight starting.
3)Pride has to die. One of the 7 deadly sins
Comment by Kelly — September 13, 2005 @ 11:54 am
One thing that causes break-downs in community:
Intimacy – as soon as you get close to somebody you learn that they are real people who sometimes…err…often have complicated issues. It's easier to bolt and hang with a new crowd than to deal with conflict.
"everybody is perfect till you get to know them" I think ortberg wrote a book about that.
Comment by Josh Surratt — September 13, 2005 @ 12:18 pm
I love the story of Corrie Ten Boom, and her experience in the Nazi concentration camp. Though her circumstances seemed hopeless, she and her sister made an incredible difference in the various camps they were imprisoned in, and their experience was made bearable because of the strength they found and created in the community of fellow prisoners. They cried together, hurt together, and hoped together. And that's the deal; community is combined power that gets multiplied into something much bigger than the sum of ourselves. With it we can survive when the odds say no.
Comment by Sherry — September 13, 2005 @ 12:24 pm
Why is community important?
"They will know that you are my disciples if you love oneanother"…conversly they will know you are not if you dont…
What causes community breakdown?
gossip, busyness, selfishness,sin issues
What has to die in order for community to be restored?
self. A real concern for people has to exist…and maybe just for a few people that you love deeply. Connie and I have one really close couple friend and two or three semi-close…we have found if we try to have community with everyone we will do a poor job – but we can really do a great job of caring for a few couples…
Comment by Shawn Wood — September 13, 2005 @ 12:32 pm
community enables growth. When we are surrounded by others, in relationship with others, we put ourselves in a vulnerable position. Allowing oneself to be an active part of the community is essential to growing and becoming who God intended us to be. Community breaks down when that vulnerability is taken and we become hurt. We became prideful, selfish and we turn away. We determine that we are better off by ourselves..we become guarded and protective, we can put on a front, we pretend, and we lose the ability to accomplish everything that we possibly could as members of Gods kingdom.
Comment by Lindsay Page — September 14, 2005 @ 2:51 am
Hi Greg,
have inhibited community. Towns, schools, neighborhoods and churches were smaller. People weren't as transient. One typically couldn't help but "get to know" your neighbors, church members, etc. because time and size were on your side. Working folks stayed in one company for their entire career, resulting in co-workers who knew you inside and out and were like a second family. Now things are so different. Everything in America is "super-sized." Even though we crave community, we aren't sure how to get it. Take us, the Antonellis- in 9 years we have had 7 different jobs between the two of us. We have moved 4 times. (And are moving again within the next month.) We have had 6 different sets of next door neighbors. We've been active members at 2 churches (not at the same time.)We've been in about 12 different small groups during that time. We've even changed venues at Seacoast 4 times! And we consider ourselves pretty stationary compared with many we know. It's no wonder that we have trouble these days knowing how to "do" community. Deep down, everybody wants to live in Mayberry with Sheriff Taylor and Aunt Bee and the telephone operator who asks how your mama is doing when you make a call. But the reality is that Mayberry doesn't exist anymore. So, in my observation, what we have done is substitute real community with counterfeit community. We become intimate with TV characters like Ross and Rachel, we "get to know" people through the distorted lens of reality TV, and we establish cyber communities in the blogospehre. And when we are offered opportunities to engage in a real community, we find that it is actually hard work! You have to care about others (which often involves action on our part) and you have to tolerate others caring about you (and being in your business.) So we retreat to our counterfeit communities where anonymity is our friend and nothing is required of us. (Me too.)
A few thoughts-
First, I think the changes in our society since you were a kid (ages ago!
So, those are my thoughts. I look forward to your message because it's a really interesting topic!
Susan
Comment by Susan Antonelli — September 14, 2005 @ 4:29 am
I had an illustration last night, as my wife was away visiting family in the hospital of how nice it was to have the bed all to myself. I could sleep however I wanted but I still missed my wife and need her.
Comment by Josh Sargent — September 14, 2005 @ 6:13 am
When I think of Community a couple of things come to mind; Having a common goal, being like-minding, but most importantly, BELONGING. Belonging to a certain group takes a lot of work, mainly because you have to stay around irritating, imperfect, and frustrating people, but here in these exasperating moments with people, is where we are called to be. No where in the Bible does it talk about one who walked alone and still did the will of God. David, who stayed at home alone, fell into sin; Elijah who ran off alone, wanted to quit. We can't learn to have a sense of community and love on our own. God has called us to be in fellowship with other believers, mainly I believe because it works for Him. The Trinity is the most perfect display of community. I believe that when things happen that begin to destroy our sense of community we must look at the Trinity. For one day all believers will have that sense of Harmony. We can gain our sense of commmunity back when we continue to have the perspective that this is not our home, that this is not what its all about, that everything we do here is like a practice run; to learn to love, to learn to forgive, to learn that when we fall down, that we can get back up. What a promise we have to look forward too. Not only eternal life with our God, but to live in perfect harmony with other believers.
Comment by Jane Calfee — September 14, 2005 @ 6:15 am
Greg,
I think one reason community is important is it teahces us how to serve each other. If the goal is to become more Christ like, without a community and a place to put others first and serve as if serving God, it would be more difficult.
Selfishness would be my main reason community breaks down.
Pride, ego and selfishness need to die.
Comment by Jim Coman — September 14, 2005 @ 6:45 am
1. I think community is important because God created us to care for others. Sometimes a kind word or touch will make a huge difference in someone's life. To know that someone cares give a person a sense of value. We never know how a kind act will impacts some ones life. I think community is important because it can help put balances in our lives.
2. Pride, Self centerness, prejudice etc. can break down a community. But, in today's society I think the demands we put on ourselves can cause it. We all need to take time to smell the roses. To live a simplier life. We need to slow down and take the extra few minutes or hours to really help others, to be there for them. To take time to pray for them.
3. SELF needs to die. We have to have a heart like Jesus. He would stop and take time to know all different types of people. He did not just fellowship with the church crowd. I think we have to ask God to open our hearts to all. We need to remember that we are all his creation, each one of us has somethng good to offer.
Comment by Melody — September 14, 2005 @ 7:59 am
1. My thought on community echos what was discussed in the 40 Days of Community Kick Off–we were not created to be alone–the church family–the body of Christ was created as a team. I love that it does not matter what denomination you are–if you are a follower of Christ you are in the family of God. I find great comfort in that idea.
2. It is hard to breakdown a true community which I define as a group of people loving, supporting, forgiving, caring, and accepting everyone–knowing full well that no one is perfect and loving others in spite of themselves. A broken community was not established on these principals.
3. A community can only be created or restored if its members are willing to focus on others rather than focusing on themselves.
Comment by Chrysti Carol Propes — September 14, 2005 @ 5:39 pm
I, too, wanted to recommend John Ortberg's book on community , "Everybody's Normal Until You Get to Know Them", as supplemental reading for our 40 DOC study.
It's my prayer that this 40 day study isn't one we put on the shelf with the other Bible studies we have done, but that the Holy Spirit uses it to penetrate our hearts and to bring about change/repentance in every pastor, assistant to pastor, every department head, every worship leader, every volunteer, and every attender from the casual to the devoted for the ways we have been enemies of community. Father, thank you for forgiveness in Jesus. Change us, Father, into the image of Your Son, depending on Your Spirit's power for apart from You, we can do nothing. We long to know among ourselves the same intimate fellowship You enjoy in the Trinity.
To You alone, be the glory and the praise!!
Comment by Heather — September 19, 2005 @ 10:02 am
Greg, were you trying to "connect", do community, the day you almost hit me and the kids in the crosswalk on King Street?! Do you want to know the time on your dashboard clock then? or what you and Debbie were wearing that day??
Just joking with you…not about you almost hitting us..just ribbing you about it…blessings on your week…holding you in prayer…
Comment by Heather — September 19, 2005 @ 10:13 am