First of all, my regular readers will notice that the title, Two Hearts Beat As One, is not keeping with my usual title selections; songs from my favorite band, The Beatles. New year, new band. 2010’s blogs will officially be titled by songs from another great band, whom I saw this past fall….U2.
The second thing you probably noticed is that you haven’t heard from me since May. I must confess, God has certainly laid many things for me to write about in the last 7 months…I just haven’t done it. No excuses….just haven’t “felt” like writing. Grieving is a long process as I have found out, and sometimes it takes a while for you go really get back into the swing of things. I’m almost there….
Now to begin. I like community. No, not the show on NBC, but real authentic community. The problem is that we can like and desire it all we want, but we (as a society) really ever experience it. We think we do. We do the “Christian” things and call it community. Things like:
- Eat a meal together (once a week if you’re really good friends)
- E-mail, text, or chat on-line
- Have a party or gathering, invite all those who you haven’t seen in a while, and ‘catch up’
- Hang out with church people (again, usually once a week)
- Go to church together and see each other for 2 hours on Sunday morning
There are others, but these are the ones I find myself most guilty of doing. I don’t see anything wrong with the things listed above, but lets call a spade a spade…these things are good healthy fellowship. Not community. And not what we as children of Christ need and are created for.
Here is what Webster defines as community:
1 : a unified body of individuals: as a : state, commonwealth b : the people with common interests living in a particular area; broadly : the area itself <the problems of a large community> c : an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (as species) in a common location d : a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society <a community of retired persons> e : a group linked by a common policy f : a body of persons or nations having a common history or common social, economic, and political interests <the international community> g : a body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society <the academic community>
2 : society at large
3 a : joint ownership or participation <community of goods> b : common character : likeness <community of interests> c : social activity : fellowship d : a social state or condition
One could argue that as Christians, we are communal because of the like-mindedness we share with Christ. And, as some of the definitions above aren’t possible (living together in a larger society would definitely get a bad label…for example, a cult), there is one definition that I believe would satisfy our longings. Look at definition 3a. Joint ownership or participation.
Doesn’t the Bible already tell us that we are joint heirs with Christ…so why is joint ownership or participation with each other so difficult? Don’t we long for someone to help carry the burdens and load? Someone to listen with nonjudgmental ears? People who will cry, laugh, love, and hurt right along with us. Don’t we want others to really do life with? Friends, we really do. I know I do, and it can’t happen over a weekly meal, 30 second text, or social gathering with 50 other people around. All of those things mean well…but its not community. Just today, I was talking to a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. She told me she had stopped attending my church and was gone for over 5 months before anyone took notice and asked where she went or what happened to her. I felt terrible for her. I call her my friend, and I should have noticed….
So what is the answer? In this fast paced world in which we live…where we live by a schedule or calendar, having to make time for fellowship with others…..what do we do? I don’t have an answer, but I can tell you this. It’s not going to get any better or easier unless we decide to do something different. Drop the walls and facades. Stop being cool. Leave the world behind. Leave the blackberry at home. Unplug the television and computer. And start getting real. It’s a great vision…too bad I doubt it will ever come to fruition.
trying to make Him famous 
Vision is great indeed. Making the vision a reality, necessary! Extremely necessary. We as believers need to implement community into our lives. Without it I am not sure that growth is possible. =( If we are not in community most of our lives during the week may be very… introverted. There are many people who desire to have someone REALLY CARE for them. It is IMPOSSIBLE to do so in 5min. text convos. Gargantuan parties or 1 two hour meal a week. We as believers need to find a community of believers and serve together, eat together, cry together, clean our houses together, mow our lawns, clean out the garage, go to the grocery store, watch the kids, TOGETHER. =) These are ways to build community, maybe not all right but at least a start, from there we gotta wing it. Allow for yourself to have Quantity time and Quality time may ensue from that point. Real community is not possible for 50 ppl at a time, but maybe for smaller, much smaller groups it is more effective?
Anyway, I love you Tammi, I am glad God has placed this on your heart. I pray that we as believers and the giant community we are in can learn to be in community together and really Love ppl Together. We should hang out soon! =)
PeACe
daneK