The Conversation
Week 4 notes on:
What is Community?
JOINED
How have you caught other PoC’ers
red handed serving/blessing others?
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Having each other over for dinner
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helping people move, putting together picnic
tables in the pavilion
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paying for a homeless man’s dinner
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When we think of community, a number of words
come to mind: unified, participate, love, common, cooperate, connect, sharing . . .
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What does true Christian community look like to
you?
-being with one another, family, encouragement, the body working
together…various functions coming together as one, helping, meeting each
other’s needs, refreshing, acceptance, knowing others and being known,
transparency, accountability
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Creating community doesn’t come easily, but when
it happens, the rewards are worth the effort.
Have you ever experienced a
significant “community experience”?
Describe what it looked and felt like.
What made it so meaningful to you?
o
The very first church I attended was like that;
it was overwhelming. So much love.
o
The first time Mark Alvis invited me to work on
a roof. A group of people coming
together, just to help each other out…exciting stuff.
o
When we passed out free cold water to people in
the park on July 4.
o
On a work and witness trip in Guatemala, a
Christian community shared Christ but not a same language. We got along great
and had a great time together.
o
When I was pregnant as a single mom, people came
to my house; I was never alone. What should have been the worst of times was
better because of Christian community.
o
Our work retreat…I work for a nonprofit, and
most of us are Christians. It was centered around finding a place of rest, time
of prayer, time of refreshing.
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What are your biggest hopes and fears as you
think about the potential of being involved in a Christian community?
o
Hope: The sense of belonging that plauges our
culture, to be able to provide that for each other
o
Hope: Healing.
The world bangs each other up.
o
Hope: We will be able to focus outward more
since our needs are being met and we are not so focused on ourselves, we will
be able to reach out and help others more.
o
Hope: When you help others it helps you think
about what you have that others don’t and perspective makes you thankful and
more blessed feeling.
o
Fear: Guilt when not meeting missional impulses
o
Fear: Balance, helping others while my kids are
with me, making/having time
Christian community is unique in that
it must be based on three primary themes:
- Personal devotion to Jesus
- The common call or mission of the Gospel
- The inclusion of all people, especially those who don’t fit in.
Acts 2: 42-47
They devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the Apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
I Peter 4: 8-10
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. Faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
2 Corinthians 5: 14-16
For Christ’s love compels us and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.
Philippians 1: 3
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel.
Philippians 1:1-11Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
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How do you think the disciples might have
characterized the community they had with Jesus?
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What would need to change to incorporate more
opportunities for intentional, gospel-centered community to take place in your
life?
o
Stop doing things for ourselves
o
Focus on others
o
Hold everything much more loosely than I hold it
today –“Me time.” If I’m serving others, it’s not really “my” time or stuff or
anything. It’s His and I’m using it for
him.
o
Stop looking at it like an obligation, look at
it as an opportunity
o
Make it a habit so it becomes second nature
o
Follow and trust the Lord, obey him
o
Don’t be so stressed about your schedules, be
more flexible
o
Submit myself to being willing to going outside
my comfort zone and be part of community when I sometimes like to be reclusive
o
Learn to be evangelists. When evangelists come
into a town, they come in and do their part.
We need to come into our community (wherever it is) and go out and be
open and free to do whatever God has for you to do.
o
Be purposefully aware of what’s going on around
us, what needs there are –that are not on my to-do list. Create that as a habit. Pencil it in.
o
Recognize what personality God gave you and
learn how to work with that.
o
Schedule in extra time to have wiggle room in
your schedule. Be willing to have time
to go out of your way.
o
What would happen if we covered our mirrors with
Jesus and covered our clocks so we’re not scheduling every minute.
o
I need someone to hold me accountable to DO
something I’ve said time and time again that I really need to do.
o
Learn how to lovingly give accountability and
ask for accountability.
o
Leave margin in your life to obey the Lord. Make sure your plans are realistic.
He who loves his dream of a community
more than the Christian community itself
becomes a destroyer of the latter,
even though his personal intentions
may be ever so honest and earnest and sacrificial.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
What do you think he meant by this?
o
Gotta say no to a good thing to say yes to great
need
o
“Those who are trying to save their life will
lose it…” Can be applied to schedule too
o
Need to be open/willing to respond to missional
impulse whenever it comes, however
o
Have more than just intentions; gotta do it
o
Has a sense of bitterness, nothing is good
enough
o
Self-focused, “not being fed here”, grumbling
about own needs
o
Reminds of some elements of traditional church
culture—often have areas where we love the ideal more than the reality
o
True Christian community is centered in Christ;
doesn’t mean it won’t be messy and complicated—people are not normal!
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Pastor Todd explained that one of Pastor Jessica’s
jobs is to oversee small groups and connection events and that one of Pastor
Angela’s jobs is to oversee discipleship and missional evangelism.
o
Angela: looking for ways for the church to be
involved in the community
o
PoC will provide small groups, discipleship
pathway classes, things like this…but, not so many that we as members of PoC
don’t have time to follow our missional impulses and be IN the community
o
We cannot expect small groups to do for us what
they are not designed to do…i.e. The church needs to have a marriage enrichment
class so my friends’ marriage doesn’t fall apart. It takes time to start a class like this. So many times the urgency has passed by the
time a church can organize a class. The
church can occasionally offer a class or something to meet a consistent need,
but we can’t look to the church to provide these needs constantly. We must be ready to respond to the urgency on
our own. The church can provide
curriculum, but we must open up our own homes and meet with others to bring
them through this type of mentorship/fellowship on our own.
o
Poc will continue to sponsor a few groups, a few
catalysts events, and discipleship classes, but this effort will be
intentionally few so that they will not fill up the church calendar and so that
PoCers can create community in their own context.
o
If the leaders provide the most effective
catalyst events and discipleship opportunities without feeling the need to
throw a group at every need, how might that free up members of the PoC
community to be more missional in their own context?
o
Let our pastors know what you are doing in the
community. Let them know what resources
the church can provide.
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Pastor Todd has said, “It is not realistic to
throw a small group or a church event at everything. Instead, we need people to obey and follow
the missional impulses that the Lord has given them so that the Christian
community can join them in their efforts.”
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What do you think he means by this?
o
Most missional impulses are one to one. Your friend needs your help.
o
We need to be more watchful about what people
around us need.
o
If God puts us in a situation, He will give us
what we need the confidence and knowledge to help people. We don’t have to go
to our pastor and ask him to do it. We need to trust God to supply and meet a
need he asks us to meet.
o
Be willing to jump on board with your passion.
o
YOU do it!
o
Creating a church event or class may not be the
most effective way to reach out to our community.
o
Invite others to be part of a meaningful work,
and community is created.
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One of the key aspects of community is
hospitality. One of the reasons that
many church-sponsored small groups and events don’t succeed is because they do
not feel warm or inviting and often seem to have a hidden agenda. Social interaction can be awkward, cold and
off-putting for people. Why might
community that is offered by believers in their own homes or in their own
context feel more inviting?
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Individualism and Community
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Our city and community has needs all of the
time. When the church throws a small
group at a need, it makes the whole community feel relieved, but this is false
relief. The need exists farther than the
church can reach, therefore the individuals (hopefully in teams) must be the
gospel to the community as instantaneously and spontaneously as they can.
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On of the major barriers that prevents us from
moving into community is individualism. Our culture glorifies the pioneer, the lone
hero, and the overachiever, but in reality this individualism tends to work
against community by prioritizing things done in isolation over things done
with others. Our need for self and
individualism is destroying the powerful, counter-cultural witness of the
Church. It’s limiting our capacity to
experience God and it’s only going to get worse unless we make some significant
adjustments.
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Are there ways you could make changes at your
work, home, school, etc. to help build community?
o
Be willing to get out there. Handing out
invitations to church. Overcome shyness. Learn to become more outgoing. Allow
God to push you out of your comfort zone.
o
Pray around your community. Talk to people
around the block where you live and ask them how you can pray for them. Be bold.
Write it down so they know you’re sincere. Tell them you’re there in the
community if they need someone to talk to.
o
Offer to pray with people on the spot. Gives
them hope when you befriend them and pray for them.
o
Ask people, “How are things going in your life?”
o
Rely on the Holy Spirit when interacting with
people. He will guide you what to do/say.
o
Get to know people. Befriend people. Build relationship. Sometimes it is a long term
mission.
o
Be prepared to be rejected. Love people even
when they reject you.
o
Compliment, celebrate, bless…Most people won’t
be put off or offended by these.
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In what ways do you tend to keep neighbors at a
distance?
o
I’m interested in how others are doing and what
I can do for them, but I have a hard time being taken care of myself.
o
I isolate myself.
o
Relying on facebook and texting for genuine
conversation.
o
When I am by myself in a public area I usually
don’t feel comfortable just being there, so I try to look like I’m doing
something so people won’t approach me.
o
“Oh I wish I could.” “I’m busy that day.”
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How can you make simple adjustments to connect
more?
o
Don’t judge quickly
o
Be more open
o
Stop procrastinating
o
Get the job done now. Work hard.
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What’s the connection between your personal time
with God and Christian community?
o
If you’re in His word constantly, He will be
faithful to give you opportunities.
o
As introverts, the way we use private time is
the most renewing time. A big part of being missional is carving out the
personal time to be refreshed and prepare us for time with others and to be
prepared (not drained) when we are in community.
o
When you are done having your personal time with
God, you don’t exit his presence. Stay connected and listening to Him. Don’t
take the earbuds [connected to God] out.
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What are you thoughts, how are you feeling in
light of the conversation…
o
It has to start with friendship. A continuing
relationship. Community. People are very hungry for friendship. They may not say “Christian,” but they want
someone to talk to and share their cares with.
o
God loves us no matter what…not just because we
believe in and serve him. We must love others like that. They know if we’re really loving or caring
for them or if we have an agenda.
o
Longevity…settle down into relationship with
people. Keep talking. Keep offering friendship and meeting needs.
o
Have a relationship with people like we’re going
to know them hereafter!
o
This conversation brings to light things I’ve
been conscious about but not intentional about.
This puts it all on the table
o
This is our community that we need to bring
people into. People see us supporting
each other, and it creates a ripple effect.
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What do you tend to do exclusively alone? How could you include others in your
activities?
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In what ways has your spiritual growth been
practiced alone? How can you invite
others to share in spiritual formation?
Articles to read this week:
What homework will you assign yourself?
If you really wanted
to open your life up to enjoy and offer Christian community, could you do
it?
What are some things that are standing in your way?
