Christian Community--What is it?

Christian Community
What is it?

Christian Community
What Is It?

Christian community has varied meaning to various people for varying purposes. I suppose that all I can do is describe the concept or vision, which is upon my heart at this time. If one were to look up Christian community on any popular search engine, they would find a plethora of such groups sprinkled all over the globe. I have studied them from afar and found that, for the most part, they are an offshoot of some religious establishment organization or congeal around a common mindset or practice such as home schooling.

Community vs. Communal
A surprising number of people confuse the concept of community with that of a commune. They in fact are worlds apart. Communal living means that everyone throws all of their worldly possessions into one common pot and all involved share equally from it. Although scripture seems to present this as an ideal that was, to some degree, put to practice just after Pentecost....human history shows that we cannot sustain this practice for any length of time. Sort of like the wonderful ideals God put forth in the Year Of Jubilee as described in the Old Testament. I do not believe that the Jews ever practiced this but it was a wonderful ideal nonetheless.

Christian community as far as day-to-day living, in my best estimation, are like-minded people living and working in close proximity to one another as representatives of the teachings of Jesus. The early church met daily from house to house. The saints were totally given over to a lifestyle immersed in an intimate relationship to one another through Jesus. Could we, should we but most importantly WOULD we endeavor to rediscover this lifestyle?

I have been most seriously considering this complex and wonderful concept of Christian community for over nine years now. It started after a friend gave me a copy of Gary Linden's book, " Homeward Horses And Point geese" to read. It described a wonderful life surrounded by committed people who love the ways of Christ enough to actually pour out their lives to serve Him to the extent that their understanding allows. At the end of this book, I was disappointed to learn that it was a fictionalized account of what a healthy community could be from the heart of Gary.

Belize?
It was around this same time that the Lord planted the seed of the little country of Belize into my heart. Don't know why Belize other than it is the only English speaking country in Central America. Other than that it is third world poverty mixed in with beautiful Caribbean beaches. The more that I study this place from a practical worldly perspective, the more impractical any involvement with Belize seems to be. And yet I know that I know that my particular marching orders from Christ seem to be in that direction.

My only comfort is knowing that God loves to choose obscure and unimportant people, places and things to do His most powerful works.....consider Bethlehem! Because my context is that of Belize, excuse me if my points of reference have that particular flavor. The principals of Christian community are universal and will apply anywhere that the Lord chooses to work.

What I envision is a community....a village really....of people who have a purposed heart to actually become more like Jesus. Sounds very simple, almost trite actually, but concealed within the venture lies the very essence of Life and Death in the eternals of our ultimate futures.

Church Roots
I, personally, have never lived in a commune or community. I know many who have, especially those who the Father called during the early 70's. They remember the times of wonder and glory as well as the times of disappointment, abuse and the ultimate man centered demise of something that the Lord had a higher purpose for.
My life in Jesus began as most others in the tide pools of the church system. It was here that I learned the fundamentals of who my God was, is and will be. I was fed, protected and watched over as I grew in things of the Spirit. It was when I asked Jesus to reside in my heart in a transforming sort of way that things started to change. I became restless and bored in the pew (or neatly lined chairs). I began to notice the inconsistencies as to what Jesus taught against what I saw practiced each Sunday.

For many years I thought that maybe it was me. Was I being rebellious, critical or unspiritual? In time and through many and varied ways it has become revealed to me that the "church" has become as a womb unwilling to give birth. In that, I mean within the established religious systems practiced today we become impregnated by the Spirit of God and begin our development. We are protected and fed and allowed to grow.....but only to a point. Beyond that we are expected to remain seated and be spoon fed messages from a pulpit until the Lord calls us home.....or we find another church box to attend.

Forgive me if I come off as cynical or mean spirited for that is really not my heart. A few years ago, I was rather militant about the abuses in the religious systems. The Lord has since then shown me that they do serve His purposes and that He does work within them although not being His best pattern or example. If the Lord shows you a doorway out then do take it. If not, then be content with where He has established you to minister and thank Him for it. Consider the parable of the ten virgins.

Christian Community
Back to community. I believe that it should consist of individual, Christian families or couples with complete sovereignty over their own homes, living within or in close proximity to a community village. Each individual home should function within and agreed upon community standards of cleanliness, safety and order.

The community as a whole should strive to have the ability to be as self sufficient as is practicable in the areas of food, energy and infrastructure (roads, sewers, public lighting, etc.) and transportation. Individual members of the community should arrive with the desire to become a part of something greater than just themselves. There will undoubtedly be need for community efforts in work projects that will benefit the many.

Those gifted with the financial where-with-all to invest in the village start up should do so as the need requires. Eventually, provision should be made for those having no money, but rather skills and giftings of benefit to the community, to have a place within the village. The village should have a heart to be a blessing to the peoples living all around them. The community should prosper with an abundance to share with others.

Love and relationship should govern each one's commitment in the areas of ministry, worship and social functioning. By this I mean that all should come into agreement as to what would be good and pleasing to the Lord as far as we all coming together in unity and harmony before Him. It should never be a man centered or legislated program of works as this tends to give birth to yet more religion (man made activities acted out in the hopes of pleasing God).