The spiritual gift or discipline of encouragement is one of the more neglected gifts in the current day. We are called to encourage others.
To encourage them in their faith, in their faithfulness to flowing Jesus, and in all matter of importance of life. We are called to up build others around us.
The church is a place for sinners to grow in grace and in mutual up building. We do not have or lives fully together. No one does.
To the degree the church acts as if everyone in it's membership either has their life together or really should have their life together the church fails its membership. The pressure for perfection in the church often doesn't lead to perfection but a hiding of issues.
It is difficulty to grow in a place where people hide their sin. If the church is not a safe place to be honest than the church is not a safe place to have authentic relationships.
And this is the flaw in many churches. In encouraging community the community often is hollow and lacks power. Because community is only of real powerful benefit if authenticity is safe.
We have a God in heaven who is not confused about our state. We he knows our faults and beckons us to him. The question is if the church has learned the nature of God and is willing to have the degree of grace and understanding that God has?
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Fellowship and Community
I've been in a number of places that stress "fellowship" or "community." The words are meant to signify spending quality time together. More often than not, it simply plays out as a bunch of activities.
Unfortunately, it often ends up feeling empty, like words thrown around only for marketing purposes, or to make people feel like they are accomplishing these things.
The problem is true fellowship, if we mean getting to know others, doesn't happen only by spending more time with a person or group of people. Truly getting to know someone requires a heart that humbly desires to know others.
That's why the sermon and teaching at church are so important. The Word of God is powerful and helps us to see ourselves humbly, Christ's work for us, and the Holy Spirit's help in our lives to truly want to love others.
Pastors and churches prioritize what they will focus most on. For some, the sermon might drop to the lowest in the list, because they sense that is what people expect: more community time, which means less of one person talking. But the problem with this is that it's missing what helps create a true, warm community.
Also, often in situations where community is strongly stressed, people start to expect everyone has the same likes and thoughts, because any differences might hurt the "community" from always being a solid group. However, this is actually hurting community because loving someone requires respecting them and their thoughts and lives, even if those are different than yours.
Unfortunately, it often ends up feeling empty, like words thrown around only for marketing purposes, or to make people feel like they are accomplishing these things.
The problem is true fellowship, if we mean getting to know others, doesn't happen only by spending more time with a person or group of people. Truly getting to know someone requires a heart that humbly desires to know others.
That's why the sermon and teaching at church are so important. The Word of God is powerful and helps us to see ourselves humbly, Christ's work for us, and the Holy Spirit's help in our lives to truly want to love others.
Pastors and churches prioritize what they will focus most on. For some, the sermon might drop to the lowest in the list, because they sense that is what people expect: more community time, which means less of one person talking. But the problem with this is that it's missing what helps create a true, warm community.
Also, often in situations where community is strongly stressed, people start to expect everyone has the same likes and thoughts, because any differences might hurt the "community" from always being a solid group. However, this is actually hurting community because loving someone requires respecting them and their thoughts and lives, even if those are different than yours.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Introverts
Christians should be accepting and respectful of traits of introverts. Christianity is one where love for others is very important, and loving others includes allowing others to pursue what they enjoy.
Often people in their excitement to get a group at church going expect everyone to come to large groups and enjoy it. An introvert might not. Being in a big group is usually not fun to introverts. It's often exhausting: It's too much information all at once—an introvert loves to think about each idea, and often feels exhausted after large group meetings and parties where hundreds of ideas are thrown out there.
Even worse is if a person looks down on someone, or if a person is hard on themself, for not constantly going to events and parties, when really it's very often a matter of indifference. There is more than one way to get to know people, and being in a large group doesn't have to be the only option.
A person might look down on an introvert assuming that introverts don't care about people. But that's not true. When introverts are not with people they still like to think deeply about people and life and things. Talking with close friends is something they love.
If a person doesn't go to your event, the reason most likely is not that they don't like you or people. They just might not prefer being in a large group setting at that time. You might love the topic of the event or love being around lots of people at once. And that is good and fine, but you can't expect others to have the same preferences as you. Introverts at times do want to venture into large groups—it's a great way to meet people who might become close friends, something introverts love—so it's worth inviting them. But expecting them always to come isn't good.
Often people in their excitement to get a group at church going expect everyone to come to large groups and enjoy it. An introvert might not. Being in a big group is usually not fun to introverts. It's often exhausting: It's too much information all at once—an introvert loves to think about each idea, and often feels exhausted after large group meetings and parties where hundreds of ideas are thrown out there.
Even worse is if a person looks down on someone, or if a person is hard on themself, for not constantly going to events and parties, when really it's very often a matter of indifference. There is more than one way to get to know people, and being in a large group doesn't have to be the only option.
A person might look down on an introvert assuming that introverts don't care about people. But that's not true. When introverts are not with people they still like to think deeply about people and life and things. Talking with close friends is something they love.
If a person doesn't go to your event, the reason most likely is not that they don't like you or people. They just might not prefer being in a large group setting at that time. You might love the topic of the event or love being around lots of people at once. And that is good and fine, but you can't expect others to have the same preferences as you. Introverts at times do want to venture into large groups—it's a great way to meet people who might become close friends, something introverts love—so it's worth inviting them. But expecting them always to come isn't good.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Individualism
Post by
Michelle Dowell, Contributor
Individualism is not new to our time and culture. New technologies may allow for more ways to work and be entertained alone. In the past, the cultural expectations might have forced people to do things together more often, but there's no way to know if people had more of a heart to be with and care for others.
Individualism is a result of pride. Pride, which includes thinking that we can do everything on our own, is not new. The Bible talks about it. Proverbs reminds us to be willing to listen to advice and instruction.
If we see ourselves in humility, we know that there is so much to learn and enjoy from others. We should be willing to want to be with others, especially those who seem trustable and know God's word well.
When a strong emphasis is placed on the culture being individualistic, it's possible that people might miss what's in their own heart.
Michelle Dowell, Contributor
Individualism is not new to our time and culture. New technologies may allow for more ways to work and be entertained alone. In the past, the cultural expectations might have forced people to do things together more often, but there's no way to know if people had more of a heart to be with and care for others.
Individualism is a result of pride. Pride, which includes thinking that we can do everything on our own, is not new. The Bible talks about it. Proverbs reminds us to be willing to listen to advice and instruction.
If we see ourselves in humility, we know that there is so much to learn and enjoy from others. We should be willing to want to be with others, especially those who seem trustable and know God's word well.
When a strong emphasis is placed on the culture being individualistic, it's possible that people might miss what's in their own heart.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Real Community
Real community must be joyful for its members. It is easy to try to force community or force friendships. There is a certain hollowness to community which is not based on one's heart.
It is interesting in life that there are often ethical positions which require ethicical decisions to be disinterested. If we do something out of joy the decision loses its ethical value.
The bible is clearly against such an ethic. It is better to do what is right without joy than to do evil, but the highest ethical sense is when our joy aligns with what is right.
Doing good out of love for God and with joy is much preferred to doing good and finding it drudgery. Often Christians pull a certain stoicism into the Christian life which was never meant to be there.
Disinterest has no place in the Christian life. It brings an interesting side question as to the wisdom of required Christian education.
If children are enrolled in a Christian school or are at a Christian college that requires them to attend a chapel or spiritual formation class they do not wish to attend, are they harmed by the requirement? Could forced Christian education be harmful?
My opinion is, yes. A one size fits all approach to Christian education can be harmful. It is of course why pastors do not read sermons from famous pastors when they get into the pulpit. The sermon should be a faithful exposition of God's word to the people in the church.
In my mind things such as required chapel or curriculum in Christian schools may harm those who do not wish to attend. It is a delicate balance between encouraging and fostering faith and hindering faith by making it distasteful.
It is interesting in life that there are often ethical positions which require ethicical decisions to be disinterested. If we do something out of joy the decision loses its ethical value.
The bible is clearly against such an ethic. It is better to do what is right without joy than to do evil, but the highest ethical sense is when our joy aligns with what is right.
Doing good out of love for God and with joy is much preferred to doing good and finding it drudgery. Often Christians pull a certain stoicism into the Christian life which was never meant to be there.
Disinterest has no place in the Christian life. It brings an interesting side question as to the wisdom of required Christian education.
If children are enrolled in a Christian school or are at a Christian college that requires them to attend a chapel or spiritual formation class they do not wish to attend, are they harmed by the requirement? Could forced Christian education be harmful?
My opinion is, yes. A one size fits all approach to Christian education can be harmful. It is of course why pastors do not read sermons from famous pastors when they get into the pulpit. The sermon should be a faithful exposition of God's word to the people in the church.
In my mind things such as required chapel or curriculum in Christian schools may harm those who do not wish to attend. It is a delicate balance between encouraging and fostering faith and hindering faith by making it distasteful.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Celebration
The bible calls us to celebrate with the joy and success of others. We should delight in the success of those we know.
Often as people we act as if the success of our brother in some ways makes our success less. It as if the successes only have value in comparison.
We need to learn to see our lives in community. We can do more with others than we can do alone.
We often seek value in our accomplishments and this is the issue. Our ultimate value is in God. If we see everything in relation to God then we see that he is the one who gives success.
We should rejoice with the successes of others. Alone we are weak but together in Christ we are strong.
Often as people we act as if the success of our brother in some ways makes our success less. It as if the successes only have value in comparison.
We need to learn to see our lives in community. We can do more with others than we can do alone.
We often seek value in our accomplishments and this is the issue. Our ultimate value is in God. If we see everything in relation to God then we see that he is the one who gives success.
We should rejoice with the successes of others. Alone we are weak but together in Christ we are strong.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
The Church as a Body
"The church is only the church when it exists for others." Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The quotation by Bonhoeffer is true by definition. This fact does not take away from the meaningfulness of the statement since it also clarifies the implicit.
The church is a body. Each person is a part in the body. You see that each person is not an island or on their own. There is a unity and cohesion.
When the church functions well each person is concerned for the other. Always we must have concern for ourselves as well, but we must also have concern for the other.
The concern for others flows from this that God had concern for us while we were his enemies. You see the radical nature that God wished to open up a relationship with estranged man and make him co-heirs with his son Jesus to the entire universe.
Often it is hard to want to give. I am tired, we think. Often we are tired because we are unfulfilled and have done nothing we consider of value. It is very surprising that sometimes our issues are much better after we have had concern for others.
Kierkegaard speaks of an inward orientation to fallen man. Man is ill in one sense because he cares to much about himself. In caring too much about himself he often harms himself emotionally.
It is never purposeful but always man on his own is miserable. You see man was meant for community. God who created man willed for man to be communal. In fellowship with God and other men.
But man on his own often would like to isolate from the world. The tendency is easy to understand. Many difficult things happen in community. Even small bad words or awkward situations are draining.
But man often responds worse by secluding himself. In seclusion he is often far worse than he was previously. You see that it is not good to be alone.
Man was alone in the garden with only God and it was not good. So man created woman. We often in life compound our problems by how we try to solve our problems.
The difficulty is that God has a lot of solutions which on the surface don't sound very good. We simply know that God is wrong or so we think. It is often with God the longer we think about his "wrong" solutions the more we see they are plausible.
After a while these plausibilities often become realized to be correct. The bible is always right even when we think it is wrong. Often we judge so quickly and move on.
You see there are better ways for man to live than he often does. Man has a tendency to trade short term pleasure for long term happiness. Man is very shortsighted at times.
God is more concerned about man’s real happiness. God sees the bigger picture and accordingly does not offer advice and commands which are only for the moment.
That an eternal God outside of time knows better than man is not surprising. Men often make strange objections to God's will as if the church has made up the idea of God being outside of time to explain things.
The reality is that they simply need to turn to Genesis. All of the universe was created out of nothing. You see God existed and then he created the universe out of scratch.
It is not the way people create a pie out of "scratch" using some base ingredients. It is a little scratch where first the ingredients were created.
God create man as well. It isn't surprising that God knows man so well having created him. It would be surprising if God did not know the nature and needs of his creation well.
God created man in his image. Man is created to be a being filled with love. A love of God and fellow man. Man is at his best in community, that is why the church is a community called to serve not to be served.
A Post on Bonhoeffer on Preaching
The quotation by Bonhoeffer is true by definition. This fact does not take away from the meaningfulness of the statement since it also clarifies the implicit.
The church is a body. Each person is a part in the body. You see that each person is not an island or on their own. There is a unity and cohesion.
When the church functions well each person is concerned for the other. Always we must have concern for ourselves as well, but we must also have concern for the other.
The concern for others flows from this that God had concern for us while we were his enemies. You see the radical nature that God wished to open up a relationship with estranged man and make him co-heirs with his son Jesus to the entire universe.
Often it is hard to want to give. I am tired, we think. Often we are tired because we are unfulfilled and have done nothing we consider of value. It is very surprising that sometimes our issues are much better after we have had concern for others.
Kierkegaard speaks of an inward orientation to fallen man. Man is ill in one sense because he cares to much about himself. In caring too much about himself he often harms himself emotionally.
It is never purposeful but always man on his own is miserable. You see man was meant for community. God who created man willed for man to be communal. In fellowship with God and other men.
But man on his own often would like to isolate from the world. The tendency is easy to understand. Many difficult things happen in community. Even small bad words or awkward situations are draining.
But man often responds worse by secluding himself. In seclusion he is often far worse than he was previously. You see that it is not good to be alone.
Man was alone in the garden with only God and it was not good. So man created woman. We often in life compound our problems by how we try to solve our problems.
The difficulty is that God has a lot of solutions which on the surface don't sound very good. We simply know that God is wrong or so we think. It is often with God the longer we think about his "wrong" solutions the more we see they are plausible.
After a while these plausibilities often become realized to be correct. The bible is always right even when we think it is wrong. Often we judge so quickly and move on.
You see there are better ways for man to live than he often does. Man has a tendency to trade short term pleasure for long term happiness. Man is very shortsighted at times.
God is more concerned about man’s real happiness. God sees the bigger picture and accordingly does not offer advice and commands which are only for the moment.
That an eternal God outside of time knows better than man is not surprising. Men often make strange objections to God's will as if the church has made up the idea of God being outside of time to explain things.
The reality is that they simply need to turn to Genesis. All of the universe was created out of nothing. You see God existed and then he created the universe out of scratch.
It is not the way people create a pie out of "scratch" using some base ingredients. It is a little scratch where first the ingredients were created.
God create man as well. It isn't surprising that God knows man so well having created him. It would be surprising if God did not know the nature and needs of his creation well.
God created man in his image. Man is created to be a being filled with love. A love of God and fellow man. Man is at his best in community, that is why the church is a community called to serve not to be served.
A Post on Bonhoeffer on Preaching
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