What does true community mean? Does it mean developing the character of Christ in each individual that lives in community?

How do we discern true community from community?

Hey, I also perfer team leadership, but team leadership (in my thinking) doesn't equal true community. Team leadership can be proactive, reactive, passive, good or bad depending on the character and filters each leader brings to the team. Currently, many faith communities are lead by baby boomers...who often wear modernism's filters. And one of the faliures of modern ministry is the neglect (or possibly a misapplication) of discipleship. For too long we have assumed that a new convert will develop kingdom character—Pray with them, baptize them and they will automatically live by kingdom principles (which are countercultural). God saves him/her...they become part of the (true?) faith community...give them a regular dose of linear, rational preaching & teaching and "presto" they have developed the mind of Christ. We know better. People don't overcome the old life that easy (which by the way is much more natural and easier to live). We have to provide a forum that helps people learn to seek reconcillation instead of legal assistance; to walk the extra mile and to turn the other cheek.

From my experience (—and I am painting with a broad brush here) we still don't do this well. Maybe some communities do…if so I'd love to hear their stories. Modernism created some monsters that will not roll over and die each time we point them out...I see the above paragraph as "one of those monsters."

I guess what I 'm attempting to say is that we're all traveling along this continuum of time and, for me, it's often difficult to see clearly (maybe) because we don't fully understand or see what lies ahead. But as we travel through this POMO tunnel (headed to something else called another era) we all encounter the remnants of modernism. All transitions must put up with remnant of the past (especially early on---the further into the tunnel we travel the fewer leftovers). Remember the Jews who wanted to carry circumcisions into a new era?

So my point: maybe we talk "emerging and new era" but (unknowingly) continue to practice much of our ministry in a modern context. What say you?

This is just about relevant to the preceding posts. The Archbishop of Canterbury gave a talk on Benedictine holiness today at Trinity Church on Wall Street entitled 'God's Workshop'. The text is here, but you should also be able to access the webcast from the home page. It's worth reading, partly because Rowan Williams is cleric du jour for a lot of people, but also because there seems to be a widespread feeling that there is a lot that the postmodern church could learn from monasticism.

A couple of reasons for this hunch suggest themselves. One is that the monastic disciplines are rule-based rather than personality-driven - they provide an escape from, or at least an alternative to, modern leader-centred ministry. Another is that we are, many of us, acutely aware of our lack of spiritual depth - a lot of techniques, yes, and some facility with spiritual gifts, but not a lot of depth. Perhaps Fred's paradox arises partly from seeing pastoral care as curative, therapeutic, rather than as a community-based journey into spiritual depth and maturity. I'm sure we need to mend the damage that has been done to people, but real healing may come from developing an alternative way of being that in itself both restores the soul and offers a credible and useful spiritual resource for contemporary society.

Not sure I see a paradox, but I do see the need for a different frame.. so how's this..

Faith communities that don't utilize team leadership aren't really "communities" but corporations, with hierarchical structure. No wonder growth is numerical (crop rotation) rather than by conversion, transformation, and going deeper (organicly.. deeper roots, internal growth).

But where there is a team, and where there is true community as well as real mission, we have something more in line with Eph.4. And notice the context of Eph4, a passage where we usually talk about gifts and leadership, is community. I think Pauls real message here is often neglected.. it is the wholeness of the body that is in view, and not a map for leadership. But hey. if we leader types are self-focused, what's new?

Here is a nugget from Jim Wallis 20 years back showing the dynamic of nurture and vision.

"Both vision and nurture are key to community. Without nurture, a community will soon exhaust itself in pursuit of the vision. WIthout vision, a community will become stuck in self-preoccupation and travel in circles. With only vision, a community soon loses any quality of love. With only nurture, the community soon forgets what its love is for.."

Conflicting Leadership Styles
Consider this paradox...Faith communities lead by ministers who are "pastoral types" generally don't grow, but you can't grow unless you care for people. (Crop rotation doesn't count as growth)
If a community becomes a spiritual hospital, focused primarily on bandaging wounds--it tends not to develop the muscular faith necessary to engage the postmodern world. I wonder--are pastoral care and visionary leadership incompatible?

Comment & Question: I authored a blog titled "GraceAwakening" I discontiunued that blog at the end of 2002. I am ready to begin blogging again...but I need someone to help me design a cool looking blog...anyone have a contact for me?

back in the loop:

well, i have been "out" for a while - healing with my daughter and our friends. one thing that i have come to in all this is that when life bites, sometimes it is best to say nothing. i have found that the ones who have effected me the most are those who have just prayed for us and did not try to "explain" way the pain. but that is central, i believe, to a postmodern community of faith. sometimes, noting is everything and less is more. as we look to developing emerging communities of faith, let us keep the connect in our hearts and minds - and always remember that God is true and real and He needs no help from us in the healing - well, he may waht us to change a bandage every now and them - but the healing is in His hands.

as we define "community" how do you see the interaction of those who are hurting with those who "are not" (i tend to think that everyone is hurting, just that some are willing to admit it)? as we strive to become a "new kind of christian" (sorry brian for stealing) how do we define that in terms of healing and helping?

pax
john

i am new here, first night, but been thinking a lot about a lot of things....reading "A new kind of Christian" right now, its a good book. Just thought I'd check in and say hi.