This can be a hard one because unhealthy churches can insist that “real” Christians are attending every single activity and opportunity for fellowship and turn it into an idol, a legalistic yardstick. Healthier churches will provide opportunities for community and fellowship without the guilt trip, recognizing that some lives and some seasons have other obligations, too. Whether that’s health or disability of one’s self or family, a particularly busy work season, or the simple state of being an introvert.
(Aside from the fact every part of Jesus' ministry looks like community in people's homes)
I've realized that the 'personal faith' keeps people locked into authority structures, where faith and understanding comes down from a pastor, especially when response to any kind of questioning becomes "talk to the pastor about it". It's a structural issue.
Wow! That's a tough question. My wife and I attend a church where we are routinely urged to stick around after the service to connect with other members. We rarely do so, partly because such informal chat times don't seem to move the needle for us toward any kind of genuine trust or sense of community. Individualism is so deeply ingrained in our culture that it is devilishly difficult to move toward genuine koinonia. We also attend a small group with other church members, and that feels more like what we are looking for. We discuss the sermons, pray for one another, and share personal stories. Even so, the mutual trust we have is less than I have with my adult children. When Paul writes about the cohesion of the church community, he compares it to a body, where pain or suffering in any part commands the concern and care of every part. That, I guess, is what I would like to see, but I do not know how to get there.
For me a safe community means people who are willing to be uncertain about what the bible says about peripheral issues. Not judgmental about every little thing. I'm not talking about grace and salvation. They are foundational.
This can be a hard one because unhealthy churches can insist that “real” Christians are attending every single activity and opportunity for fellowship and turn it into an idol, a legalistic yardstick. Healthier churches will provide opportunities for community and fellowship without the guilt trip, recognizing that some lives and some seasons have other obligations, too. Whether that’s health or disability of one’s self or family, a particularly busy work season, or the simple state of being an introvert.
Also!
(Aside from the fact every part of Jesus' ministry looks like community in people's homes)
I've realized that the 'personal faith' keeps people locked into authority structures, where faith and understanding comes down from a pastor, especially when response to any kind of questioning becomes "talk to the pastor about it". It's a structural issue.
Wow! That's a tough question. My wife and I attend a church where we are routinely urged to stick around after the service to connect with other members. We rarely do so, partly because such informal chat times don't seem to move the needle for us toward any kind of genuine trust or sense of community. Individualism is so deeply ingrained in our culture that it is devilishly difficult to move toward genuine koinonia. We also attend a small group with other church members, and that feels more like what we are looking for. We discuss the sermons, pray for one another, and share personal stories. Even so, the mutual trust we have is less than I have with my adult children. When Paul writes about the cohesion of the church community, he compares it to a body, where pain or suffering in any part commands the concern and care of every part. That, I guess, is what I would like to see, but I do not know how to get there.
For me a safe community means people who are willing to be uncertain about what the bible says about peripheral issues. Not judgmental about every little thing. I'm not talking about grace and salvation. They are foundational.