Words that shape us

I have noticed recently how recurring words continue to shape my faith.  This week the word community continued to resonate in my mind as it pulsated through each day in rhythm with my own heart.  I read about community in my husband's favorite motorcycle magazine.  I heard about community in a discipleship training seminar.  I experienced community during visits.  I sang with community in choir practice.

Yet what I sense is that sometimes we become overwhelmed by the number of communities we populate.  The time we spend with these communities speaks to how we value that community.  The question to ponder is by what gauge do we judge value. Is it how we benefit from the community?  Is it how the community benefits others?

The workshop on discipleship spoke about the community called "church."  The presenter was making the point that when our church communities gather and plan and program for the benefit of those within, the church does not live out its mandate by Jesus Christ to "Go and make disciples."  This model of church will at some point reach its zenith and then begin to diminish.  These communities are not sustainable as they draw from the outside only to nourish what is within.  When the church community gathers to worship and train and form disciples of Jesus Christ to go out into the world, that the world might be saved, the community called church will thrive.  The focus of the community shifts from the self to the other. These are sustainable communities as they use what they gain to nourish the world with love and mercy.  This nourishment is returned back into the community as others come to worship and be trained to go out into the world.

I work with leadership challenged by visioning what it means to be a community church where we are planted.  It was good to be in a training space for shifting perceptions.  Rather than see all the communities as competing for the time and talent of members of the church community, I saw each of those communities as places for the disciples to be strategically engaged in Kingdom work of compassion and justice.  Instead of working to envision a community church, shift our work to be creating disciples.  How will we engage members in their discipleship journey of growth?  What will be the steps in growing in grace and love?

I am excited about sharing this shift with the leadership.  It was like a jolt of espresso for me.  I see in my heart multiple communities filled with disciples seeking justice, acting with compassion, and humbly walking with the Lord.  I see worship filled with disciples praising God for love so amazing that each person graced by God's love is transformed. 

I have been so focused on community that I forgot another word that is so dear to my heart, connection.  Through our connections, God's Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven is glimpsed.  It is through disciples that connections are made from community to community to community.  Time to train.

Allow joy, allow love, allow God,
One of Many