Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Thoughts on Christian Community: Part One
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Part One: "What I love about our community"
As we have approached a time of discussing the future direction of our cohort, I've really tried to think about what I cherish most about our community. In other words, what would be the thing, that if it were to change, would mean I might stop being active in the cohort.
For me, what is most important is not so much what we believe, what we question, or even what we do (which tends to be a lot of talking). What I value about our community is the way in which we value one another and the inherent God-ness in each other.
In our discussion about what our community could or should be, I think it is easy to miss the fact that we are having the discussion at all. We intentionally work to hear, understand, and be impacted by the voices of everyone who chooses to speak.
In the past few years I've learned that will I grow closer to God by allowing myself to be changed by other people. I heard someone say recently, "Know yourself. Know others. It's a cycle." That sounds like truth to me, and it sounds like what we try to do every week. I bring all that I have to the table, and it collides with everything that everyone else has - and the result can be messy and challenging, but also life-giving and encouraging.
When I first started attending cohort gatherings, I realized it was the first place that I could fully be myself and express my thoughts and ideas about spirituality without fear of judgment or condemnation. My past experiences of Christianity had typically been efforts to give the answers that would elicit the "Amen's." What I found in the cohort was a community that would take all my shit, and respond, "Yes, we hear you. And we are still with you." It was the first place I could just be "Jesse."
As we think about moving forward together, what is most important to me is that we are moving together. No matter what structures we adopt, I am committed to always valuing every individual simply because of their miraculous and divine individuality.
Where disagreements abound, I pray for grace. Where friendships take root, I will be grateful. Where truth is found, I'll hold in gently and with an open hand, willing to share with anyone who is journeying with us.
Regardless, I believe that it is together that we discover who we are and how to live life to the full.
Part One: "What I love about our community"
As we have approached a time of discussing the future direction of our cohort, I've really tried to think about what I cherish most about our community. In other words, what would be the thing, that if it were to change, would mean I might stop being active in the cohort.
For me, what is most important is not so much what we believe, what we question, or even what we do (which tends to be a lot of talking). What I value about our community is the way in which we value one another and the inherent God-ness in each other. In our discussion about what our community could or should be, I think it is easy to miss the fact that we are having the discussion at all. We intentionally work to hear, understand, and be impacted by the voices of everyone who chooses to speak.
In the past few years I've learned that will I grow closer to God by allowing myself to be changed by other people. I heard someone say recently, "Know yourself. Know others. It's a cycle." That sounds like truth to me, and it sounds like what we try to do every week. I bring all that I have to the table, and it collides with everything that everyone else has - and the result can be messy and challenging, but also life-giving and encouraging.
When I first started attending cohort gatherings, I realized it was the first place that I could fully be myself and express my thoughts and ideas about spirituality without fear of judgment or condemnation. My past experiences of Christianity had typically been efforts to give the answers that would elicit the "Amen's." What I found in the cohort was a community that would take all my shit, and respond, "Yes, we hear you. And we are still with you." It was the first place I could just be "Jesse."
As we think about moving forward together, what is most important to me is that we are moving together. No matter what structures we adopt, I am committed to always valuing every individual simply because of their miraculous and divine individuality.
Where disagreements abound, I pray for grace. Where friendships take root, I will be grateful. Where truth is found, I'll hold in gently and with an open hand, willing to share with anyone who is journeying with us.
Regardless, I believe that it is together that we discover who we are and how to live life to the full.
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