Community Life

COMMUNITY: A unified body of individuals; a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society; an interacting population of various kinds of individuals in a common location

  

 When 74 individuals travel from all over the globe to a designated meeting place to eat, sleep, worship, and grow together; the definition of community becomes crystal clear. And although it may be clear, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. There are the simple challenges, like: sleeping next to the “snorer.” And hygienic challenges, like: wanting to take a shower and you’re #53 in line. Then you have the logistical challenges, like: herding 148 arms, legs, fingers, and toes from one location to another. But in all honesty these are the superficial, surface struggles of daily community life. The true test of community is found in character development. Things like: honor, integrity, patience, kindness, gentleness, love, trust, humility, thankfulness, being above reproach, transparency, compassion, and so on. When an individual is deeply rooted in Jesus Christ, the challenges of community life transform into opportunities to dig deeper roots. 

 “Community: a fellowship of little people who together make God visible in the world.” 
Henri Nouwen

“Into community you were called- the call was not meant for you alone. In the community of the called you bear your cross, you struggle, you pray. You are not alone, even in death.” 
Diedrich Bonhoeffer