Thursday, September 30, 2010
Spiritual Community
What is a "spiritual community?" Right now I am really wondering what it means to live in true spiritual community. What does it mean to "do life together?" As a follower of Jesus Christ and as a leader of ministry, I spend well over 95% of my time interacting with other believers; but it doesn't always feel like I'm living in spiritual community. Why is it that I don't feel a deeper sense of spiritual connection between me and those who I've surrounded myself with? Exactly what role is the church supposed to play in trying to bring about true spiritual community in the lives of it's members? These and many other questions are swimming around in my head right now, and I'm trying to seek answers. Currently, I'm reading a book by Larry Crabb titled "Becoming a True Spiritual Community: A Profound Vision of What the Church Can be." It is very thought provoking and encouraging. Crabb writes, "Spiritual togetherness, what I call connecting, creates movement: Togetherness in Christ encourages movement toward Christ." While I spend a lot of time with other believers, I don't often feel that I've been encouraged to move toward Christ. Is that just me or does anyone else out there feel the same way? Please respond with your thoughts about this matter. What do you think true sprititual community looks like? What are the elements that make up true spiritual community? How would you expect to be treated by those closest to you in spiritual community? Please share your thoughts with me. Click on the "comments" directly below to post a response.
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I think that the togetherness in Christ encouraging movement toward Christ is something that tends to be lacking in many college group relationships. I think many times we tend to become content with where we are, instead of encouraging each other to learn more and grow closer to Christ. I know that I never want to be content with who I am in Christ and that I want to make other people that I have relationships with to want to be more like Christ as well. That is one of the big things that when I was dating my mom encouraged me to look for: a guy who made me want to be more like Christ. I think that is something that is needed and important in every relationship, whether it is a dating relationship, or just a friendship.
ReplyDeleteI have also found myself surrounded by other believers but some how not moving closer to God. Sometimes I believe that when we hang out with other believers outside of church that last thing to come up in the conversation is spiritually issue. Issues such as devotional life or even how God spoke to us through the sermon that week. It is like we almost take for granted that they are our "Christian" friends, so there is no need to discuss spiritual matters with them. We spend a lot of time telling others to share their faith and what God has done in their lives with unbelievers, but I believe sharing these things with other believers is equally as important. Christians struggle with the same trials and temptations as unbelievers, sometimes they are seeking a spiritual community just as much as someone who does not know Christ.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think true sprititual community looks like? True Spiritual Community looks like a group of believers who will bare one anothers burdens. Who will pray for you when you can't pray for yourself. Who will lend a hand when you can't do it. Who will call you out of the blue and say, "God put you on my heart today, is everything O.K.?" This community is made up of people just like you and I that have life experiances not all good and not all bad. But we learned from them and know that by sharing them maybe someone will avoid the trouble we had. It is a community of people who have been hurt, wonded, and have the battle scars to prove it but they have not given up the fight or the cause of Christ... they just keep on working and praising the Lord through it all.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the elements that make up true spiritual community? Well, it must first of all be a body of believers with the same expectations to see the lost come to Christ as well as the saved become more involved and have a deep relationship with Christ. Manytimes people get saved and expect the Pastor's to do all the studying for them. I eat 3 times a day... sometimes more but I also have to feed myself spiritually as well. This Community should hold a standard of Accountability within its membership to study, to grow in our personal relationships with God, and to also be there to help other believers who may be struggling. Just becaus we are saved and in church does not mean we dont have the same struggles. We as Christians stuggle with the same trials and temptaitons as unbelievers sometimes more so then unbelievers as we know to do right but we struggle with the flesh. Sometimes beleivers are seeking the Spiritual Communtiy more the the person who does not know Christ.
How would you expect to be treated by those closest to you in spiritual community? OUCH!!! that is a loaded question. First of all we should treat everyone with compassion. We must show the Love of Christ. We can't sit in judgement, or condem someone that is seeking out refuge in the Spiritual Community. We must always remember where we were and or could have been had someone not stopped and showed us compassion, love, understanding, and took the time to tell us about our Wonderful Savior Jesus Christ. We in this community must also be swift to listen, slow to speak, and give an honest solution using the word of God...not opinions. Many of these communities that Work are made up just like our Congregation is. It is made up of people that have been wounded in other churches and for whatever reasons left. They came to Gospel and found a place to heal, grow, and serve the Lord. With that in mind we alway remember what it was like to be hurt by the ones who said, They loved us... and we are cautious never to inflict that pain on anyone else....So, the Spitirual Community is a great way for believers to grow but we ourselves must always take the first steps to our own walk with God daily.