The Cost of Community...

Here is a question I have been thinking over…

Q: What is the cost of being involved in “community?”

A: Time
A: Emotions
A: Energy
A: Space
A: Love
A: Money
A: Sanity
A: All of the above
A: None of the above

Another question...

Q: Does community really cost us or is it the Gospel which requires so much of us?

A(?): True community is an by product of the gospel. Yes, we may live in “planned communities” or work within the context of a group of people striving to achieve a common goal or even worship a similar G/god with others.

However, it is when we as people come together bringing our differences (and not in spite of them), ours hurts and joys and our experiences to the foot of Jesus’ cross do we truly become united and one. At the cross we are tied to Christ through grace and forgiveness, which in turn ties all Christ followers together as we arrive at the point of redemption. It is because of Christ that true community exists. Without him the church is just another group of people gathered to serve some functional, but ultimately impotent savior or insufficient purpose.

Some communities exist for the sake of community. The church community exist for the sake of Christ! Community should be valued for more then what it does to bring people together. It is not simply a unifying principle amongst a tribe, gathering or collective.

With this in mind, community only cost us when it is end in itself. I give/care for/share hoping that in a sense of mutual love, respect and interest, you will do the same. I give/care for/share because as part of the whole I am expected to give and take.

However, when we acknowledge that community cost us nothing and that Christ requires everything (Luke 9:23-27, John 12:24-26), our service to the community comes as an outgrowth of our commitment and love to Christ. This service should be not more of a burden then serving Christ himself (Matt. 11:28-30). Nor should we shirk our commitment to Christ by forsaking community.



This is admittedly not were I thought this would end up, but Oh well!