Comments on: end, means, or by-product? http://www.somestrangeideas.com/2004/11/04/necessity-of-community/ theophile | bibliophile | technophile Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:12:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: david http://www.somestrangeideas.com/2004/11/04/necessity-of-community/#comment-381 david Sat, 06 Nov 2004 20:50:59 +0000 http://www.subvergence.org/wordpress/?p=101#comment-381 where WOULD you put the robber... where WOULD you put the robber…

]]> By: Dean http://www.somestrangeideas.com/2004/11/04/necessity-of-community/#comment-378 Dean Sat, 06 Nov 2004 15:09:03 +0000 http://www.subvergence.org/wordpress/?p=101#comment-378 Sure worship beats a settlers of katan game and (close as it might be) worship beats a cuddle party, but what if you played settlers of katan WHILE HAVING a cuddle party? Sure worship beats a settlers of katan game and (close as it might be) worship beats a cuddle party, but what if you played settlers of katan WHILE HAVING a cuddle party?

]]> By: david http://www.somestrangeideas.com/2004/11/04/necessity-of-community/#comment-377 david Sat, 06 Nov 2004 06:30:06 +0000 http://www.subvergence.org/wordpress/?p=101#comment-377 honest with self then honest with God then honest with community as a by product yup I've thought for a bit now that the world mimics community naturally because of our hard-wire seeking of it because of our image... just like a rock concert really unites people for a moment as a anti-worship service resembling the real thing (by anti i mean opposite of not opposed to)... we need some kind of acceptance and unity don't we? and we get close sometimes, really accepting and loving (maybe cuddling) in all manners of groups... but worship that is the glimpse of the kingdom is passionate, and right, and creative, and moral and Spirited all together at once, right... community comes most naturally after being unified under Jesus' sacrifice and empowerment, for me it has come most heavily or been felt most deeply as a by product of times of authentic honest communal worship... this is when i 'felt' the least alone and most honest and loving... worship beats any old settlers of katan game or cuddle party any day. honest with self
then honest with God
then honest with community as a by product
yup

I’ve thought for a bit now that the world mimics community naturally because of our hard-wire seeking of it because of our image… just like a rock concert really unites people for a moment as a anti-worship service resembling the real thing (by anti i mean opposite of not opposed to)… we need some kind of acceptance and unity don’t we? and we get close sometimes, really accepting and loving (maybe cuddling) in all manners of groups… but worship that is the glimpse of the kingdom is passionate, and right, and creative, and moral and Spirited all together at once, right… community comes most naturally after being unified under Jesus’ sacrifice and empowerment, for me it has come most heavily or been felt most deeply as a by product of times of authentic honest communal worship… this is when i ‘felt’ the least alone and most honest and loving… worship beats any old settlers of katan game or cuddle party any day.

]]> By: Mark http://www.somestrangeideas.com/2004/11/04/necessity-of-community/#comment-363 Mark Fri, 05 Nov 2004 06:36:01 +0000 http://www.subvergence.org/wordpress/?p=101#comment-363 John, this is rich stuff, love the thinking. This past Saturday a neighbor invited me to a costume party she was doing for Halloween. Then she warned me that it would probably be made up of a lot of people from AA, which she has been a part of for some time. Getting into her house I thought I might have to stop, drop and roll due to all the Marlboro fans out front. Inside there were probably 50 people hanging out. All of different races, ages and economic levels. One guy was unashamedly talking with me about his relapse and new length of sobriety. After being there for about an hour one middle aged lady was running around trying to get people to eat these carmel apples. When she got to me she said, "You're not one of us." "What do you mean," I replied. "You're a normy!" Not being familiar with AA lingo I said, "I don't understand." She said, "Your best friend isn't Budwieser is it?" "No it's not," I answered. Then she went on to tell me that normies don't know how to have fun, but she could help me with that." Shortly after that someone brought out a cake with a lit candle on it. Everyone sang happy birthday to a guy who was celebrating 26 years of sobriety. Then everyone cheered and hugged him. I left that night learning and experiencing something about true community. While not being in life community with those there, I saw it. People needing, loving and supporting eachother from all terfs. I thought to myself, in an honest heart, what if the church truly reflected that? John, this is rich stuff, love the thinking. This past Saturday a neighbor invited me to a costume party she was doing for Halloween. Then she warned me that it would probably be made up of a lot of people from AA, which she has been a part of for some time. Getting into her house I thought I might have to stop, drop and roll due to all the Marlboro fans out front. Inside there were probably 50 people hanging out. All of different races, ages and economic levels.
One guy was unashamedly talking with me about his relapse and new length of sobriety. After being there for about an hour one middle aged lady was running around trying to get people to eat these carmel apples. When she got to me she said, “You’re not one of us.” “What do you mean,” I replied. “You’re a normy!” Not being familiar with AA lingo I said, “I don’t understand.” She said, “Your best friend isn’t Budwieser is it?” “No it’s not,” I answered. Then she went on to tell me that normies don’t know how to have fun, but she could help me with that.”

Shortly after that someone brought out a cake with a lit candle on it. Everyone sang happy birthday to a guy who was celebrating 26 years of sobriety. Then everyone cheered and hugged him.

I left that night learning and experiencing something about true community. While not being in life community with those there, I saw it. People needing, loving and supporting eachother from all terfs. I thought to myself, in an honest heart, what if the church truly reflected that?

]]> By: Gary http://www.somestrangeideas.com/2004/11/04/necessity-of-community/#comment-361 Gary Fri, 05 Nov 2004 02:29:22 +0000 http://www.subvergence.org/wordpress/?p=101#comment-361 I have to get a copy of that book... Newbigin is the man. I have to get a copy of that book… Newbigin is the man.

]]> By: B. Willey http://www.somestrangeideas.com/2004/11/04/necessity-of-community/#comment-358 B. Willey Thu, 04 Nov 2004 21:57:16 +0000 http://www.subvergence.org/wordpress/?p=101#comment-358 Before I even finished reading your post I immediately began thinking of all the mission trips (short and long) that I been a participant in. In each one, I developed an incredibly strong tie with both the nationals and the team that I was working with. This was a much deeper community than any small group (except for one back in high school), community group, etc. that I have ever tried to create artificially or become a part of. My experiences go hand-in-hand with the by-product concept. Only when we (as a smaller body of the larger Church) allowed ourselves to be <b>used</b> instead of served did we experience true community. Before I even finished reading your post I immediately began thinking of all the mission trips (short and long) that I been a participant in. In each one, I developed an incredibly strong tie with both the nationals and the team that I was working with. This was a much deeper community than any small group (except for one back in high school), community group, etc. that I have ever tried to create artificially or become a part of.

My experiences go hand-in-hand with the by-product concept. Only when we (as a smaller body of the larger Church) allowed ourselves to be used instead of served did we experience true community.

]]>