As I think about this neo-nefarious word, community, what does it mean to me, or what should it mean to me?  I remember that in the early 70’s, community meant a good place to smoke dope! (dude! there is a far-out place behind the movie theater and no narks).  But I also remember that in that same period of time as a new born-again-ex-Mormon-dysfunctional-family-survivor-18yr old-new-Christian I belonged to BASIC, Brothers and Sisters In Christ.  It was the closest thing to community I have ever experienced. Keep in mind that I had not learned any of this in my family of origin. Being mostly young adults, we met somewhere in town at a certain time, usually at a park.  There was no organized leadership that I knew about. We were just a bunch of kids trying to figure out this new life in Christ.  Yes, I am an old hippie that spent a lot of time in parks and on mountain tops.

Fast forward to the Post Moderns and Gen-this and Gen-that, and we are still looking for this experience that few of us have truly experienced.  I thought Jesus was our friend forever and we would never be lonely or being out of community. But sometimes we are.

The word has been over used and completely misunderstood. It is used for marketing, church building, business culture and so forth.

It is not: (usually, but can be)

• a Bible study or a book study
• a church service
• a gossip session
• a popular thing to do
• a program
• under control of a single personality
• It should be:
• a safe emotional space to hang out
• to commune (hippie word), to communicate, to talk , to share our lives
• share the food dude! most important!
• a smaller group of about 10 folks
• able to divide into other smaller groups, affinities, hobbies and station in life
• meet as close to once a week as possible
• no agendas just relax and learn to let the Holy Spirit as a confidential group
• a place for healing
• could be an online experience

Now, take a break and enjoy the video. Slow down and drink it in, the I will continue with Part II.

This project wants to become a research paper and that it could be! But what does C (community from here on) mean to me? Below are some comments folks have sent me. Visit the Wiki for much more info.

Glenn - Keith, I enjoyed your blog!! I think those days in Anderson were far from perfect. Especially there were flaws in our attempt of commune living at the” Hill”…but also many great things happened with some great appreciation for each other came out of that. Even after 35 years past, I still feel a sense of family with folks of that era. We really made a serious attempt to live out the gospel and finding real community. We must remember that we are still dealing at times with our fallen nature yet we have a new nature through Christ. Living in closer proximity test both natures for sure. maybe that is why we have difficulty with closer community. What’s your thought?

Shelli - Hi Keith. Great blog! We were recently in Oregon with our friends who are the most amazing example of community I have ever seen. Not only do they meet together once a week, they also camp/vacation together, spend time together, watch each others kids (and goats) and work on each others houses. I think we miss community so much in our (church) culture because we expect to meet together and that takes care of it all. Community is really more like family. It’s all the time Well, that’s my two cents… Can’t wait to read more from you.

Michael Lee - Good writing Keith – Why do we experience so little community in American Christian/church life?

Mike and his wife Karen are ten year veteran missionaries in Russia. I met with them for a short time after 35 yrs of not seeing each other (thanks to FB). They are experiencing great success working with alcohol and drug addicted  young people so indicative of their culture.

Wrapping it up, or Unwrapping it.

Enough of the research and understanding of “C.”

I need it , I want it and I live for it. The problem is that It is not so easy to find it, even if intentional. I am often bored and depressed and feel so much better when a friend will just shut up and sit down and talk to me, just me. This does not happen for me in our community; I have so little history with these folks. I am group shy and don’t know what to talk about in a five minute pass-by in a gathering. I need a smaller group where we can really get to know each other to a point where the Holy Spirit is allowed to minister to each other. Sometime I shy away and don’t show up because I see the desire and need for “C” and we settle for a five minute, How are you?  This is frustrating because it is like that big delicious Hershey Almond bar wrapped in shrink wrap so thick it has to be opened with a knife or scissors instead of a paper wrapping that can easily be torn open in the bag on the way home just for a morsel. It is so close, we see it, we want it!  Just a morsel at times!

I saw this at the camping trip where Steve and Debbie always had large fresh pots of coffee at their campsite. “Brew it and they will come,”became the unofficial comment. Like Shelli said above, “we expect to meet together and that takes care of it all.” Yeah! If only we could un-encumber our time for just a little very and gooey milk chocolate running down our chins with a broad smile of contentment.

I’ll close with this:  Psalm 133:1-3 in The Message:

How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!
It’s like costly anointing oil

flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron’s beard,

flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.

It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon
flowing down the slopes of Zion.

Yes, that’s where GOD commands the blessing,

ordains eternal life.

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